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| Tuesday, January 8 Updated: January 9, 12:49 PM ET 'Special player' Fonoti to chase his NFL dream By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com |
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Nebraska All-American guard Toniu Fonoti, one of the most dominating offensive lineman of the last two college football seasons, is headed to the NFL.
Reached by phone in Hawaii, the powerful drive-blocker told ESPN.com that he
will bypass his final season of eligibility with the Cornhuskers and that on Tuesday he forwarded the paperwork to the NFL to petition for early entry into the 2002 draft.
"It was a hard decision, one where I wanted a lot of input and advice from my parents, but I think it's time to challenge myself against the best players at the highest level," Fonoti said. "I will be a Cornhusker forever, maybe even longer, and I'll bleed even redder than most people. But this has been a goal of mine, to play in the NFL, and the time seems right."
Fonoti, 20, is a native of American Somoa and played at Kahuku High School
in Honolulu before being recruited to Nebraska.
A finalist this season for the Outland Trophy and semifinalist for the
Lombardi Award, several league scouts told project Fonoti as
a first-round selection. Although he played left guard at Nebraska, some scouts feel he can make the transition to right tackle. At 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds, Fonoti has decent feet and can physically envelop opponents.
Like most Nebraska linemen, Fonoti will have to become better versed in pass
protection to succeed in the NFL.
"There are still a lot of things I have to learn," he said. "I know I'm not a finished product yet, but I also know I'll work hard to get better."
Fonoti recorded a school record 201 "pancake" blocks in 2001 -- defined as
putting a defender on his back -- including a record 32 against Texas Tech. He broke his own mark of 155 "pancake" blocks in 2000, his first season as a starter, and set a school career mark for most average "pancake" blocks per game.
He earned all-Big 12 in 2000 and 2001 and consensus All-American honors this
season.
"He is a special player," said Nebraska offensive line coach Milt Tenopir.
"We are sorry to see Toniu go, but we certainly wish him the
best in his NFL endeavors," Nebraska head coach Frank Solich said
in a statement on Wednesday.
Fonoti said he personally told Solich and Tenopir about his decision, before he filed the papers.
"They were more disappointed, but they are supporting me on
whatever decision," Fonoti said.
To be eligible for the 2001 NFL draft, underclassmen must submit their paperwork to the league by a Friday afternoon deadline.
Fonoti said he will not be taking classes at Nebraska this
semester, but eventually wants to earn his college degree from the
school.
It is the second consecutive year where Nebraska has lost its
top offensive lineman. Center Dominic Raiola left after his junior
season for the NFL in 2001. Like Raiola, Fonoti is a first-team
All-American, from Hawaii and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy
as a junior.
Raiola was picked by the Detroit Lions in the second round of
the draft.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer covering the NFL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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