A SCHOLAR and ATHLETIC STAR

This is from today's Roanoke, VA. Times. Most remarkable he is playing on a lousy team this year. Too bad neither area newspapers have given him any press. Boldface is mine.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Close to 20 Virginia players had done Tuesday interviews this season before the projected No. 1 NFL Draft pick strolled through the door for the first time.

Eugene Monroe's first session with UVa's beat reporters came one week after his 17-year-old offensive linemate, Austin Pasztor, had conducted a teleconference in which he regaled the media with tales of his Canadian upbringing.

Clearly, Monroe doesn't crave the limelight, but he'd better get used to it.

Three years after coming out of Plainfield (N.J.) High School as the nation's No. 1-rated prospect, as chosen by SuperPrep magazine, Monroe stands atop draft guru Mel Kiper's "Big Board."

"I wouldn't say I'm oblivious to it," said Monroe, a 6-foot-6, 315-pounder. "It's unavoidable. I hear it every day. At the same time, my focus right now is getting ready for the UNC game [Saturday]. I look forward to what could happen after the season, but right now it's a distraction."

For all the accolades that accompanied his arrival at Virginia, Monroe has toiled mostly in the shadows. He did not allow a sack last year for a Virginia team that finished 9-4 but was not named first- or second-team All-ACC.

Some of that might have resulted from the attention given Cavaliers offensive guard Branden Albert, who was named first-team All-ACC and later was selected by Kansas City in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Albert and Monroe were fellow members of the Cavaliers' 2005 recruiting class and both played as freshmen, Albert as a starter and Monroe as a back-up to All-American D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

As expected, Monroe took Ferguson's place in 2006, but not until he had spent an entire spring and summer rehabilitating a dislocated kneecap. Monroe played in every game that year but was replaced in the starting lineup by Zak Stair for seven games.

"It was rough," he said. "It was difficult knowing I could play better if I was healthy. I'm just thankful I was able to get back to 100 percent in 2007."

If the all-star voters didn't notice Monroe's play in 2007, the NFL scouts did, based on the early projections for next April's draft. Monroe, who did not turn 21 until April and is nearly 2¹₂ years younger than Albert, did not consider passing up his final season of college eligibility.

UVa head coach Al Groh and Monroe discussed the topic only briefly "because it was not something Gene was particularly interested in from the outset," Groh said.

"It was very important to him that he get his degree, which he'll do in 3¹₂ years, and it was important to him to finish with his class and his teammates.

"He is a player who has clearly profited from playing his full four years. His skill level and his execution this season is substantially upgraded from what it was last year."