Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Sports

Senior wide receiver Micah Rucker tosses the ball around during a game in the 2007 season. Rucker signed a free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Rucker will attend camp this week. (Nora Maberry/The Daily Eastern News)

Micah Rucker knew his fate in the NFL.

The Eastern senior wide receiver got a call from his agent with about 15 picks remaining in the draft and his agent told him that the Pittsburgh Steelers had offered Rucker a free-agent contract.

"(My agent) was saying if the Bears didn't pick me with their last few picks, I would be a Steeler," Rucker said.

The Chicago Bears drafted Arkansas wide receiver Marcus Monk in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft with the 248th pick.

"It was just a sigh of relief," Rucker said. I'm just happy to get an opportunity."

Rucker said he still has a lot of work left to do, but he said he was going to take the opportunity to play in the NFL and run with it. Rucker said he was not surprised with the free agency offer.

"From the whole get-go, I had heard and I was pretty much setting myself on being a priority free agent, and anything sixth or seventh round would be a blessing," Rucker said.

Rucker said he would be in a good situation at Pittsburgh because the Steelers had a need for a wide receiver. Pittsburgh drafted Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed in the second round.

If Rucker makes Pittsburgh's roster, he will be the Steelers' second biggest wide receiver at 6 feet, 6 inches and 221 pounds.

"It's truly going to be a blessing," Rucker said about the chance to play in the NFL. "It's something I've always dreamed of."

The Bears - who had four picks in the seventh round - also had needs for a wide receiver, and Rucker said Chicago was a viable place for him to be drafted.

"I'm not sure if (Chicago) just didn't know me as well," Rucker said. "That's kind of hard to say. I guess they had a different need. I'm anxious to get a chance to play some more football."

Rucker said he would travel to Pittsburgh this week for a rookies' mini-camp from Thursday to Sunday. He said he has been working hard on his strength, speed and wide receiver skills like route-running and catching, and he said he told the Pittsburgh coaching staff he was ready to play.

"I've been working hard," Rucker said. "I just have to get acquitted to the way things work at this level. I'm just happy with the opportunity. I'm just looking forward to be able to take my game to another level. I'm just going to keep working my butt off."

Rucker finished the 2007 season with 777 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 55 receptions. He had 104 receptions, 22 touchdowns and 1,743 yards during his two-year Eastern career after transferring from Minnesota.

Eastern senior linebacker Donald Thomas said late Sunday afternoon he had not received a call from an NFL team about a free agent deal. He said he talked to his agent on Sunday morning and was expecting another call sometime early Sunday night.

"He'll tell me what's supposed to happen next," Thomas said.



Scott Richey can be reached at 581-7944 or at srrichey@eiu.edu.

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