Sac_State
03-16-2004, 02:04 PM
Measuring up
Sac State's Cavka, others hope to be drafted in NFL
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Tuesday, March 16, 2004
It's not too late to get into a Fantasy Sports League. Sign up here.
Marko Cavka isn't an NFL football player just yet.
A 6-foot-7, 294-pound offensive tackle who's becoming bigger, stronger and more well-known every week, the former Sacramento State lineman will have to wait until April 24-25 for that news. Those are the D-Days, as in NFL draft days.
Cavka, who became less obscure with two solid showings at the East-West Shrine and Gridiron Classic all-star games in January, is ranked as high as No. 11 among offensive tackles on some mock drafts. From Feb. 18-24, he was one of 330 players invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and the first Hornet to ever attend the elite event.
If the prognosticators are correct, Cavka could be selected somewhere between the fourth and sixth rounds. Across the Causeway, UC Davis' Brad Lekkerkerker is in similar shoes, an offensive tackle who also attended the combine and is ranked just below Cavka on most lists.
But before Cavka's professional status is known, he's becoming a pro at the process of becoming one. He has been poked, prodded and tested in every way imaginable, all while working tirelessly to shape his body in ways that make the scouts take notice.
The latest stop came Thursday, when he and seven others tried out for Raiders scout John Otten at Sac State on what's informally called "Pro Day."
Having already set high marks in the bench press (he lifted 225 pounds 27 times), Cavka decided to focus on his vertical leap and 40-yard dash time. He did, increasing his 28-inch leap to 30 1/2 inches and trimming his 40 time to 5.09 seconds. At the 10-yard mark, Cavka is among the nation's quickest offensive linemen, getting there in 1.69 seconds.
"He's moving up pretty fast," said former Detroit Lions running back Ron Rivers, Cavka's agent who played under Sac State coach Steve Mooshagian at Fresno State. "Scouts don't come to Sac State expecting a kid that big, that fast, that agile. ... He's opening some eyes."
For Cavka, the day was just another in a sequence of football firsts. Shortly after his final college season ended in November, Cavka had to decide on an agent to represent him. He had plenty to choose from, having fielded numerous calls from as many as 10 suitors during the Sac State season.
"That process was mind-boggling," Cavka said. "There were so many calling, I had to take notes to remember all of their names."
He settled on Rivers and his partner, Drew Pittman, in part for Rivers' connection to Mooshagian.
Then Cavka became serious about bulking up like never before. He teamed up with fellow Sac State lineman Chris Frank, who shares his NFL dream and could sign a free-agent contract after the draft. Every weekday for the last two months, the duo worked out at World Gym in Citrus Heights, joining forces with one of the area's most renowned body sculptors, Kings strength and conditioning coach Al Biancani.
Cavka had to hit the dinner table as hard as he hit the weights, though, as he increased his intake dramatically. He eats four or five times per day, consuming 300 to 400 grams of protein and 500 to 600 grams of carbohydrates per meal.
"I'll eat like four pieces of chicken, three eggs and two bagels for a meal," Cavka said. "I just had to teach my body to keep eating.
"This has been really exciting for me. I feel pretty confident that I've been showing people I can hang with the big-time guys."
..........
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/8538488p-9467148c.html
Sac State's Cavka, others hope to be drafted in NFL
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Tuesday, March 16, 2004
It's not too late to get into a Fantasy Sports League. Sign up here.
Marko Cavka isn't an NFL football player just yet.
A 6-foot-7, 294-pound offensive tackle who's becoming bigger, stronger and more well-known every week, the former Sacramento State lineman will have to wait until April 24-25 for that news. Those are the D-Days, as in NFL draft days.
Cavka, who became less obscure with two solid showings at the East-West Shrine and Gridiron Classic all-star games in January, is ranked as high as No. 11 among offensive tackles on some mock drafts. From Feb. 18-24, he was one of 330 players invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and the first Hornet to ever attend the elite event.
If the prognosticators are correct, Cavka could be selected somewhere between the fourth and sixth rounds. Across the Causeway, UC Davis' Brad Lekkerkerker is in similar shoes, an offensive tackle who also attended the combine and is ranked just below Cavka on most lists.
But before Cavka's professional status is known, he's becoming a pro at the process of becoming one. He has been poked, prodded and tested in every way imaginable, all while working tirelessly to shape his body in ways that make the scouts take notice.
The latest stop came Thursday, when he and seven others tried out for Raiders scout John Otten at Sac State on what's informally called "Pro Day."
Having already set high marks in the bench press (he lifted 225 pounds 27 times), Cavka decided to focus on his vertical leap and 40-yard dash time. He did, increasing his 28-inch leap to 30 1/2 inches and trimming his 40 time to 5.09 seconds. At the 10-yard mark, Cavka is among the nation's quickest offensive linemen, getting there in 1.69 seconds.
"He's moving up pretty fast," said former Detroit Lions running back Ron Rivers, Cavka's agent who played under Sac State coach Steve Mooshagian at Fresno State. "Scouts don't come to Sac State expecting a kid that big, that fast, that agile. ... He's opening some eyes."
For Cavka, the day was just another in a sequence of football firsts. Shortly after his final college season ended in November, Cavka had to decide on an agent to represent him. He had plenty to choose from, having fielded numerous calls from as many as 10 suitors during the Sac State season.
"That process was mind-boggling," Cavka said. "There were so many calling, I had to take notes to remember all of their names."
He settled on Rivers and his partner, Drew Pittman, in part for Rivers' connection to Mooshagian.
Then Cavka became serious about bulking up like never before. He teamed up with fellow Sac State lineman Chris Frank, who shares his NFL dream and could sign a free-agent contract after the draft. Every weekday for the last two months, the duo worked out at World Gym in Citrus Heights, joining forces with one of the area's most renowned body sculptors, Kings strength and conditioning coach Al Biancani.
Cavka had to hit the dinner table as hard as he hit the weights, though, as he increased his intake dramatically. He eats four or five times per day, consuming 300 to 400 grams of protein and 500 to 600 grams of carbohydrates per meal.
"I'll eat like four pieces of chicken, three eggs and two bagels for a meal," Cavka said. "I just had to teach my body to keep eating.
"This has been really exciting for me. I feel pretty confident that I've been showing people I can hang with the big-time guys."
..........
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/8538488p-9467148c.html