INDIANAPOLIS - Ohio State's Nick Mangold got rave reviews for his powerful performance at the Senior Bowl.
That has helped him pump up his profile.
Mangold, a second-team All-Big Ten pick, has become the center of attention at the NFL scouting combine.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. and Rob Rang from nfldraftscout.com rank Mangold the top center in the draft.
The beefy guy with the long blond locks and scraggly beard has moved ahead of Minnesota All-American Greg Eslinger.
Mangold is mushy about all the attention he's been getting.
"That's awfully nice," he said. "I need to send thank you cards."
Mangold is one of 12 Buckeyes showing off their skills for NFL scouts, coaches and general managers at the RCA Dome.
Depending on whom you believe, as many as five Ohio State players - Mangold, linebackers A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter, receiver Santonio Holmes and cornerback Ashton Youboty - could go in the first round of April's NFL draft.
Or there could be as few as three.
Most experts agree that Mangold and Carpenter are the two wild cards. Mangold, 6-3 1/2 and 300 pounds, hasn't spent much time wrestling with his draft-day status.
He's projected to be a late first-round pick or an early second-round selection.
"My expectations are to hopefully get picked up," Mangold said.
"After that, I'm not really too worried about it. I want the opportunity to keep playing and be the best that I can be.
"I'm trying to be the best center in the draft. Hopefully I can prove that as we go through this combine."
Mangold, whose sister Holley is an offensive lineman at Alter High School in Kettering, Ohio, has spent most of his life looking at the game of football upside down through his legs.
He is a devastating run blocker with decent pass-blocking skills.
He has good strength and instincts.
Mangold has tremendous balance and focus.
One thing he needs to improve on is his footwork.
Mangold also wants to prove to all 32 NFL teams here that what he did at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., was no fluke.
Mangold knows there will be lots of eyes focused on him during his workouts.
"They want to make sure I'm not a big ol' fat slob and can move a little bit," he said. "And I think they're looking for some speed out of me. Hopefully, I can show that to them."
Unlike top picks Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Reggie Bush, Mangold plans to participate in every drill.
"Everything and anything," he said. "Why not? I have a great opportunity to show off what I can do. A whole bunch of people are here watching. And this is a great place to do it."
Southern Cal, national champion Texas and Ohio State figure to dominate the first round of the NFL draft.
Mangold would like to see the Buckeyes come out on top, but it's not something he or his teammates have spent much time talking about in the weight room.
Instead, he is flexing his muscles for the NFL teams here and then will wait to see where his name is called on draft day.
First Published February 25, 2006, 12:30 p.m.