Five Owls with NFL aspirations

After growing with the Temple football team as it went from a one-win season to the school's first bowl appearance in 30 years last season, five former Owls are hoping to parlay their success into a spot on an NFL roster.

With the league's draft being held Thursday through Saturday, none of the Owls is certain to be picked, but the hopefuls are safety Dominique Harris (6-foot-3, 215 pounds), linebacker Alex Joseph (6-2, 235), tight end Steve Maneri (6-6, 275), defensive tackle Andre Neblett (6-2, 300), and offensive lineman Devin Tyler (6-7, 305).

All have worked out for the Eagles, and a couple visited multiple teams.

"I don't know if they'll end up in the fifth, sixth, or seventh round, or as a free agents," Temple coach Al Golden said, "but they're all going to add value in some shape or form. Andre has been on the radar the longest, but the other guys are starting to intrigue a lot of people."

NFL scouts were present at each Temple home game as the Owls went 5-1 at Lincoln Financial Field. Overall, Temple finished 9-4 and recorded the program's first winning season since 1990

Joseph, who visited the Eagles, New England Patriots, New York Giants and Oakland Raiders, had his most recent meeting in Indianapolis with the Colts on April 14.

"My last two visits, they didn't work me out," said Joseph, a middle linebacker who led Temple with 73 tackles. "I went through a physical and some testing. They mainly wanted to meet me, and get some face time with me. They wanted to get to know me a little bit."

Neblett joined Joseph on his trip to meet the coaching staffs of the Patriots and Giants. Tyler was in Atlanta with the Falcons last weekend.

With the exception of Harris, who arrived at Temple the year before Golden took over the team in 2006, the Temple seniors were members of the coach's first recruiting class. Harris already has graduated. The others will walk across the stage next month to receive their degrees

When NFL teams reported for preseason camp last summer, there were five former Temple players on rosters.

Ultimately, defensive end Raheem Brock, a 2002 seventh-round pick of the Eagles, spent his eighth season with Indianapolis. Rookie defensive tackle Terrance Knighton started 16 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars after being the team's third-round draft choice. And fullback Jason McKie played for the Chicago Bears.

Defensive tackle Antwon Burton ended up playing briefly for the Carolina Panthers, but Dan Klecko was cut from the Eagles' camp.