A 3-yard catch over the middle that draws a bruising hit but picks up a first down: Zero points.

A tackle for no gain on punt coverage: Zero points.

Nope, those plays don't win fantasy games. But they help win games in the real world.

And Dorrell Jalloh lives in the real world.

The wide receiver from Greensboro, who starred at Western Guilford and West Virginia, will spend his weekend hoping to hear his name called by someone during the NFL draft.

quot;I'm going to have the phone in my right hand. I'm going to have the Bible in my left hand,quot; Jalloh said. quot;And I'm going to have my mom sitting right next to me, taking it all in and watching it on TV. That's something I'm going to enjoy. Not many people can say they had a chance to be in the NFL draft. Now I'm actually living it.quot;

A lot of draft experts don't have Jalloh rated among the top college wide receivers, but that doesn't matter to him.

He's listed as 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds. In person, he looks shorter. But he also looks bigger - and stronger, with bulging biceps and huge, powerful hands.

It's a body type that has worked well for Carolina Panthers star Steve Smith, a wide receiver who wasn't highly regarded heading into the draft.

quot;I'm projected anywhere from sixth round to Free Agency,quot; Jalloh said Friday. quot;I have to be patient. A lot of people put you on their board, but if some receivers who are projected to go in the second or third round get bumped back to the fifth or sixth round, then that might bump me back, too. I just have to keep praying and be patient right now.quot;

And if he's not drafted at all? No big deal, Jalloh said.

quot;If the free-agent route comes, that's a great thing because you can pick the team you want to go to that fits you the best,quot; he said. quot;That's a bonus. Free Agency isn't the end. Just because you don't get drafted, you're still in the NFL and you can still make a lot of progress. There are numerous players who went through the free-agency route and have become great NFL players.quot;

Jalloh played four seasons at West Virginia, and he improved each year. As a senior, he caught 29 passes for 358 yards and five touchdowns.

Those aren't eye-popping stats. But there's more to Jalloh than stats. Think toughness. Think fearlessness.

quot;I'm a very physical receiver. If I had to compare myself to somebody, I would have to say I'm like (Pittsburgh Steeler) Hines Ward,quot; Jalloh said. quot;I'm fast, I'm physical and I really pride myself on doing things other receivers are not going to want to do: blocking, for instance. I take a lot of pride in run blocking. And I am the guy who can go across the middle and catch the passes that make other guys say, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm going to get hurt.' I'll go in there and take that chance. I know with what God has given me, everything is going to be OK.quot;

Jalloh already holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications. He's on course to earn his master's in sport management next year.

He put that same drive to learn into getting faster, studying under Olympic gold medalist Gail Devers and former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Terance Mathis for two months at a training camp in Gwinnett, Ga.

He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds at his pro day back in March.

quot;I have a lot better technique when I'm running than before,quot; Jalloh said. quot;I basically learned how to run all over again, and that's something a lot of people take for granted.quot;

Jalloh isn't taking the NFL for granted. Whether he gets picked this weekend or signs as a free agent, he'll give it his best shot.

And he'll work hard on the little things that win games in the real world.

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills @news-record.com NFL DRAFT

When: Today-Sunday

Where: Radio City Music Hall, New York

Format: Seven rounds, 256 picks

TV: Today - 4 p.m., ESPN; 9 p.m., ESPN2. Sunday - 10 a.m., ESPN.

Top pick: Detroit Lions

Panthers' first pick: Second round, 59th overall

Online: NFL.com/draft/2009

INSIDE: Panthers happy with the core of their team. C7

- A look at when players with local ties will go in the draft.

AREA PROSPECTS

Players with ties to area schools:

Pos. Player Ht. Wt. School (local tie) Projection

LB Stanley Arnoux 6-0 230 Wake 6th round

LB Pierre Bell 6-2 230 ECU 7th round

WR D.J. Boldin 5-11 220 Wake 7th round

RB Andre Brown 6-0 225 N.C. State 3rd round

LB Mario Brown 6-2 235 Gardner-Webb 7th round

WR Raphael Chestnut 6-1 190 Duke (Reidsville) FA

LB Quentin Cotton 6-2 225 ECU (High Point) FA

LB Aaron Curry 6-2 255 Wake 1st round

G Curtis Crouch 6-4 320 N.C. State 7th round

G Calvin Darity 6-2 310 UNC 5th round

G Demario Deese 6-3 330 Gardner-Webb 7th round

TE Davon Drew 6-4 250 ECU 7th round

WR Brooks Foster 6-1 210 UNC 7th round

S Trimane Goddard 5-10 200 UNC 5th round

T Cameron Goldberg 6-4 285 Duke 6th round

TE Anthony Hill 6-5 265 N.C. State 6th round

WR Dorrell Jalloh 5-11 210 W.Va. (W. Guilford) FA

DE Khalif Mitchell 6-5 315 ECU 6th round

WR Hakeem Nicks 6-1 225 UNC 1st round

TE Richard Quinn 6-4 265 UNC 5th round

WR Eron Riley 6-2 205 Duke 6th round

CB Alphonso Smith 5-9 195 Wake 2nd round

K-P Sam Swank 6-1 205 Wake 5th round

WR Brandon Tate 6-0 185 UNC (Cummings) 6th round

S Chip Vaughn 6-1 220 Wake 3rd round

FIRST-ROUND ORDER

Subject to change based on trades:

1. Detroit

2. St. Louis

3. Kansas City

4. Seattle

5. Cleveland

6. Cincinnati

7. Oakland

8. Jacksonville

9. Green Bay

10. San Francisco

11. Buffalo

12. Denver

13. Washington

14. New Orleans

15. Houston

16. San Diego

17. New York Jets

18. Denver (from Chicago)

19. Tampa Bay

20. Detroit (from Dallas)

21. Philadelphia

22. Minnesota

23. New England

24. Atlanta

25. Miami

26. Baltimore

27. Indianapolis

28. Buffalo (from Carolina through Philadelphia)

29. New York Giants

30. Tennessee

31. Arizona

32. Pittsburgh

Former Western Guilford and West Virginia star Dorrell Jalloh hopes to hear his name in the NFL draft.