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04/22/2007Future PendingMcBain's Bazuin anxiously awaits his fate at NFL draft
Central Michigan University defensive end Dan Bazuin (93) of McBain sacks Akron quarterback Luke Getsy during a game this season. TRAVERSE CITY — A week to wait. At this point, McBain's Dan Bazuin knows the National Football League is in his future. But what — and more specifically where — the future takes him remains to be seen. It will all be solved in a week, and more than likely in six days, when the NFL draft begins on Saturday in New York City. "I'm excited,” Bazuin said. "I'm excited to know finally where I'll be. What city ... what position really. "It'll be nice to answer all those questions.” The first question for the 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive end from Central Michigan University to answer is when his professional career begins. The first three rounds of the draft are on Saturday while the final four are on Sunday. Some projections are that Bazuin won't have to wait until Day 2, but there's no certainties. "I have a decent idea,” said Bazuin, who worked out for NFL teams at the annual combine in Indianapolis and at CMU's pro day on March 15. "The general consensus from what I've been hearing is I'll be a second through fourth-round pick and most likely a third round.” Dave Butz II, Bazuin's primary agent with Sports Stars Inc., said he's not sure where he'll go either. "It depends on who you talk to,” said Butz, whose father played 16 seasons in the NFL as a defensive lineman. "Different guys like different things. "There's no doubt he can be a first-day guy. He definitely has the talent and he has the accomplishments.” Tony Pauline, draft expert from Scout.com, said Bazuin is on the edge between the first and second day. "I think he's more of a fourth-round talent,” Pauline said. "I could see him going in the third round. Defensive lineman always go higher than projected. It's a priority position.” One team Pauline mentioned was Denver. He said the Broncos have a need at that position and could grab Bazuin in the third round if they don't get a defensive lineman in the first two. The Sporting News projects Bazuin going in the fourth round with the 107th overall pick to the Houston Texans. The magazine said he "has a quick first step. Must improve his pass-rush leverage but will become a solid 4-3 starter.” Some other Web sites forecast Bazuin going in the third round, others in the fourth. Bazuin rewrote the defensive record books and put his name in the Mid-American Conference annals as well. A three-time all-MAC selection, Bazuin holds CMU records for tackles for losses (60) and sacks (33). He has single-season records for tackles for a loss (26½) and sacks (16) as a junior. The 16 sacks Bazuin had as a junior was second in the country and was a then MAC single-season record. Bazuin finished his career fourth in sacks and eighth in tackles for a loss. Butz said one shouldn't just look at what Bazuin did in the conference. Butz points to Bazuin's play against tackles like Penn State's Levi Brown in 2005 and Michigan's Jake Long in 2006. And then there's his performance in January's East-West Shrine game where he was the defensive MVP, recording 2½ sacks and four tackles. "I didn't see a lack of production against some quality talent in the country,” Butz said. Pauline said Bazuin needs to keep playing with the same "motor” he showed with the Chippewas. "The positives are his intensity, the way he flies around the field and makes plays up the field,” Pauline said. "He plays with a reckless abandon, but he also plays with intelligence. He also plays within himself. "Negatives are his size. He's sort of a tweener. He's going to struggle against the run at the next level until he bulks up and has a little better technique.” The Shrine Game was part of a busy stretch for Bazuin. Central Michigan beat Ohio 31-10 in November's MAC Championship game and Middle Tennessee State 31-14 in December's Motor City Bowl. Both games were at Ford Field in Detroit. On Jan. 2, Bazuin was among 18 NFL prospects who went to the Parisi Speed School in Fair Lawn, N.J. for a "boot camp.” The camp's purpose was to prepare for the physical and mental challenges at the combine in Indianapolis, which began on Feb. 21. After taking a week for the Shrine Game, Bazuin returned to Pairisi. Bazuin said no amount of preparation was enough for the combine, where he was among some 320 college players trying to impress personnel from every NFL team. And not everything at the combine is about the physical aspects of football. "It was pretty hectic,” he said. "They always had us doing something. You never had a chance to slow down at all. "They kept us to about five or six hours sleep a night for the three nights we were out there. They wore me down a lot more than I expected. I thought I had trained to get ready for this, but mentally and physically they wore me right out.” As part of the combine, players had a chance to meet with representatives from every NFL team. Bazuin said he also "officially” talked to some 13 teams in 15-minute meetings with the general manager, head coach and staff. After the combine, Bazuin worked out for scouts and coaches at Central Michigan University's pro day on March 15. Since this was the first time CMU offensive tackle Joe Staley, a projected first-round pick, was able to work out because of injury, every team had a representative there. Butz said teams like Cleveland and Baltimore talked about moving Bazuin to an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. But the change is more about terminology. "If you run a 4-3, he's going to be a defensive end with his hand on the ground,” Butz said. "If you run a 3-4, he's an outside linebacker who's going to rush the quarterback and drop back (in coverage) every now and then. "Any team would love to have him. It's a matter of where he fits in for you.” Bazuin echoed the comments of his agent. "It just depends on the team,” Bazuin said. "I know I'm capable of playing outside linebacker.” Bazuin was a linebacker in high school and led McBain to a 30-6 record. The Ramblers reached the state championship game in 2001. McBain also won the 2002 state basketball title. Bazuin will celebrate Draft Day in McBain on Saturday. Family and friends are welcome to stop by his uncle Roger Bazuin's pole barn from 2-6 p.m. "It's to thank the people of the community for supporting me throughout my college career, to kind of ease the tension of the day and to pass the time,” Bazuin said. Bazuin has no dream team he'd like to play for, even though he'd like to stay somewhat close if he could. Not that he has any control over it, though. "The waiting is not the hardest part,” he said. "The not knowing where I'll go is the hardest part. I'm ready to go anywhere — I have to be — but it'd be real nice to know. "I'd like to stay in the Midwest, simply because it'd be nice for family and friends. But I'm ready to go anywhere, anywhere the NFL takes me.”
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