During one of the biggest moments of his life, Taylor Price will attempt to keep everything low key.
The former Ohio wide receiver will watch the National Football League Draft tonight and tomorrow not with a large viewing party, but instead just a few friends and immediate family members.
That's his personality
Ohio wide receivers coach Dwayne Dixon said. He's a humble guy. He's one of those guys that's isn't going to try to bring a whole bunch of attention - see no reason for a big party.
Price has a reason to party, though.
Many draft experts, including Scouts Inc. and ESPN, rate Price as the seventh best receiver in the 2010 Draft. They predict that he will be drafted in the second round, which means he could to be drafted as early as Friday.
The NFL Draft, normally a Saturday and Sunday event, changed formats this year. The first round will start at 8 tonight, and teams will select their second and third round choices Friday night.
Price said he will watch the first round at home in Hilliard with a few friends. Friday, he will go to the home of his first coach to watch with a few close friends and immediate family.
He was more of a quiet kept it on the field (player) senior receiver Terrence McCrae said. He was more serious - never really joked a whole lot. Everything was in concept and relevant to what's going on.
He may have a quiet personality, but Price's abilities and offseason workouts have screamed to NFL scouts.
Price started working out Jan. 3 in Miami. He left the area for the Senior Bowl Jan. 24 in Mobile, Ala., and the NFL Combine in Indianapolis Feb. 24 to March 2.
Starting with the Senior Bowl, the hype for Price intensified. He impressed scouts and college coaches despite catching only one pass for seven yards. His performance during the week prior to the game prompted ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay to say Price was the best receiver on the North team.
Price further improved his draft stock in the NFL Combine, running the second fastest 40-yard dash time for a receiver at 4.41.
Because of these stellar performances, Price went from the 20th ranked receiver to as high as seventh on some draft boards. He met with Dallas on March 30 and gave a private workout to the New England Patriots in early April.
If drafted, Price would be the third Bobcat in the last three years to get into the NFL. Last season, the Oakland Raiders drafted safety Mike Mitchell in the second round. The year before, the Detroit Lions drafted defensive end Landon Cohen in the seventh round.
It's obviously good
Price said. I put a lot of hard work into it. So it's something that I've been working toward. It makes you feel good about yourself and what you've done.
But that's only the beginning. Once you get into the league, then it's all about the respect and doing your job.
Price's work ethic during the offseason is no surprise to anyone who follows Bobcat football.
After coming to a program not known for a passing attack
Price left as one of the best receivers in school history. He became the leader in career receptions (149) and is second in receiving yards (2019) and touchdowns (14).
He also owns the school record for most receptions in a game
grabbing 14 receptions for 139 yards in 2008 against Wyoming.
Price attributes most of his success at Ohio to the arrival of Dixon
who came to Ohio in 2007.
Dixon played in the NFL for three seasons and coached the wide receiver cores of Florida and North Carolina State.
(Dixon is) one of the best coaches I've ever had in my career, Price said. He has so much knowledge of the game, and he's just so passionate about the game. He's just somebody that you cannot not listen to. So, I listened to whatever he said.
Now
Price is set to follow his coach into the NFL.
Just to get a shot to all of those 32 teams, I don't want to be picky about where I go, he said. I hope that I go wherever the best situation is for me and make the most of it.",",2,Sports,Matt Wagner,31411a.jpg,Ohio University wide receiver Taylor Price dives for the endzone in the first half of the Bobcats game against the Cal-Poly Mustangs last season at Peden Stadium. Price is the seventh-best receiver in the draft
according to Scouts Inc. and ESPN's Todd McShay. (Maddie McGarvey | FILE),",",",","
31414,2010-04-22 03:14:00,Halloween party doesn't keep OU on 'Playboy' list,The votes are in: Ohio University has the best Halloween party in the nation.,The votes are in: Ohio University has the best Halloween party in the nation.
Though it hosts the wildest October 31 bash
OU failed to make Playboy Magazine's list of the top 10 party schools in the U.S. Last Friday
the magazine published the list in its May issue.
OU was ranked 18th in the nation last year
