Every college football player dreams of one day getting a shot at the pros, and that dream may soon become a reality for Kent State center Chris Anzevino.

When the Warren, Ohio resident held his pro day in mid-March, teams weren’t lining up at the door to get a glimpse of him. In fact, while Anzevino worked out, most NFL teams were at Alabama and Wisconsin’s pro day.

By the time Anzevino’s results came in from LeCharles Bentley’s O-Line Academy in Avon, Ohio, representatives from San Francisco, New England, Green Bay and Cincinnati were on the phone asking see him in person.

“What I do is I just try to come in and give 150 percent every single day,” Anzevino said. “That’s been my goal since I was playing baseball back in high school. So no matter what it is, I like to give 150 percent. Whether it’s just warming up or if it’s the end of the day, that’s just how I am.”

Highlighted by an impressive 36 reps of 225 pounds. on bench press, Anzevino made a name for himself that most Kent State football players don’t ever get to. The only draw back coach Darrell Hazell said might cause teams to take a “second look” is his 6-foot-2-inch, 299-pound measurements.

Hazell said that he expected teams to be looking at his captain of last season for his skill and not his size.

“Chris is a good player,” Hazell said. “He works hard and it’s very important to him and if he keeps working then he’ll have a shot somewhere.”

With the NFL Draft quickly approaching round one on April 26, CBS Sports has Anzevino listed as the No. 18 best center in the draft. Teams now have to look into the hours of game tape Anzevino has with four years of college football.

The most important game to Anzevino’s stock occurred on Sept. 3, of last season when the Flashes took the University of Alabama. Anzevino was challenged by Josh Chapman, who is rated the eighth best defensive tackle by CBS Sports.

Chapman finished the game with just one tackle.

While everything is still up in the air for Anzevino, his determination is something that will get him far, Hazell said.

“He’s a tremendous worker, and he’s trained with us and went up and trained with LeCharles Bentley,” Hazell said. “He’s done a good job from the end of the season to this point in time to put himself in a position to be successful at the next level.”  

But for now, Anzevino is just taking things day-by-day, waiting to see what his future holds.

“Whatever gives me an opportunity to play at the next level, then I feel like I’ll be blessed and honored and I’ll try to make the best of it,” Anzevino said. 

Contact Matt Lofgren at [email protected] or @MLofgrenDKS