TNC
04-26-2004, 11:10 AM
Gilligan in line for draft
By SAM BROWN, Free Press Sports Writer
Elko Daily Free Press
With the two-day National Football League draft beginning today, Draft Day will be unlike any other day Tim Gilligan has ever experienced.
With one eye, he will be watching ESPN, seeing which players will end up with which teams. "I'll just be relaxing at my house," he said.
But Gilligan also will be keeping the other eye - and likely both of his ears - attuned to the telephone, hoping for the call that every football player dreams of: The call from an NFL team saying he has been drafted.
And with good reason: Following a stellar career at Boise State, the Elko native stands a good chance of hearing his phone ring and hearing his name announced by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
"Yeah, I'll be waiting by the phone," he said. "It's pretty exciting,"
An all-league performer in three sports at Elko High, Gilligan was nevertheless considered smallish (5-foot-9, about 145 pounds) to compete in football at the Division I level. Undaunted, the gritty kid took that as a challenge and walked on at Boise State, determined to make an impact.
After hitting the weight room to add 30 pounds of muscle, Gilligan began making his mark as a return specialist during his sophomore and junior years. But the best was yet to come as Gilligan had a breakout senior season as the go-to wide reciever in Boise State's wide-open offense.
Gilligan caught 67 passes for 1,192 yards and six touchdowns - including a school-record effort of 16 catches for 255 yards against Louisiana Tech - as he garnered first team All-WAC honors. He also averaged 12.4 yards per punt return for the 12-1 Broncos - all this despite missing most of the last three games with a fractured leg.
After the season concluded, he rehabbed his injury and has remained in shape through seven-day-a-week workouts as well as running routes and catching passes with his former BSU teammates.
He's quick (a consistent 4.5 in the 40-yard dash), has good hands and is a tireless worker - seemingly every general manager's dream.
However, as he eyes a possible move to the next level, the same knock that dogged him early in his college career - size - is one of the biggest reservations pro teams have about him. "He is really undersized ... (he) has trouble with physical corners because of his size" says on online scouting report.
However, Gilligan points to a pair of smallish players - Tim Dwight and Marvin Harrison - who have had stellar pro careers despite their lack of stature. "We're all about the same size - they just go out and make plays," he said.
It's that attitude that is listed among his positives. The same scouting reports calls Gilligan "a tough kid ... a former walk-on who plays with a chip on his shoulder, like he has something to prove.
"The bottom line," concluded the draft report, "Tim will make one heck of a return man in the NFL."
Gilligan has already been contacted for interviews by a number of NFL teams, including the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants.
He even attended a tryout for one championship team, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. And while Gilligan was offered a contract by the defending Grey Cup champions ("It was a big compliment") and also was intrigued at the idea of playing wide receiver in the pass-happy league, he decided to hold out.
Contrary to what many might think, it wasn't about the money (NFL rookies make $230,000 per year while the average player in the CFL makes about $45,000) but about the opportunity to fulfill a dream.
"Playing in the NFL is the ultimate dream," he said of his decision not to sign with Edmonton. "It's why we play the game, to reach the highest level."
While he is excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he's also happy that it is just that - once-in-a-lifetime.
"I'm glad I don't have to go through this again," he said of the pre-draft process. "It's very stressful, very tedious process, a real guessing game.
"One scout walked up to me at one workout and said, 'Saw you at the BYU game,' and then walked off without another word. (Scouts) don't give any indication as to which direction they are leaning or what they think - you are always asking yourself, 'Is it a good thing they called, or a bad thing?'"
While a professional football career is a distinct possibility, Gilligan isn't mortgaging his future on his gridiron dream. He is currently only one class short of getting his degree and is preparing for an internship with the Idaho State Commission of Pardons and Parole.
But this weekend, he'll be watching and waiting, hoping to receive a phone call that will change his life.
For a moment, he waxed philosophically about his chances.
"One advantage pros have is their confidence, in themselves and their abilities. They know they can go out and make the plays.
"I think I can develop that mentality, I just have to go out and play like I've always played and I'll do fine."
