Lowery starting to feel a bit drafty

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Dec 22, 2006 | by Laurence MiedemaSTAFF

ALBUQUERQUE -- There has been enough buzz from NFL scouts that San Jose State All-American cornerback Dwight Lowery has requested a draft "grade" from the league's advisory committee to help decide if he should declare himself eligible for the April draft.

Regardless of the results, which could arrive as early as next week, Lowery can return to SJSU for his senior season as long as he does not retain an agent. Lowery doesn't have to decide anything until March 1.

"It's the right thing to do," Lowery said after practice Thursday. "Right now, all that is on my mind is the bowl game. But I feel in my heart that any decision I make will be the right decision."

The Spartans make their first bowl appearance since 1990 on Saturday in the inaugural New Mexico Bowl against New Mexico. Lowery was a big part of SJSU's success.

The Soquel High product arrived at SJSU this fall a little-known JC transfer from Cabrillo College. But he intercepted a school- record nine passes and was named to two first-team All-America squads.

NFL scouts can't officially contact SJSU about Lowery, 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, but he is on most teams' radar. The same goes for potential agents. Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. recently rated Lowery eighth among underclassmen cornerbacks.

"We think it just makes sense for him to test the waters," co- defensive coordinator Tom Williams said. "You want to have as much information as you can before you make that decision."

It won't be an easy choice. Lowery's draft stock might never be higher because of his All-American notoriety. It's also possible that Lowery is just scratching the surface of his potential. Some mock drafts, speculating Lowery would come out early, rate him as a third-round pick.

FIGHT, FIGHT: After traveling Wednesday, the Spartans held their first workout in Albuquerque on Thursday afternoon.

The weather cooperated (no new snow), and the squad practiced for a little more than an hour. On the way to the locker room, a wild snowball fight broke out. A couple dozen players heaved snowballs at each other for more than 10 minutes.

"The first time I saw snow was a couple weeks ago in Idaho; we had a snowball fight then and we had one now," said linebacker Demetrius Jones, a Compton native.

YOUNG DEFENSE: How young is SJSU's defense. Only 10 players on the unit are seniors, and five of those players arrived last season. One of few old-timers is Damaja Jones, who has been around since 2003, when he successfully walked on to the program.

"I hear an 'old' joke every day," Jones said.

The funniest joke he's heard? Well, Jones said that was when some guys were sitting around talking about their recruiting DVDs and asked Jones if his required a movie projector.

"Actually, mine's on tape," Jones said.