BYU, Utah Utes football: Zane Beadles among several local players expecting NFL calls

Former University of Utah offensive tackle Zane Beadles is about to join some select company.

And fulfill a lifetime dream at the same time.

Beadles, an All-American player and student at the University of Utah, is one of a few local players who will be selected in this week's National Football League draft. What separates Beadles, who prepped at Hillcrest High, from the others, is that he's a homegrown talent.

At various times during the 2009 NFL season, between eight and 15 players from Utah high schools appeared on active NFL rosters. Beadles is set to add to the list.

"It's huge," Beadles said. "It's a great honor. Coming from Hillcrest, and growing up around here, it's important for me to give back to the community. This community has given me so much support in high school and college. I just want to give back."

Realizing his dream of reaching the NFL will help Beadles make that happen.

"Yeah, absolutely," was Beadles' response when asked if it's always been a dream to play in the NFL. "When I was younger, I was kind of a realist. I never thought it would actually happen. But these last couple years of my career, I thought it might be a viable option."

Now, it's a certainty.

Beadles appears to be in a three-man race to see who will be the first local player selected in the NFL draft, which begins with the first round on Thursday, continues with rounds 2-3 on Friday, and finishes Saturday with rounds 4-7.

The other two guys who are in competition to be the first local player selected are former BYU tight end Dennis Pitta and former Utah defensive end Koa Misi. Each of the three players is considered a lock to be drafted, and they could go anywhere from the second through the fifth round.

Since the three players last suited up for their respective college teams, they've spent countless hours training to get stronger and faster, played in bowl games such as the Senior Bowl, participated in the NFL combine and met with various teams for workouts and interviews.

"I've done all I can do right now," Pitta said following his Pro Day workout. "It's kind of out of my control. I don't know where I'm going to go and I'm not too worried about it. I think I've been able to adequately show my abilities as a football player."

Pitta is viewed as one of the draft's elite pass-catching tight ends after he had 145 receptions for 1,912 yards and 14 touchdowns the last two seasons. He recently worked out for the Patriots, who are in dire need of a weapon at tight end.