O'Dowd on fast track to NFL?

Here's a little news on Salpointe grad Kris O'Dowd, now a sophomore center anchoring the offensive line at the University of Southern California, taken from Citizen columnist Anthony Gimino's Saturday's smorgasbord of sense and nonsense:

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Congratulations to USC center Kristofer O'Dowd, a Salpointe Catholic graduate who joined elite company this week when he was selected first-team All-Pac-10.

He is just the 14th sophomore offensive lineman to earn first-team honors since the league expanded in 1978.

The list includes such Pro Bowl players as Olin Kreutz, Tony Boselli, Bob Whitfield and Roy Foster.

There is now no doubt O'Dowd is on the fast track to the NFL.

Let's break it down.

Two of the previous 13 sophomore offensive linemen to be picked All-Pac-10 are still in college - Cal All-American center Alex Mack and Oregon State guard Jeremy Perry, sidelined by injuries for most of the past two seasons.

Of the remaining 11, four were first-round NFL draft picks. A total of eight were drafted within the first three rounds. Those 11 combined for an amazing 865 career starts in the NFL entering this season.

The only "bust" of the group - meaning, the only one who didn't go on to play in the NFL - is ex-Washington State tackle Calvin Armstrong, who is playing in Canada.

Not surprisingly, O'Dowd is listed as the top center in the 2011 class by NFLdraftscout.com.

"Kris has a desire to set himself apart," USC offensive line coach Pat Ruel told the Orange County Register in October.

"He's just tough. He's one of the few guys I've got, when we're out at practice, he may take every single rep and doesn't really bitch about it."