Proving his worth: Arenas ready for NFL draft

As the sun beat down on his University of Alabama cutoff T-shirt, former Robinson High athlete and rising Alabama senior cornerback and return specialist Javier Arenas tossed a football back and forth in his hands, staring down at the grass beneath his cleats.

"It's kind of like my sophomore year," he said. "Sophomore year for me, I proved myself as a return man and I just had to prove myself as a corner. I didn't see that much pressure. I felt as though I had a year after if I did screw up my sophomore year to redeem myself. I had no pressure going in, and I'm trying to catch that feeling [again]."

This season will probably be the most important of his collegiate career. According to some NFL mock drafts on the Internet, Arenas is projected as a late first-round to early second-round pick.

Last season, the All-SEC selection led the nation in punt return yards with 650, a Crimson Tide single-season record. He was also fifth on the team in tackles (63) and had an interception, and he was named a second-team All-American by Phil Steele.

Alabama coach Nick Saban described Arenas as a "competitor" and a "perfectionist."

"I think it has reflected not just in his development as a return man, because he was outstanding at that his first year and last year, but his development last year to being an outstanding defensive back, a defensive back who played multiple positions," Saban said. "Not only did he play corner, but he also played our fifth DB 'star' position, which is a totally different position, and he did a really, really good job with that. He worked harder to get bigger and stronger and is a very physical player."

Arenas, Alabama's career leader in punt return yards in a game (153), a season (650) and a career (1,259), said he doesn't want the pressure of where he will be drafted to distract him.

"That's what happens to everybody," he said. "Guys get hurt. They're being soft their senior year because their draft status can get hurt. I don't care about any of that, I'm going to play ball. I hear 'first round, first round,' but I really don't care."

That doesn't mean Arenas isn't looking forward to the NFL.

"Of course I've thought about it," he said. "I do care about getting drafted. It will happen. Everything will fall into place."

At 5-foot-9 and 198 pounds, Arenas could join a select group of undersized athletes to be drafted based on their special-team abilities, which include former Super Bowl MVP and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, former standout return man Dante Hall and 13-year NFL player Eric Metcalf.

Former Bucs quarterback Shaun King, now an ESPN football analyst, compares Arenas to Chicago Bears return specialist and receiver Devin Hester.

"[Arenas] is a game-changer," he said. "You see the impact Devin Hester had. He's found his niche. Arenas is a pretty good cornerback, so he has a lot going for him. Arenas is a top-tier kick returner and cornerback."

King said Arenas should have no trouble finding a home in the NFL, despite his size. "A lot of teams get caught up in measurables," he said. "They want him to be a certain height or a certain speed. Some teams still draft guys that can play football, and Javier can play football."

Arenas wasn't heavily recruited out of high school and said he never imagined he would become one of the top players in the country.

"It was hard to see, but I knew it was possible," he said. "If I say no, then I'm telling you I had no faith in myself."