John Milem, 24 year-old West Rowan High graduate and Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore defensive end, is the reason representatives from eight NFLteams have journeyed thousands of miles in search of Hickory, N.C., on a cool Monday afternoon.

Area scouts from New Orleans, Buffalo, Arizona, Seattle and the New York Jets are on hand. So — even more telling — are defensive coordinators from San Francisco and Philadelphia. Cleveland’s defensive coordinator and Jacksonville’s player personnel director and six other NFLreps just happened to be in Milem’s neighborhood last week. Green Bay’s VP is dropping by soon.

These high-powered experts have a common mission: to determine if the 6-foot-7 Milem is fact or fantasy. Is he Too Tall Jones or PaulBunyan? Is this a kid worthy of hearing his name called at the NFL draft on April 15-16?

“I’m shooting for the top three rounds,” says Milem. “Some are saying four or five, but my athleticism might move me up.”

If it happens, Milem’s is a tall tale draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. will love telling and re-telling on ESPN. Milem was a bar bouncer just three years ago —totally out of football.

When Milem graduated from West in 1993, he weighed 210 pounds and only small schools were remotely interested. But after a stint in the Marines, a sack-filled season at L-R and years of sacrifice and sweat in the weight room, Milem weighs 290. And there isn’t a trace of fat on him. Best of all, Milem has retooled his once musclebound mass into an athletic body. An NFL body.

“I got into body-building at one time and it was cool,” said Milem. “But in the NFL you have to be fast. Everyone’s an athlete.”

Milem, as the scouts are learning, might be ready for the big boys. For his size, he flies.

“Scouts used to come see me,” says Milem, “and they were like, ‘OK, D-II kid, let’s get this show on the road.’ But then I’d run a 40, and they’d be like, ‘Whoa, take your time big fellow. Hey, whatever you need.’”

Veteran, white-haired Saints scout Tom Marino, who’s based in Raleigh, has a blast at Milem’s semi-private workout, which draws a crowd of 40 or so L-R teammates and assorted citizens.

Marino asks Milem’s buddy, Shannon Myers, who starred at L-R and got Milem a tryout with the school, how long it’ll be before Moretz is re-named “Shannon Myers Stadium.” He flirts with coeds, razzes a 10-year-old wearing a Panthers jacket and asks 140-pound onlookers if they’d like to show the NFL what they’ve got. “Marino, like Dan,” he introduces himself, “but with less zeroes on the paycheck.”

But now, Milem has shed his warmups and is ready to run. His thigh muscles strain against his shorts and his biceps ripple. Marino yanks out his stopwatch and is all business as Milem explodes across 40 yards of faded grass like a fullback, grunting with every powerful stride.

Marino whistles. The scouts confer. Milem has been timed in under 4.8 seconds by all —anywhere from 4.76 to 4.79, extraordinary speed for a huge man. Milem looks a tad disappointed, because he has previously run 4.71.

But Myers glances at Mike Morton, the St. Louis Rams linebacker from Kannapolis, and they exchange satisfied nods.

“Not bad for slow grass,” offers Morton.

Morton and Myers have helped prepare Milem for this day. They’ve practiced the drills with him — the same rituals they’ve already performed for NFL scouts. Morton was a fourth-round pick out of North Carolina by Oakland; Myers, a seventh-round choice by Miami.

“John looks relaxed and focused,” says Myers. “He’s got a job to do and he’s doing it.”

Morton, who picked up a Super Bowl ring in January, is Milem’s unofficial advisor. He tells him to run on flat, not sloping grass, and to watch smoke pouring from a nearby chimney, so he’ll be able to take off when the wind is with him.

“Little things, but they can make a difference,” says Morton. “It’ll be an adjustment for John from D-II to the NFL, but it’s not unheard of. John could go anywhere, and he might go early.”

Next for Milem are “cone drills,” where he’s timed on changing direction and lateral movement. Marino looks impressed.

Milem’s agent, Joe Linta, takes the workout in stride, quietly marking his notebook and passing out an occasional business card. Linta doesn’t have to plead his case, because he knows Milem’s numbers speak volumes.

“John’s got the best times (in the 40-yard dash) in the country for defensive ends anywhere near his size,” says Linta. “He’s simply the best athlete at his position in the draft.”

Linta also represents Morton. Morton asked him to help Milem.

“Mike calls me, says he’s got a Division II buddy who wants to play some football,” gushes Linta. “Mike wants a favor, wants me to look at the kid. I say send him up. Then I see John and he’s 6-7. And I say maybe. Then I see him run. Hey, some favor. Then I see the great way John treats my kids and my wife and I vow to work harder to get John’s name known than any kid I’ve ever worked with.”

Linta’s earning his keep. But then, Milem’s making it easy for him.

In the gym, Milem broad jumps 10 feet, 2 inches from a standing start. “Best in the nation at his position,” offers Linta. Then he stuns scouts with a soaring vertical jump that measures 35 inches. Then he bench presses 225 pounds — 25 times. “He’s done 27,” shrugs Linta.

“Nice job, kid,” says Marino, patting Milem’s broad back.

“You always think you can do better,” says Milem when his trial is over. “I know I’m raw, know I need coaching, but I don’t think anyone anywhere has better stats. I feel good. You can tell when the scouts are serious, and these were serious.”

Even Marino.