DaytonDailyNews.com

Thirteen Ohio State football players have petitioned the NFL for help in determining their 2008 draft projections.

And the Buckeye who is most serious about declaring for the April 26-27 NFL draft is defensive end Vernon Gholston.

Most scouting services project him as a first-round pick, and like many fourth-year juniors — and seniors — Gholston is interviewing agents. One prospective representative — Angelo Wright — arrived in Columbus on Thursday to meet with Gholston.

Mark Levin, director of the NFL Players Association's salary cap and agent administration, said "true juniors" such as OSU linebacker James Laurinaitis and Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden "are not allowed to meet with agents until the NFL officially announces its list of who has been accepted into the draft (Jan. 18)."

Once a player signs with an agent, his college eligibility ends. Levin said that players with remaining college playing eligibility — who declare for the draft and have not signed with an agent — have from Jan. 15-18 to withdraw their names from the draft and still retain their eligibility.

Gholston's immediate concern is facing LSU in the Jan. 7 BCS championship. Then he can concentrate on the draft.

"The goal for all of us is to play in the NFL," Gholston said. "You just want to get an evaluation of what the guys at the next level think of you.

"Right now, for me, it's just about playing in the national championship game. I've heard great things about (his draft status), but that's something after the game I'll sit down and think about."

Quarterback Todd Boeckman, wide receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, offensive tackle Alex Boone, linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins also are among those who petitioned the NFL about their draft projections.

"I kind of encourage it," head coach Jim Tressel said. "I don't know if the NFL is happy with me. But instead of wondering about it, I like for the guys to kind of know so they can discuss it when they go home (for Christmas break)."

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or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com

OSU has new itinerary

Ohio State won't be spending New Year's Eve in New Orleans. The top-ranked Buckeyes will arrive in Louisiana on Jan. 2 — five days before they face LSU in the national championship game.

Last year, OSU left Ohio on Dec. 30 for a Jan. 8 game against Florida. And we all know how that turned out.

"We said after we got back ... it felt like we were out there a long time," OSU coach Jim Tressel said Thursday.