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'This is the perfect wave'

Draft prospect Turley tackles surfing, sketching, NFL

Posted: Wed April 15, 1998 at 2:52 PM ET

Many hours in the weight room have transformed Turley into a top offensive line prospect    (CNN/SI)

SAN DIEGO (CNN/SI) -- You surf. You sketch, and in your less esoteric moods, you scar defensive lineman.

If you're Kyle Turley, and you've played your way from skinny freshman to NFL first-round draft pick, you're sitting pretty this week. Turley, the San Diego State offensive tackle who could go as high as the 10thth pick, is not your typical lineman.

Out in the ocean, where Turley likes to surf, there are pulling lines, punishing hits and a natural force at work

But just now, you won't find the natural force that is Kyle Turley -- the biggest surfer any wave has ever met -- spending his spring break shooting the tube and hanging ten.

You'll find him in the weight room at San Diego State, where he transformed himself from a 230-pound freshman afterthought into the offensive lineman most likely to be picked first in the NFL draft -- not bad for a guy who never even played football until his senior year in high school.

"My senior year, I just said this is my last chance," recalls Turley. "I'm going to do it and see where it takes me. If it doesn't, fine. I'll be able to tell my kids I played high school football like Al Bundy. I'll have some stories to tell."

The legend of Turley already has created a few Turley tales.

Says San Diego State's head coach Ted Tollner: "A defensive lineman is going to know when the game is over. You better load up every snap, because he's going to load up every snap."

Quarterback Spencer Brinton recalls this memorable play: "On this one play he went out and pulled around and was running stride for stride with the running back. He pancaked this one guy, kept running, pancaked another guy, and then was running with the running back full stride."

Turley surprises people off the field too. In addition to surfing, he is an art major who relaxes by breaking out his sketch pad and drawing lines that are, well, not offensive.

"I never drew any flowers and things like that. I didn't get into that too much. And people are interested in the art," says Turley. "It's something unusual for an offensive lineman or anybody that plays football. There aren't' many guys out there really good at art."

And not many offensive tackles good enough to be taken in the first round of the draft. Any pressure?

Says Toller, "I've sat in those draft meetings. And when you take an offensive lineman that high, you better be right."

Turley says he's ready. "I'm excited, I'm anxious and I know when I get in there I'll do well because I have that desire and that determination to do the best."

This season's El Nino storms have produced some wonderful waves for surfers in Southern California. But you won't find too many 310-pounders who wash ashore in the first round of the NFL draft. Kyle Turley will, and he plans to create a swell of his own on the playing field.

"I'm riding it right now," says Turley. "This is the perfect wave right now. And I hope it's a long one. I hope it's stretching right around the point and it's going to keep going for miles, you know."