LeBron, Kobe and Carmelo in the same playoffs? I can dig it. Give me the Spurs, Mavs, Nuggets, Lakers, Pistons, Heat, Nets and Cavs in the first round. …

As a super-fast wide receiver at SIU, Brent Little made countless moves to elude defensive backs.

But his best career move may have been at a computer, after his college playing days closed with a 38-24 loss to Appalachian State.

Little sent an e-mail to Cris Carter, the former Minnesota Vikings wideout. You know, Cris "All He Does Is Catch Touchdowns" Carter.

How's that for networking?

"He's a good guy," Little said.

Carter and Little had been acquainted last summer, prior to Little's senior season. Along with SIU tight end Micah Turner, Little spent several weeks training with Carter in Boca Raton, Fla.

This time, Carter welcomed Little to return for an invite-only series of workouts in January and February in anticipation of the NFL draft. Twenty-five pro hopefuls took part in the workouts.

"High-intensity," is how Little described them.

Little does not expect to be selected among the first three rounds of the NFL draft next Saturday (April 29). In Sunday's fourth through seventh rounds, however, he likes his chances.

"I'm getting a good vibe with things," Little said Saturday from Florida. "I'm hearing things from early on the second day to late on the second day."

Little racked up 2,303 receiving yards at SIU, more than all but one Saluki (Cornell Craig, 3,508). But he possesses something more intriguing to scouts than snappy stats.

"Guys are looking for speed," SIU wide receivers coach Brian Anderson said. "That's what the NFL is all about, and that's what Brent has."

Scouts have clocked Little with 40-yard dash times of 4.45, 4.46 and 4.47 seconds. At 6-foot, 185 pounds, the Kansas City product won't run over anyone on his way to the NFL.

"You can't teach speed," SIU head coach Jerry Kill noted.

Little has worked out for the Texans, Giants, Packers, Eagles, Colts, Dolphins and Chiefs. It was another Saluki, former running back Brandon Jacobs, that "put Brent on the map," Anderson said.

During the 2005 season, scouts flocked to McAndrew Stadium to watch Jacobs, the 6-4, 256-pound train who was taken in the fourth round of last year's draft.

While scouts watched Jacobs trample defenders, they couldn't help but notice players like Little (23.5 yards per catch) and Arkee Whitlock (6.4 yards per rush). Scouts from 28 of 32 NFL teams returned last season for SIU games.

"All the sudden they're looking at Arkee. They're like, 'Wow, who's that guy?'" Anderson said. "If you have a good junior year, they will all come back. Having Brandon here really helped Brent."

If the dominoes fall the way Little hopes, three Salukis (Jacobs, Bart Scott) will be playing on Sundays next fall.

"There is no question that he's good enough, he's fast enough, he's big enough, he's athletic enough to get into someone's camp," Anderson said. "It's just a matter of who's going to take a chance on him."

Blog Bites….

Former SIU basketball star Darren Brooks was scheduled to play in the championship game of the NBA Development League on Saturday night. In 22 games with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, Brooks is averaging 4.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game.

Playing time has been an issue, with three other guards - Joe Shipp (Cal), Brandon Mason (Auburn), Tierre Brown (McNeese) and Tony Bland (San Diego State) - all averaging more minutes than Brooks. The D-League title game will be tape-delayed at 4 p.m. Tuesday on NBA TV…

SIU baseball could use a win in its series finale at Missouri State today (noon, WCIL 1020 AM). Get a tan and catch the nationally ranked softball Salukis in their Charlotte West Stadium finale against Creighton today (noon). …

There's a good chance SIU men's basketball coach Chris Lowery will be throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley Field on May 27 (Cubs-Braves). Lowery also has been invited to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch.

There will be an SIU theme at Wrigley that weekend. The third annual "Dawgs on the Rooftop," with Kill and the football staff, is scheduled for May 28.

(Paul Klee covers SIU athletics for The Southern. You can reach him at 618-351-5085 or paul.klee@thesouthern.com. Check out the Dawg Blog at www.thesouthern.com/dawgblog/)