Nevin Quits Titan Football but Clears Way to NFL Draft

FULLERTON — Phil Nevin, a kicker and punter, has quit the Cal State Fullerton football team to concentrate on baseball and make himself eligible for the NFL draft April 26-27, it was announced Wednesday.

Nevin, who has one year of college football eligibility remaining, ran his conversion streak to 65 last season but made only seven of 19 field-goal attempts. As a punter, he averaged 40.9 yards.

“It’s clear to me that baseball is still my No. 1 priority,” said Nevin, who will be Fullerton’s third baseman this season. “I’m not doing this with the idea of getting drafted--it would be a pleasant surprise to me. But I no longer want to play college football. . . . It’s just the time is right for me to make a choice.

“Actually, most of the decision-making will come after this baseball season, then the baseball draft and possibly my first pro baseball season. Then I will have time to see how it all goes. With the new NCAA rule, if I’m not drafted, I could still come back. Or maybe get a shot as a free agent and kick for an NFL team. Mainly, I just want to concentrate on baseball right now.”

Nevin, a graduate of El Dorado High, was a third-round draft pick of the Dodgers in June, 1989. He was an All-Big West Conference second-team selection as a freshman third baseman in 1990, when he hit .358 and led the team in home runs. He batted .335 as a shortstop last season and was an honorable mention conference selection.

Nevin also spent the past two summers playing for the U.S. team.