Reilly trying to be himself as NFL scouts project his future

FLORENCE

Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly has a message for high-profile Division I quarterbacks Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford: stay in school.

If those three Heisman Trophy finalists decide to skip the rest of their college careers, they could cost Reilly a lot of cash.

"If I got to talk to them, I'd say, 'You definitely want to stay in school and finish and get your degree. It's really important,' " Reilly said, jokingly Thursday at the annual Division II championship luncheon where he and fellow Harlon Hill Trophy finalists Bernard Scott and A.J. Milwee were introduced.

Reilly, who eclipsed former Central Washington and current NFL quarterback Jon Kitna in the school's record books, has drawn plenty of attention from NFL scouts in his final college season. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, but that's his fallback plan. Right now, Reilly is proceeding full speed ahead preparing for what he hopes will be an invitation to the NFL Combine and eventually hearing his name called during April's draft.

Reilly, who threw for 3,706 yards and 37 touchdowns, has been projected as high as a third-round pick, but that could change depending on which college underclassmen make themselves eligible for the NFL Draft.

Reilly said he didn't seriously start thinking about an NFL career until scouts began finding their way to the Central Washington campus last spring.

The number of scouts picked up considerably when fall practice began, and Reilly admitted it was a new experience for him.

"The first two weeks were difficult," he said. "In the past when I'd warm up, I'd usually be messing around with the guys - throwing on the run, punting some and kicking field goals. During practice, if we had a new route combination in, I might try to fit a ball into a certain coverage and if it got picked, so what, it's practice. That first week or two, I was trying to grade myself. If I threw a ball that got picked, I'd be like, 'Man, I hope they didn't see that.' "

Eventually, Reilly said he got away from that and went back to being himself.

"We're here to practice and get better, not to impress the scouts," he said. "I looked back into my personality. I goof around a lot, and I've got a pretty interesting sense of humor, especially on the field. That's how I play my best. If they like it, great. If they don't, maybe it's not for me."

He's taking the same approach now - training hard in California to be prepared while avoiding the temptation to get caught up in NFL Draft projections.

Reilly also is enjoying the Shoals and the Harlon Hill Trophy festivities. He said meeting Bernard Scott and A.J. Milwee was an honor.

"Whoever happens to win, the Harlon Hill Trophy will be well represented," Reilly said. "Bernard and A.J. are good people and great football players."

Gregg Dewalt can be reached at 740-5748 or gregg.dewalt@timesdaily.com.