The NFL Draft is only 18 days away, but the annual harvest of top collegiate football talent can’t start too soon for University of Maine senior Daren Stone.

Stone is just one of thousands of college players who hope to get a phone call from one of 32 NFL teams April 28 and 29, but he’s one of only a few hundred with a legitimate chance to have his name called from the podium either day.

The 6-foot-3, 216-pound safety is also one of a few Atlantic-10 Conference players generating some unusually high pre-draft publicity.

Stone, who turned heads and gained notice at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last February by recording the longest broad jump and fifth-fastest 60-yard shuttle run among all defensive backs, was one of four Atlantic-10 players singled out by Sporting News is its April 9 issue.

Stone, who jumped 11 feet in the standing broad jump and ran the shuttle in 11.54 seconds, is compared to Atlanta Falcons strong safety Chris Crocker by Sporting News.

Crocker was drafted by Cleveland in the third round in 2003 out of Marshall University and acquired by Atlanta via trade a year ago.

“I guess I have to say I’m blessed to be thought of that way,” said Stone, who idolized NFL Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott and grew up a San Francisco 49ers fan. “I just can’t wait for [draft day] to come and find out where I’m going. I just hope I get a great opportunity and get drafted the first day, but my goal is to have a chance to make a team, even if I have to do it as a free agent.

Other A-10 “comparables” are New Hampshire cornerback Corey Graham (to Houston Texans’ Demarcus Faggins) and Delaware tight end Ben Patrick (to Tampa Bay’s Alex Smith). In the same issue, Patrick and UNH wide receiver David Ball are profiled. Patrick is projected as a third-rounder and Ball as a late-round pick.

Stone has been climbing up the mock draft ladder in recent weeks and could be taken as high as late in the second round, if you believe the pre-draft hype and rumors.

“His agent said someone told him he could go as high as late second round,” said second-year UMaine assistant manager of athletic media relations Doug DeBiase. “We’re hearing he’s supposed to go on the first day, probably the third round.”

That’s probably a good bet, given ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., called DeBiase last week to get some information on Stone, and both ESPN and the NFL Network have requested video footage of him.

“That’s not something I usually have to deal with in the offseason, so that tells me something,” DeBiase said.

It’s not just a first for DeBiase. Former UMaine football media relations contact Joe Roberts, now an associate athletic director for external operations, told DeBiase he never got any requests like those.

Interest in Stone isn’t just limited to the media. UMaine’s pro day on March 19, when all outgoing senior players worked out for NFL scouts, drew scouts from 13 teams.

“Dave Cusano, a former all- Atlantic-10 defensive back who works here on campus, came out to watch the pro day and he said when he did this six years ago, there were two scouts and about five other people watching,” said DeBiase. “This year, we had 10 NFL, one CFL and two Arena League scouts and close to 100 people there. He was just shocked at how much it had grown.”

Captains and defensive linemen Mike DeVito and Matt King also drew interest from scouts, particularly those from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers in DeVito and those from the New England Patriots in King.

Maine head football coach Jack Cosgrove said the attention is good for his program.

“I think it’s valuable, but it’s certainly not the centerpiece of what we’re about,” he said. “This operation is all about developing Div. I-AA football players and hopefully them earning degrees in the process.

“We’re not really a home for professional guys, but if that’s where it leads them, that’s a huge bonus and it does show that it can happen anywhere if you have the talent and you put in the work. That’s inspirational to the younger players to see all this.”