By R.G. Greene
rgreene@gtowntimes.com
It's the busiest time of the year for NFL hopefuls.
With this weekend's draft and the rookie free-agent signing period that follows, many futures will be taking shape.
One of those hoping to carve out a place for himself is Andrews alum Jeremy Geathers.
"It's something I've been waiting for my whole life," said Geathers, who spent the last two years playing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "I've been playing football since I was little. It seems like it's been a long process to get to this point. I'm real excited."
Geathers is trying to become the fourth member of his family to reach the NFL. His father, Jumpy, recorded 62 sacks over a 13-year career with New Orleans, Washington, Atlanta and Denver. His uncle, Robert Geathers Sr., played for Buffalo and cousin, Robert Jr., will begin his fourth year with Cincinnati this fall.
The Geathers name is also known on the collegiate level. Jeremy's brother, Jarvis, is playing for Central Florida and cousin, Clifton, is at the University of South Carolina - another cousin, Kwame, will be a senior at Carvers Bay High next season and is a college prospect as well.
"My family has been great," Geathers said. "My dad has been helping a lot. He's been through all this before. He's had me ready for everything."
A defensive end like his father, Geathers played a season at Butler County (Kan.) Community College after graduating from Andrews. He led UNLV in sacks the last two years, recording 5.5 in each season.
He is only the second player from the school to leave early for the NFL draft - cornerback Eric Wright was a second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2007.
College juniors first became eligible for the draft in 1989. At least 10 juniors have been No. 1 picks every year since 2000 and, on Saturday, more than half of the first-round selections could be underclassmen.
"It's not surprising that so many (underclassmen) have decided to come out," Geathers said. "There's not that much difference in experience between juniors and seniors. I was a redshirt junior, so I had the same level of experience as most of the seniors.
"I think (players) enjoy being in college, but you go there to set yourself up for the future. The money you can make playing in the NFL is hard to turn down. Even the league minimum ($285,000 for rookies in '07) can be tough to pass up."
Though he has no second thoughts about his decision, Geathers believes more safeguards could be added to help underclassmen make the best choice possible.
Juniors have only until mid-January to declare for the draft. Strict rules govern the amount of contact NFL teams can have with underclassmen while they're in school and, with the combine not being until February and the draft being in April, a variety of timing issues can arise.
"There's not a lot of time between the end of the season and when you have to declare," Geathers said. "Most of the attention is focused on the seniors. A lot of the teams don't even get film on some of the (underclassmen) until right before the combine. That can make it hard to get accurate feedback."
Admittedly nervous beforehand, Geathers (6-foot-2, 256) had an off day at the combine, posting 40-time of 4.96 - he would make a recovery at UNLV's pro day, cutting his time down to 4.74.
He has been projected by ESPN and other draft boards as a second-day pick or possible free-agent signing.
"I've been on the phone a lot," Geathers said. "I've been talking with several teams. But once (the draft) starts, anything can happen. It can get pretty crazy."
Scouts like Geathers' strength, burst at the snap of the ball and ability to beat blockers at the point of attack. His demonstrated ability to get after the quarterback, a quality always en vogue in the NFL, should work in his favor -- somewhat undersized for a defensive end, he could be converted into a pass-rushing linebacker.
Geathers is known for playing with an edge and has shown a tendency to make the type of hits that wind up on the highlight reel. Additional qualities that could certainly help him make an impression and garner a roster spot.
"No matter where you're drafted, when you get to camp, there aren't any guarantees," Geathers said. "You have to go in ready to prove yourself and earn a job."