By SAM BROWN, Free Press Sports Writer
Elko Daily Free Press
With the two-day National Football League draft beginning today, Draft Day will be unlike any other day Tim Gilligan has ever experienced.
With one eye, he will be watching ESPN, seeing which players will end up with which teams. "I'll just be relaxing at my house," he said.
But Gilligan also will be keeping the other eye - and likely both of his ears - attuned to the telephone, hoping for the call that every football player dreams of: The call from an NFL team saying he has been drafted.
And with good reason: Following a stellar career at Boise State, the Elko native stands a good chance of hearing his phone ring and hearing his name announced by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
"Yeah, I'll be waiting by the phone," he said. "It's pretty exciting,"
An all-league performer in three sports at Elko High, Gilligan was nevertheless considered smallish (5-foot-9, about 145 pounds) to compete in football at the Division I level. Undaunted, the gritty kid took that as a challenge and walked on at Boise State, determined to make an impact.
After hitting the weight room to add 30 pounds of muscle, Gilligan began making his mark as a return specialist during his sophomore and junior years. But the best was yet to come as Gilligan had a breakout senior season as the go-to wide reciever in Boise State's wide-open offense.
Gilligan caught 67 passes for 1,192 yards and six touchdowns - including a school-record effort of 16 catches for 255 yards against Louisiana Tech - as he garnered first team All-WAC honors. He also averaged 12.4 yards per punt return for the 12-1 Broncos - all this despite missing most of the last three games with a fractured leg.
After the season concluded, he rehabbed his injury and has remained in shape through seven-day-a-week workouts as well as running routes and catching passes with his former BSU teammates.
He's quick (a consistent 4.5 in the 40-yard dash), has good hands and is a tireless worker - seemingly every general manager's dream.
However, as he eyes a possible move to the next level, the same knock that dogged him early in his college career - size - is one of the biggest reservations pro teams have about him. "He is really undersized ... (he) has trouble with physical corners because of his size" says on online scouting report.
However, Gilligan points to a pair of smallish players - Tim Dwight and Marvin Harrison - who have had stellar pro careers despite their lack of stature. "We're all about the same size - they just go out and make plays," he said.
It's that attitude that is listed among his positives. The same scouting reports calls Gilligan "a tough kid ... a former walk-on who plays with a chip on his shoulder, like he has something to prove.
"The bottom line," concluded the draft report, "Tim will make one heck of a return man in the NFL."
Gilligan has already been contacted for interviews by a number of NFL teams, including the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants.
He even attended a tryout for one championship team, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. And while Gilligan was offered a contract by the defending Grey Cup champions ("It was a big compliment") and also was intrigued at the idea of playing wide receiver in the pass-happy league, he decided to hold out.
Contrary to what many might think, it wasn't about the money (NFL rookies make $230,000 per year while the average player in the CFL makes about $45,000) but about the opportunity to fulfill a dream.
"Playing in the NFL is the ultimate dream," he said of his decision not to sign with Edmonton. "It's why we play the game, to reach the highest level."
While he is excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he's also happy that it is just that - once-in-a-lifetime.
"I'm glad I don't have to go through this again," he said of the pre-draft process. "It's very stressful, very tedious process, a real guessing game.
"One scout walked up to me at one workout and said, 'Saw you at the BYU game,' and then walked off without another word. (Scouts) don't give any indication as to which direction they are leaning or what they think - you are always asking yourself, 'Is it a good thing they called, or a bad thing?'"
While a professional football career is a distinct possibility, Gilligan isn't mortgaging his future on his gridiron dream. He is currently only one class short of getting his degree and is preparing for an internship with the Idaho State Commission of Pardons and Parole.
But this weekend, he'll be watching and waiting, hoping to receive a phone call that will change his life.
For a moment, he waxed philosophically about his chances.
"One advantage pros have is their confidence, in themselves and their abilities. They know they can go out and make the plays.
"I think I can develop that mentality, I just have to go out and play like I've always played and I'll do fine."