PRO-ACTIVE APPROACH OLSON BECOMES A LEGITIMATE NFL PROSPECT.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

The NFL scouts filtered through UCLA all season to watch film on tight end Marcedes Lewis and mammoth offensive lineman Ed Blanton, but five weeks ago those same scouts added another Bruin to list.

An NFL afterthought when the season started, senior quarterback Drew Olson did more than lead UCLA into the top 10 earlier this season, vault himself into the Heisman Trophy race and erase the program's embarrassment of the past few seasons.

Olson, as ludicrous as it seemed two months ago, is now an NFL prospect, a byproduct of playing as well as any quarterback in the nation.

In fact, Olson enters Saturday's intra-city clash against No. 1 USC with better statistics, if not a better reputation, than counterpart Matt Leinart, the reigning Heisman winner.

``Drew struggled last year, but this year I'm like, `What the hell got into him?' '' UCLA tailback Chris Markey said. ``Everything he does, you can tell he's taken this team under his wing. As a senior, he wants this Pac-10 title. He is definitely leading this team. I don't know what got into him, but I like it.''

It's amazing what hard work, fierce competition and the threat of never playing again can do to a quarterback who less than 11 months ago faced the possibly that his football career was over.

But since tearing two ligaments in his left knee in the Las Vegas Bowl last December and undergoing surgery shortly thereafter, Olson's work ethic improved, his understanding of the offense crystallized and his arm strength improved.

After holding off redshirt freshman and immensely gifted Ben Olson (no relation) to win the job in training camp, Drew Olson materialized into one of the top college quarterbacks.

And the NFL noticed.

``At the beginning of the season, you wouldn't have found anyone who would have considered him a free agent-type kid,'' said one NFC scout who has watched Olson play numerous times. ``But he's proven he can lead his team back. He's stepped up as a leader.

``Physically, there's still going to be some question marks with respect to arm strength, accuracy and the deep ball, but you've got to applaud the effort he's given. He's probably a potential late draft pick or free-agent guy.''

When the scouts were buzzing a month ago, there was talk Olson could slip into the first day of the NFL draft. After more critiquing, some scouts say Olson has worked his way into the second day of the draft.

It's a monumental leap for the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Olson, who leads the nation in passing efficiency (172.47) and has hit on a career-high 67.7 percent of his attempts, and his 30 touchdowns to three interceptions is the best ratio in the nation. He has also set school records for touchdown passes in a season, and his 2,909 passing yards is already fourth-highest total in school history.

Leinart's pass efficiency rating is 161.95, and he has 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Leinart has connected on 66.4 percent of his passes, but with Reggie Bush and LenDale White in the backfield, he has been asked to do less this season.

But, as one scout points out, completion percentage is not the end-all, be-all to indicate a quarterback's accuracy, particularly in the short passing game UCLA employs.

``As difficult as it is to complete passes at the collegiate level, it's 10 times harder in the NFL,'' a scout said. ``In the NFL, even in zone coverage, the strike zone shrinks dramatically. In man (coverage), it becomes impossible if you can't put the ball right where it needs to be.''

Granted, Olson is not in the can't-miss mold of Peyton Manning, but after completing 369 of 666 (55.4 percent) of his passes and throwing for 30 touchdowns and 22 interceptions in his sophomore and junior years, few people thought he could play at his current level.

Even after Olson completed 72 percent of his passes in wins against San Diego State, Rice and Oklahoma, skeptics pointed toward poor opposing defenses rather than Olson's growth as a player.

``I knew it was in me, and so did the coaches, but it was, 'When is it going to come out?' '' Olson said. ``Now that it has, it's fun. I'm definitely enjoying the ride so far. I guess it's not a shock to me. I envisioned good things to happen this year.

``I don't know if I thought 30 touchdowns and three interceptions, but I thought good things would happen.''

However, the scouts began paying attention after Olson led his third straight fourth-quarter comeback, a five-touchdown performance against Washington State.

Olson added another double-digit fourth-quarter comeback two weeks later, gaining confidence and trust from his teammates, and catching the eyes of scouts. He also had a school-record six touchdown performance against Oregon State.

``Could he play on the next level? Yes, he could,'' said third-year Bruins coach Karl Dorrell, a former NFL receivers coach. ``He's made himself into the player he his right now, just because of his regimen, and how he progressed through the season.

``This football team sees him as the focal point of our success. He's led this team through some tough situations, through some pressure situations, and they believe in him wholeheartedly. They're Drew Olson fans. He has all the qualities he needs to play beyond UCLA. But we need him to play two more games here.''

A few months ago, it appeared Olson's best chance to play professional ball came four years ago, but he opted for football rather pursuing a baseball career out of Piedmont High in the Bay Area.

But that all changed in the last few months. Olson will get plenty of attention from the NFL, be it during the scouting combines or personal workouts.

``Even when I was (bad) as a sophomore, I thought I could eventually get to a higher level, and I've progressed so much every year,'' Olson said. ``If you don't have belief in yourself and confidence in yourself, it won't happen, I don't see how it could ever happen.''

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) UCLA quarterback Drew Olson, who will lead his team against No. 1 USC on Saturday at the Coliseum, has commanded increased attention from NFL scouts. ``He's probably a potential late draft pick or free-agent guy,'' one pro scout said.

(2) Bruins QB Drew Olson, center, has become a team leader, and his teammates ``believe in him wholeheartedly,'' coach Karl Dorrell said.

Kirby Lee/Special to the Daily News

Box:

OLSON RISING