National Football League

Nelson Agholor carrying an NFL mindset along with his special talent

Published Apr. 23, 2015 11:58 a.m. ET

Ross Jones

Two weeks before the NFL Draft, former Sourthern California wide receiver Nelson Agholor steps inside the John McKay Center, the school's 110,000-square-foot athletic facility.

For more than an hour, Agholor meets with his former position coach Tee Martin.

Fresh off a cross-country tour of pre-draft visits and workouts with several teams, the six-foot, 198-pound wide receiver was eager to share some lessons from the road.

"We talked about some different releases and other things he learned," Martin told FOXSports.com. "Actually, he was helping me as a coach. He wanted me to watch him do the releases to get better. That's just the kind of guy he is."

Agholor, 21, decided to forgo his final year of eligibility in January after posting 104 receptions for 1,313 yards and 12 touchdowns during his junior season.

A true student of the game, Agholor has steered his focus on rookie camp and organized team activities. While some prospects concern themselves with where they'll get drafted, Agholor is already thinking one step ahead.

"The best is definitely yet to come," Agholor said. "I'm looking forward to getting faster, stronger and getting more good coaching at the professional level. I look forward to embracing all these things. I don't plan on going to a team and thinking I have all the answers. That's how some people feel. I'm going to bring an open mind and soak in all the knowledge possible."

Over the last two years, two wide receivers in Cardinal and Gold have made the leap to the NFL: Robert Woods (Buffalo Bills) and Marqise Lee (Jacksonville Jaguars). Playing alongside Woods and Lee, two of the school's most decorated receivers of all time, gave Agholor a proper perspective into how to prepare for the next level.

Agholor is known for his ability to navigate in traffic with the ball in his hands. Playing running back at Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.), he's a natural in open space. But, Agholor is just as dangerous when he senses a small crease or some space in the defense. That ability was showcased when Agholor lined up as the Trojans' punt and kick return specialist.

"I just want to affect the game in as many ways as possible," Agholor said. "There are three stages to the football game: offense, defense and special teams. If you win two of those phases, your team will most likely win the game."

Martin, who coached wide receivers at the University of Kentucky before getting to USC in 2012, said Agholor's big-play ability resembles another explosive weapon: Randall Cobb

"Both of those guys are really special," Martin said. "They both can catch the ball really well and then transition into becoming a runner. Once you have the ball, you become a running back. And for Randall, he was a former quarterback converted into a wide receiver. Nelson was a former running back turned into a wide receiver.

"But I think both of them have a great sense awareness of their surroundings. They see the whole picture, plan ahead and can contort their bodies to do different things to allow them to be successful after the catch."

The production Agholor had during his junior season afforded him the opportunity to be named third-team All American. To go along with the honor, Agholor took part in a longstanding school tradition called the Trojan Wall. Every All-American at USC has his plaque added to the wall.

"It's a very special thing to a lot of people in our community and it's very close to my heart because I know every day I was determined to be an All-American at this university," Agholor said. "To have that honor, meant a lot to me."

Determined to make his teammates better, Agholor's leadership is widespread. During his junior season, he'd invite some of the underclassmen over to his apartment to watch film on his projector. It was during those sessions when he and his teammates could gain an edge on the upcoming opponent.

"He got a lot out of the guys around him," Martin said. "Almost similar to how a quarterback can have that effect on guys. It was pretty unique. I have never been around a wide receiver who had that type of leadership quality and that ability to get guys to play better around him from a position other than quarterback."

That level of professionalism will benefit Agholor and whichever team selects him on April 30.

"I understand the NFL is a business," Agholor said. "It's all about playing the game the way it was meant to be played. For me, it's all about preparing and competing. That's what I did at USC and that's what I'll continue to do."

Spoken precisely like a Trojan.