Kevin Smith answers the phone hurriedly, almost out of breath.
''I just got off the plane from meeting with St. Louis,'' Smith said Wednesday night after spending the earlier part of the day with the Rams. ``I've been training. Every chance I get to train, I'm training. I'm doing everything I can to get ready for the draft. It's been going good, real good.''
As a Central Florida junior running back last season, Smith led the NCAA in rushing with 2,567 yards, scored 30 touchdowns and finished just 61 yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders' all-time NCAA rushing record.
One week before the NFL Draft, Smith hasn't stopped running.
Even with the record-setting season in 2007, Smith isn't taking anything for granted as he prepares for life in the NFL.
Such is the case for players like Smith, who played their careers at non-BCS schools or fledgling programs. When it comes to the NFL Draft, playing for a less recognized school can still be a setback, but not as much as it once was.
A GREAT VALUE
''NFL teams feel like they know what I can do,'' Smith said. ``I'm a steal, because of the type of school I came from. Maybe if I came from another school it would be different. Coming from a lesser known school you don't have the hype behind you. You could be taken for lesser value and then prove to be very valuable.''
Smith, who was not recruited out of Miami Southridge, is expecting to be selected between the third and fifth rounds from among a deep pool of running backs.
Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois), Darren McFadden (Arkansas), Felix Jones (Arkansas), Jonathan Stewart (Oregon), Ray Rice (Rutgers) and Jamaal Charles (Texas) are just several of the running backs expected to be drafted before Smith.
Yet Smith remains undeterred, mainly because of the success of a fellow Conference USA running back.
Smith shattered several of former Memphis and current Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams' C-USA records.
Williams, who also played for a lesser established football program, was drafted in the first round in 2006.
''It all depends on the water that you're fishing in'' Smith said of when lesser-known running backs get drafted.
``Every one of the guys like [Williams] and myself are skilled enough to play in the NFL. Sometimes the school comes into play. We'll see where [the 2008 draft's running back class] is at in two years and who the best back is.''
Smith might have it easier this year than former FIU standouts Antwan Barnes and Chandler Williams, who were selected by the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings, respectively.
Playing for a 5-year-old program at FIU, Barnes and Williams felt they had to make a greater impression than most to get noticed for the 2007 draft, especially after the Golden Panthers had just finished a winless season, despite having a respectable defense.
FIU finished second in the nation to Florida State in tackles for loss and Barnes was a integral part of that with 22 ½ stops behind the line of scrimmage and six sacks.
Big games against South Florida, Maryland and Alabama helped Barnes, but it was the NFL Combine that opened eyes.
Barnes ran a 4.43 (second fastest among linebackers), had a 10-2 broad jump (third best) and led all linebackers with 31 bench press reps of 225 pounds.
MAKING AN IMPRESSION
''I had a great combine,'' Barnes said. ``What I did on the field at FIU helped. I think when you're from a young college program you got to get teams to notice you that's the first thing. You might be underestimated, but then you got to show the teams what you got.''
The Ravens never called Barnes, nor showed any interest in him before the draft, but wound up selecting him in the fourth round.
Williams, now a Dolphins receiver, left FIU as the career receiving leader, but a punchless offense in 2006 might have dropped his draft stock.
Williams got his shot when the Vikings picked him in the seventh round. He was released last August and signed in September with the Dolphins.
''I didn't know what to think on draft day,'' Williams said. ``I kept track of my rankings on websites.
``I really didn't know where I was going. I was the 20th best receiver in one site and 60th in the other. It was crazy and it's probably like that for a lot of guys from smaller schools. I was just hoping to get a shot.''
