AARON ROUSE

There are various opinions on how much interest some teams will have for Rouse. The biggest safety on the draft board, the 6-foot-4, 224-pound Norfolk native was projected by many as a late first-round pick heading into last season after leading the Hokies in tackles as a junior.

Rouse elected to return for his senior year, and for reasons that no one, including himself, has been able to fully explain, wasn't the same player. His play in Tech's back-to-back midseason losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College cost him sole ownership of the rover spot. Rouse watched senior Cary Wade start two games and spent much of the rest of the season splitting time.

Behavior problems that reached a crescendo in the BC loss, in which Rouse engaged in a sideline argument with teammates Vince Hall and Brandon Flowers, has obviously tempered many scouts' opinions of a player deemed to have the full package athletically and physically. His fall has been precipitous as Rouse is being projected by most draft analysts going anywhere from late second round to early third round.

Rouse is capable of playing safety and outside linebacker, plus he could be valuable on special teams. "I think NFL teams are looking for a guy who can do more than one thing, so I think that's going to help me," Rouse said. "It really doesn't matter to me where I play as long as I'm on the field making plays."

Rouse, who said he has talked to all NFL clubs, said he can be a better player in the professional game. "In college you're kind of playing your main system and things of that nature, but in the NFL it's all out, it's about making plays, so I just can't wait," he said. "I don't think there's another safety in the draft who's my size with my speed that can do the things I do."

DAVID CLOWNEY

While Rouse's stock has fallen, Clowney's has been on the rise. Although his 6-foot, 188-pound frame is considered less than ideal, he turned heads at the NFL Combine in February with other measurables -- his speed (4.36 in the 40-yard dash) and a pair of hands that measured 10¹₄ inches in span. Those are seriously big mitts, especially when one considers that 6-5 Calvin Johnson, the unquestioned No. 1 receiver on the board, checked in with paws of 9³₄ inches.

"I didn't realize my hands were so big until they called it out at the combine," said Clowney, laughing. "I was even shocked. When you spread your hands all the way out, you'll be amazed how wide they can be."

Clowney said NFL clubs shouldn't waste their time worrying about his thin physique. "I told them that any team that thinks my size is a problem can go ask anybody on my team [at Tech], and they'll tell you I was one of the toughest guys on the team. I'll go across the middle any time ... I could care less," Clowney said.

Clowney said the fact he doesn't have eye-popping career numbers -- 93 catches for 1,373 yards and six touchdowns in 49 games -- hasn't helped him in a receiver-deep draft.

"If I did have better numbers, it would have helped my stock," he said. "But the [NFL] coaches understand that I had a new quarterback [Sean Glennon], somebody not real experienced, and they're taking that into consideration. But at the same time, you've got some other big-name guys who have the numbers and have proved themselves. But it's all right. I know somebody is going to call my name."

When might that be? "They're saying pretty much third round, but I could sneak into the second," said Clowney, who will watch the draft with his family in Delray Beach, Fla.

BRANDON FRYE

Frye, a career backup until winning the starting left offensive tackle job last fall, said he would be happy just to hear his name called at any point during Sunday's final day of the draft.

The 6-4, 301-pound Frye put himself on the map when he did 34 reps in the 225-pound bench press, in addition to performing well in other drills at the combine. "It's all stuff I knew I could do well in and I just had to go out there and show everybody it was stuff I was capable of doing," said Frye, whose father, Stan, was a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1979-82.

More than one NFL scout had to wonder why Frye didn't play more before his senior year, right? "I've heard that I must be a late bloomer. But at the same time, I'm glad to be blooming at all," Frye said. "I'm just so fortunate to be in a position like this. Because you and I both know that a little over a year ago I wasn't sitting where I am right now. A year ago, it would have been hard to believe, but one thing led to another and now I'm sitting here. I'm just trying to stay humble and hope I get the opportunity to keep playing."

NOLAND BURCHETTE

Like Frye, Burchette has his fingers crossed that his cellphone will ring sometime Sunday afternoon. He impressed the talent hounds at the combine when he elected to do the bench press, even though he wasn't fully recovered from a broken left arm sustained six weeks before Tech's bowl game. Forget the fact the Richmond native did only 15 reps; the fact he participated made a lasting impression on scouts who watched as other players begged out of the drill, citing injuries. "I've always been tough," Burchette said. "Hey, I wanted to go back on that field for the second half of the bowl game with a broken arm, but they wouldn't let me."

At 6-2, 259 pounds, he may not be big enough to be a frontline NFL defensive end. But Burchette's intangibles -- desire, passion, intelligence, work ethic, willingness to play through pain -- could be enough to prompt a team to look his way. "I'm going to be there on Sundays," said Burchette, when asked about his NFL future. "You'll see me."