NFL Draft: Doug Hogue Works Out, Rob Long Keeps Faith

The NFL might be in a lockout, but the show must go on. The show being the NFL Draft. With the big workouts out of the way, a bunch of Syracuse players are making their big push to NFL teams as they try to prove their worth.

Doug Hogue already has a few team visits under his belt. He'll have a few more when he visits both the NY Jets and Giants.

The Yonkers native will then work out for both of his hometown teams at the end of next week, receiving offers from the Jets and Giants after both attended SU's pro day last Wednesday.

Hogue previously met with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles.

On paper, Rob Long should be a gimme for an NFL tryout. But nothing about Rob's life has been a gimme since he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. That tumor is now gone and Rob can concentrate the thing he's been wanting to do for as long as he can remember...kick on Sundays.

Growing agency ETL represents Long and they have high hopes for the punter's chances in the NFL:

"There’s no doubt in his mind and no doubt in my mind that he’s got the ability to play," said Dinnocenti, who has worked with Long since high school. "I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up getting drafted. I really wouldn’t."

As for Long himself, if he can beat cancer, surely kicking for an NFL team is no big deal.

He just wants to keep on kicking, and he’ll keep knocking on doors “until all 32 teams say no ... then I’ll try again next year. I’m just not going to stop and roll over at the first person that tells me ‘not yet’ or ‘not now.’”