Vicheal Foxx

The VMI senior and former Caroline standout will likely take the free agent route to the NFL.

Date published: 4/25/2006

By TAFT COGHILL JR.

The big kid with the colorful personality is preparing to step into a world where it's all business.

But that's just fine with Caroline High School graduate and Virginia Military Institute senior Vicheal Foxx.

Foxx is working out at VMI--where he enjoyed a standout football career as a defensive tackle--with hopes of joining a professional team during or after this weekend's NFL Draft.

While Foxx and his agent Jeff Jankovich said it's more likely that Foxx will be an undrafted free agent, they're both not ruling out the possibility of him being selected.

"You never know," Jankovich said. "If a particular team latches on to him, he might get drafted. But realistically, we're looking at him being an undrafted free agent."

At 6-foot-4 and 321 pounds, Foxx certainly has the size to keep NFL teams interested.

He said the one negative that's been pointed out to him by scouts is his propensity to play too high.

He's rated the 62nd best defensive tackle prospect in the Great Blue North Draft Report. However, only 12 players were drafted at the position in 2005 and 18 in 2004. Foxx has also worked out at guard for NFL scouts.

"I've been told that if I get drafted, don't be surprised," Foxx said. "But I seriously doubt it. I'm looking more towards being an undrafted free agent. If you don't get drafted in the first four rounds, it's better to be a free agent so you can pick where you want to go."

Jankovich represents 14 draft hopefuls, including George Mason University basketball standout Jai Lewis, who is looking to change career paths.

Jankovich said he's received inquiries from several NFL teams about Foxx. Some have asked for his draft-day phone number.

Foxx said representatives from the New York Giants called him over the weekend to ask if he'd be available for an early May mini-camp.

Scouts from nine teams got an up-close look at Foxx during the East Coast Bowl game in Petersburg. The exhibition featured seniors from Division I-AA, Division II and Division III colleges.

After that game, scouts from the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts decided to make the trip to VMI to see Foxx and a few other potential draftees work out for pro day on March 21.

There, Foxx said he did 25 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press, displayed a vertical jump of 34 inches and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.85 seconds.

"Vicheal has pretty good speed and quickness for his size," Jankovich said. "He's an athlete. He just needs to work on being more of a playmaker instead of showing bursts here and there."

VMI hasn't had a player drafted since 1989 when the Pittsburgh Steelers took wide receiver Mark Stock in the sixth round.

Foxx's best season for the Keydets was 2003 when he was named to the All-Big South Conference first-team after collecting 60 tackles and seven sacks as a junior.

Date published: 4/25/2006