The last time we checked in with Arena League rookie of the year Adrian McPherson, he had just finished his first, and only, season of Arena football and was facing a decision of a lifetime. To go, or not to go. The NFL was calling. We all know about the past, what is important is the future. What has Adrian McPherson been doing to realize his dream of playing in the NFL?

 

Step one was releasing agent Daryl Willis. Willis was being decertified by the NFL Players Association and would not be able to represent McPherson if and when he made himself eligible for the draft. The first big decision was finding an agent that would fairly represent him and show that he has changed since his days at Florida State. The search would not be a quick one and with many agents lining up to offer their services, it would be a trying one. After weighing his options, Adrian decided on renowned super-agent Leigh Steinberg. Steinberg is one of the most respected agents in the business and brings with him a solid reputation. The fact that he would represent McPherson was the first bit of light shining through the tunnel.

 

After finding the right agent, Adrian moved from Florida to California to train for the NFL Combine and private workouts. The trip to California would not be a vacation though. McPherson arrived in Newport Beach with a renewed work ethic and the determination to prove his doubters wrong. The big downside to Adrian physically is that many scouts felt like he was too skinny and not accurate enough to play in the NFL. Not to mention the so-called character concerns that people were labeling him with.

 

Working out six times a week with agents Bruce and Ryan Tollner, sons of Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ted, would show Adrian how to become a better NFL quarterback and give him the strength to impress scouts. At a legit 6’4 and 190lbs, Adrian had work to do before showing NFL teams he was ready. While playing at Florida State, McPherson was also on the basketball team and would spend as much time preparing for that as he did football. He had always gotten by on talent alone, but now he is focusing solely on football and the results are impressing. Having gained 20 pounds of muscle in the past 6 months, McPherson is up to a solid 220lbs and running his 40 in 4.45 seconds and a 4.38 at one running. He has put up 26 reps of 225lbs, an amazing number for any skill position player.

 

All the reps and fast forty times will not make Adrian a good NFL quarterback though. Being a good passer will. Working out with former-NFL great Warren Moon has given Adrian a mentor and experienced voice to learn from. Moon has said that Adrian has the best arm he has ever seen and that working with him has been amazing. The one problem they are running into daily is that his foot speed is so fast that he has to learn to slow down in the pocket. As for the knock on his accuracy, Moon feels like his exposure to the Arena game improved his touch and accuracy.

 

What does all of this mean? It means that the NFL is taking notice that McPherson is back and is a legit Day One prospect. After a meet and greet session at the Senior Bowl, McPherson and his agents feel like they have a shot to move up draft boards quickly. Adrian met with many teams for a few hours and gave each team a chance to see the real person, not the one they read about in the newspapers. How high will he go on draft day? That’s dependant upon who you ask. Some draft sites have McPherson as an undrafted free agent and some NFL teams believe he is the best quarterback in the draft. It’s all going to get interesting soon enough though.

 

Be sure to check back often because we are the only draft site that can give you exclusive info on McPherson and his road to the NFL. In the coming weeks we’ll give you an inside look on workouts, his story and his projected spot in the draft.