BOULDER - At this point, it is Thaddaeus Washington's foot that is keeping him from getting his foot in the NFL's door.

And while scouts from 18 NFL teams converged on the University of Colorado campus Friday to see what the draft-eligible Buffs had to offer, those prying eyes did not get to see one of the players they most wanted to see in action.

That's because Washington, a three-year starter at linebacker, could not work out as he recovers from what he initially would only call "a foot problem."

"I'm just coming off of that," Washington said. "Been released by the doctor earlier this week. Starting to get back working out like I want to. Everything's going great and I'm going to take it from there."

When asked Friday afternoon if he had surgery Washington said, "I'd rather not say that," but Friday evening, Washington said he had surgery on his right foot earlier this year and now was cleared to start working out again.

Washington did some light running off to the side and did some brief position drills, but he did not run a 40-yard dash, take a vertical jump, broad jump or do any of the traditional cone drills that prospects go through.

He said he hopes to work out for interested teams in Boulder during the first week of April.

"Teams are interested, but draft day, you don't know how it's going to go," Washington said. "You just wait and sit back. Everybody's got to make a team in September. Hopefully, I can get drafted.

"If not, then I'll go from there and just prove myself. You've got to prove yourself anyway once you get there."

Interestingly, Washington's health would not be any sort of mystery had he received the invitation to the scouting combine he expected. Washington, who either led or was second on the team in tackles in each of those three seasons as a starter - he finished his career with 338 stops - was one of the more surprising snubs to the combine this year.

Had he gone to Indianapolis, he would have been subject to an extensive physical exam, X-rays as well as a magnetic resonance imaging exam. Any interested teams that bring him in for an April visit before the draft almost certainly will give him a physical as well.

"Things happen," Washington said of the combine snub. "I know who I am, I know who I am as a player, so - and I know my abilities - I'm not worried. I've just got to stay focused (on) what I know I can do."

Most teams project Washington as a middle linebacker in a traditional 4-3 look on defense. At 5-foot-10 3/4, he is slightly shorter than the ideal prospects at the position, but he was highly productive in his Big 12 Conference career and tough enough to have stayed in a game against Kansas State this past season after getting two front teeth knocked out.

"I've just to keep on working," Washington said. " . . . A lot of 'backers that's going, that they've got ranked right now, are about my height, probably an inch taller, but it's all about what you have inside of you, how you go at the game."

Also on Friday:

• Kicker Mason Crosby worked out extensively for a scout from the New York Giants and pounded several kickoffs through the end zone. Crosby's postseason body of work is now fairly extensive, because he has kicked for all 32 teams at the Senior Bowl and the combine.

No teams asked Crosby to kick field goals Friday. He said he plans to hold private workouts in the coming weeks for any teams that want to see him.

"I'm just happy with the whole process," Crosby said. "I thought I hit the ball well."

• Cornerback Terry Washington continued to help his draft stock, especially to the teams who see the 192-pounder as a potential special-teams ace. Washington, who was the Buffs' leading tackler on special teams in '05, ran his 40-yard dashes in the low 4.5 second- range on most of the watches. One scout had him at 4.49.

"I got no sleep (Thursday) night, no sleep at all," Washington said. "I didn't get sleep Wednesday, woke up about 6 (a.m.) and couldn't go back to sleep. . . . But, hopefully, once they see my numbers, somebody will invite me in, because I'm a pretty good athlete, see my size, my speed, my strength, see I can compete with people on the top level."

• Safety J.J. Billingsley was clocked between 4.48 and 4.53 seconds for his 40.

• Guard Brian Daniels, a Mullen grad, also worked out, running a 5.07 40-yard time at 303 pounds to go with a 30 1/2- inch vertical jump.The rundown on CU pro day:

Pos/Player Ht Wt 40* Vertical Broad jump

S J.J. Billingsley 5-10 184 4.4 8/4.53 31 inches 9-foot-2

K Mason Crosby 6-0 212 - - -G Brian Daniels 6-4 303 5.0 7/5.08 30½ 8-11

C Mark Fenton 6-4 281 - 36 8-9

RB Mell Holliday 5-8 212 4.5 8/4.63 331-2 9-2

WR Blake Mackey 6-2 204 4.4 8/4.54 341-2 9-3

CB/S Lorenzo Sims 5-10 188 4.5 8/4.60 38 9-3

CB Terry Washington 5-9 192 4.4 9/4.51 381-2 9-11

DE Abraham Wright 6-0 234 4.6 6/4.68 321-2

*Best of a poll of several scouts.

LB Thaddaeus Washington (5-10¾, 250 pounds) did not do drills because of a foot injury.

legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2359

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