FAYETTEVILLE - Depending on what mock NFL Draft you check out, former Arkansas wide receiver Marcus Monk could go late in the third round or won't be picked at all.

"I don't pay attention to the mock drafts," said Monk, who is from Lepanto and holds the Razorbacks' career record with 27 touchdown receptions. "I'm not really worried about any of that.

" I just want to get with a team and play football."

If Monk, 6-4, 222 pounds, had enjoyed a healthy senior season, he might be a first-round pick Saturday, which is his 22 nd birthday.

But Monk missed Arkansas'first six games in 2007 after undergoing two surgeries on his right knee in August to repair cartilage damage. He wasn't full speed for the seven games in which he did play, but caught 16 passes for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns.

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Monk considered making himself available for the draft after his junior season - when he had career highs of 50 catches or 962 yards and 11 touchdowns - but decided to return to Arkansas for his senior year.

"I had a chance to take this step last year, and a lot of people ask me if I regret that I didn't," Monk said. "But I don't regret anything.

" I graduated [in December ] and I had one more year with my teammates."

Monk likely raised his draft stock at Arkansas' Pro Day on March 25, when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4. 41 seconds after running 4. 56 a month earlier at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"I knew I could run [faster ]," Monk said. "There wasn't any doubt..... My legs were wellrested and I just felt more powerful."

Some draft analysts list Monk in the 20 s among wide receiver rankings, which he said motivates him to prove such projections are wrong.

"I feel that I'm the best, and if I didn't feel that way I wouldn't go out there and work hard and train hard every day," Monk said. "I feel you should feel you're the best.

" If you ask the next wide receiver, he should say the say the same thing."