Randall Cobb will sit in the draft room in New York's Radio City Music Hall on Thursday night hoping to be the first University of Kentucky player to be chosen in the first round of an NFL Draft since Dewayne Robertson was picked fourth overall by the New York Jets in 2003.

Cobb was one of 25 prospects invited to the draft by the league, but according to most mock drafts the former UK wide receiver and all-purpose standout probably will be waiting until Friday night's second round to hear his name called.

Todd McShay of ESPN.com and Scouts Inc. projected Cobb as a first-round pick at one point, but Cobb was not included in the first round of the latest mock draft.

The Web site Walterfootball.com has Cobb going in the second round to the San Francisco 49ers with the No. 45 overall pick.

McShay ranks Cobb the No. 3 wide receiver on his board. His ESPN.com counterpart, Mel Kiper Jr., is not as high on Cobb and does not have him listed among his top five at the position.

Cobb, who decided to enter the draft after his junior season at UK, measured 5-foot-10¼ and weighed in at 191 pounds at the NFL Combine in February. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds. Cobb has received high grades for his competitiveness, toughness, big-play ability and ball skills.

The biggest questions about Cobb involve his lack of size and top-flight speed and his need to polish up on his skills as a receiver. He played the position full-time for just two years at UK.

Cobb, who recently signed an endorsement deal with Adidas, has worked out for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens.

Another UK player, senior running back Derrick Locke, is expected to be drafted in the mid-to-later rounds.

Several Kentucky seniors worked out for NFL scouts during the team's pro day at Nutter Field House in March and will be hoping to be selected in the seven-round, three-day draft or eventually find their way onto rosters as free agents when the league's labor dispute is resolved.

Those players include quarterback Mike Hartline, wide receiver Chris Matthews, fullback Moncell Allen, offensive tackle Brad Durham, defensive end DeQuin Evans, long snapper J.J. Helton, and defensive tackles Ricky Lumpkin and Shane McCord.