Cameron Colvin stood in Oregon's Moshofsky Center last Thursday wearing a white T-shirt, gray sweatpants and a green and gold Oakland A's cap, watching his former Ducks teammates work out for NFL scouts.

The wide receiver did not participate, giving the right ankle he fractured last October more time to heal. But he took mental notes.

The ankle injury was the last of many setbacks in the college career of one of Oregon's most celebrated recruits.

During the Ducks' second NFL pro day this Thursday, Colvin will have a chance to show scouts that he has the skills to play in the NFL, despite mostly mediocre play in college.

"There's a lot of sleepers and diamond-in-the-rough guys out there," he said. "I think I can be one of those guys."

His current standing is in stark contrast to the expectations in 2004, when Colvin arrived in Eugene as the crown jewel of what was considered the program's greatest recruiting class.

During a team meeting that summer, Colvin jokingly told teammates that he would major in the NFL while at Oregon.

At the time, the statement had merit. Colvin, out of De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., was Rival.com's No. 2-rated wide receiver in the nation, ahead of current Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson (sixth), the second pick in last year's NFL draft out of Georgia Tech.

But Colvin finished his career with 74 receptions for 892yards and six touchdowns, statistics many thought he would put up annually.

But he never put things together consistently, thanks in part to injuries, and a work ethic some coaches questioned.

Last season, Colvin began to emerge during a two-game stretch against Stanford and California when he caught 15 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns.

UO wide receivers coach Robin Pflugrad said Colvin had finally grasped the nuances of the offense, allowing him to play at a faster pace without overthinking.

Then, in the sixth game of the season against Washington State, Colvin broke his ankle.

"It was very sad," Pflugrad said.

Colvin joined wide receiver Brian Paysinger on the sideline. Paysinger had started the season strong before a knee injury in the third game against Fresno State ended his collegiate career. He had not recovered enough to work out at last week's pro day and said he would not work out this week either.

Paysinger was invited to the NFL scouting combine in February. Colvin was not. But Colvin said the snub served as motivation.

"Just knowing the caliber of player I am, I should have been there with those guys," he said.

To prepare for pro day, Colvin has worked out in Florida with former Olympic sprinter Dennis Mitchell.

Colvin said he's had to fight through pain and stiffness to get his speed back up. He's also been catching passes from quarterback Dennis Dixon, whose season ended in November after a knee injury that prevented him from performing at the combine. He will hold a private workout on April 3 in Eugene with Colvin as a receiving target.

Colvin's agent Marvin Frazier, who also represents Cincinnati wide receiver Chris Henry, said he has no doubt that Colvin would get drafted if not for the injury. Now, Frazier said, Colvin needs a good workout to earn a training camp invitation as an undrafted free agent. If that happens, Frazier said he believes his client will make a team.

It's happened before. In 2005, former Oregon wide receiver Marcus Maxwell, coming off a mediocre career (36 receptions, 411 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons), performed well in workouts and was drafted in the seventh round by San Francisco.

One NFL scout, who wanted to remain anonymous, said both Colvin and Paysinger have physical ability but lack the production to attract most teams. Given their size and speed, they could warrant a look, if they prove healthy.

How fast Colvin runs Thursday will be key. He was timed at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash last spring by Oregon's coaches. Anything close to that on Thursday would certainly make the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Colvin attractive to teams.

Frazier, who said he's spoken to several teams interested in Colvin, said his client needs to run in the 4.50 to 4.55 range to solidify himself as a camp invitee, given that he's coming off a broken ankle.

"I just need to come out and do what I do," Colvin said. "Make plays and show that I'm healthy."

Pflugrad said Colvin has a chance if he picks up in a training camp where he left off last season.

"I think the potential is there," he said. "He needs to get an opportunity, get a break, whatever you want to call it, and then he needs to play very, very fast."