By Eric Edholm
Jan. 23, 2008

Leodis McKelvin

MOBILE, Ala. — As of now, Leodis McKelvin is just a name — a unique one, yes, but just a name. But Mobile is the kind of town where a name can grow quickly.

Of course, it also can be a humbling week. The Troy cornerback and return specialist arrived in town without much of a reputation among fans, but NFL teams know who the 5-10, 190-pound McKelvin is. And they are watching him closely this week.

He arrived Sunday amongst 100 other NFL hopefuls as one of the small-school unknowns, but he just might be a household name by April. NFL talent evaluators might be split about who the top cornerback is in this year’s class, but some believe that McKelvin might be the top guy when it’s all said and done.

A top-15 pick wouldn’t be out of the question, even if he’s not very big and hasn't played against top competition.

That’s why Monday’s South team practice was so disappointing. The 49ers’ coaching staff opened practice with special-teams work, and McKelvin — one of the top returners in college football last season — muffed two of his first three attempts. In defensive drills, he wasn’t staying square in his backpedal and his alignment was too tight to the line of scrimmage, something Niners DB coaches Johnny Lynn and Vance Joseph spent extra time working on with him.

In group drills, McKelvin allowed a few passes to be completed in front of him. Houston WR Donnie Avery slipped past him on a crossing route, and later LSU WR Early Doucet beat him for a tough catch. McKelvin hung his head for a moment before getting encouragement from the coaches.

Not exactly the way you want to start a week where more than 800 coaches, scouts and general managers are poring over your every move, but it’s a long week with plenty of time to impress.

“I wasn’t too worried,” McKelvin said of his slow start. “I hadn’t played in a while, and (the coaches) told me to just keep working on technique. I tried not to get too down on myself.”

Smart move. Tuesday made Monday look like a distant memory. McKelvin started strong, catching every kickoff he got a chance to field and played his best defensive back since arriving in Mobile. He hung with every wideout he was asked to cover at left corner — Avery, Doucet, Alabama’s D.J. Hall and Louisville’s Harry Douglas among them. McKelvin’s best play of the day was breaking up a long pass intended for Texas WR Limas Sweed, another first-round possibility. 49ers head coach Mike Nolan mentioned McKelvin as one of the standout performers from Tuesday’s practice.

“From (Monday) to (Tuesday), he has gotten so much better,” Joseph said. “First day is tough on guys. Different drills, different coaches.

“But he’s very athletic, and he’s very coachable. He can play the game.”

McKelvin’s shaky start had nothing to do with a lack of confidence. He looks around and sees the LSU and Alabama helmets, but he believes that he fits right in with the SEC-loaded South roster.

“Right now, I feel like I am at home competing against these guys,” McKelvin said. “There are fast guys everywhere, no matter what school they go to.”

And right now, McKelvin shouldn’t be too ashamed of where he went to school. Troy pride is at an all-time high with Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware having an All-Pro season and two Giants, DE Osi Umenyiora and PK Lawrence Tynes, heading to the Super Bowl a week from Sunday. All three are Troy alums.

“It’s been cool watching these guys the past few weeks,” McKelvin said. “Makes me proud of the Troy name.”

But his focus has been on the week at hand and helping make a name for himself. He knows that the Senior Bowl is just one part of the equation, and the Combine is coming up in a few weeks. Then he’ll have his Pro Day, where NFL scouts are likely to make the trip back upstate a few hundred miles.

McKelvin’s game is speed. He can turn and run with fast wideouts, able to flip his hips and run on long routes. But he also showed he can play with instincts in zone coverage, coming up to make plays in space. McKelvin also looked like a running back with the ball in his hands, hitting the hole hard and quickly.

There’s a reason why he averaged 17.4 yards on his 25 punt returns as a senior, running three back for touchdowns. And some of his best performances over the past three years have come in some of the tougher games — Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma State, Missouri and South Carolina — on Troy's impressive non-conference schedule.

The right people are taking notice. Not only are the 49ers’ coaches liking what they are seeing, but McKelvin’s teammates are giving their stamp of approval.

“I heard about him coming in here,” Doucet said, “and so far I am impressed. He’s looking good, making guys work when they run against him. He’s one of the best guys out here.”

With the week only half over and plenty of questions at cornerback in this draft class, McKelvin has a chance to step out even more.

“From now until Saturday, he’s going to show how good he is,” Joseph said. “He’s a hell of a player.”