Burton waits anxiously for NFL Draft Saturday

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Burton waits anxiously for NFL Draft Saturday


For National Football League hopefuls, one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of their lives comes during Saturday and Sunday’s draft, when they are waiting for their phones to ring and their agent or a team official to say they are now a member of a professional squad.

Some top college football players, such as the University of Southern California’s Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, as well as Texas’ Vince Young, know basically beyond a reasonable doubt that they will be top-10 picks.

While Temple University’s Antwon Burton had a fine career in his own right at defensive tackle, the 2001 Cleveland Hill graduate isn’t so sure where he’ll be drafted, although he has heard from NFL scouts that he’ll likely be taken anywhere from the fifth to seventh round.

"I’ve been getting some calls (from team officials)," Burton told the Times Tuesday afternoon by phone from his off-campus apartment in Philadelphia. "I’ve heard that at worst, I’ll be a priority (undrafted) free agent. I just want to hear my name called this weekend. My mind’s definitely on Saturday and Sunday."

The NFL Draft is taking place in New York City at noon Saturday.

Burton stated that he and his agent, Marty Magid, have received inquiries of interest from as many as six NFL teams, including Denver, Dallas, Philadelphia and Jacksonville, among others.

The 6-foot, 3-inch, 315-pound star, who played two years of junior college football under Dennis Green at Erie Community College before transferring to Temple, said he is now playing the "waiting game."

"There really isn’t a whole lot to do now other than work out around here," said Burton, who recently participated in the NFL Combine workouts in Indianapolis. "All I can do is wait until the draft."

At Cleve Hill, Burton was named the Section VI Class C Defensive Player of the Year in 2001, also garnering First Team All-State, All-Division and All-Western New York honors. The tackle recorded 106 tackles, 84 solo, and 7.5 sacks during that season, leading the Golden Eagles to a win over Salamanca at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Burton had an outstanding two-season stint at ECC, finishing with 116 tackles and 11 sacks. At Temple, after missing the 2004 season with a foot injury, the burly tackle notched 96 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one interception.

He ended his college career by participating in the East-West Shrine Game in San Antonio on January 28. Previously working out in Chicago with Speed USA, Burton recorded a 40-yard dash time of 5.0 seconds and said he has improved the number of repetitions for his bench-press lifting, as well as endurance running.