Disciplined Monroe Prepares to Tackle the NFL

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Eugene Monroe surrendered anonymity a long time ago. At 6 feet 6 and 315 pounds, Monroe seldom walked the University of Virginia campus unnoticed during his four seasons as an offensive tackle. He could not fade into the back of a classroom, especially after he developed into one of the nation's finest players.

Even when his size isn't immediately noticeable, Monroe draws attention. Before he changed his privacy settings on Facebook, he received 30 to 40 friend requests every day -- from strangers. Some were from women who knew Monroe was months from becoming a multimillionaire.

"He's one of the top prospects at his position and one of the top prospects across the board," said an NFC personnel director, who added that he thinks Monroe will be selected in the first half of the first round of April's NFL draft.

Monroe accepts the attention but stops short of embracing it. During his senior season, when asked about his future in the NFL, he would often change the subject to something within his control -- the Cavaliers' next game.

Several months have passed since his final college game, but he would still rather talk about what's within his control -- preparing for this month's NFL scouting combine. Monroe focuses on that event because the bombardment of praise has just begun. Those who know Monroe want to tell him what they heard about him, and those who have only heard about Monroe want to find a way to know him.

"It's pretty unavoidable," Monroe said in his hushed baritone. "Every day, I'm hearing from one person or another. 'I saw your name on ESPN' or 'I saw you going top 10' or in the first round. I hear all that stuff.

"But I pretty much have the same mentality that I did during the season. The goal right now is preparing for the combine, because that's the next step for me. I can't dictate where I'm drafted. All I can do is to continue to position myself as the best player at my position. So hearing all those things, I pretty much let it go in one ear and out the other."

Those who are fanatical about Monroe actually have the least in common with him. By his own admission, Monroe did not grow up a football fan. He was involved in martial arts as a child and devoured video games. He watched football for the first time as a 9-year-old, witnessing Reggie White blow by an offensive tackle for three sacks when the Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XXXI. Monroe considers himself a Packers fan because of that game, but he does not nestle in front of his television on Sunday afternoons.

"I've never really had a big interest," Monroe said. "If you asked me football history, I'd give you blank answers."

Yet he has been drawn to the game since participating in informal neighborhood football in Plainfield, N.J., when he was 10 years old. He wanted to join Pop Warner in fifth grade but was too big for his age group. He finally started organized football in middle school and immediately recognized his advantage.