Former LSU offensive lineman and Denton standout Herman Johnson is tired of playing the waiting game.

He just wants to know where he is going to live.

He finally will find out this weekend when he is expected to hear his name called at the NFL draft, which begins Saturday in New York.

“I am anxious to find out where I am going,” Johnson said. “I’ve been waiting and waiting.”

Johnson said he has no idea where he might land.

“It is nerve-wracking because you really have no choice of where you are going,” he said. “It is all up to someone else. And for me I have never been like that. I always know where I am going to be.”

Johnson (6-7, 365) is the biggest player available in the draft. Johnson is used to that designation, though. He is the biggest player to ever play at LSU, and he still holds the record in the state of Louisiana as the biggest baby on the day of his birth at 15 pounds, 14 ounces.

While at LSU, he started for three seasons and last season he was named to the Associated Press All-America team.

Johnson has dropped 50 pounds since he first became a Tiger in 2004 to help his draft status and NFL possibilities.

“A lot of scouts and coaches said it would be good for me to lose some weight,” he said. “So I worked hard to do that.”

The first two rounds of the draft will be on Saturday and the remaining five rounds take place on Sunday. Johnson expects to be drafted on Day 1.

“From what I am hearing from my agent and some scouts is I am expected to be picked somewhere in the second round,” he said. “I am hoping and praying.”

The only team he traveled to work out for was the Pittsburgh Steelers. But he also worked out in front of numerous offensive line coaches at his personal Pro Day in Baton Rouge, La.

Along with the Steelers, Johnson said has felt interest from San Diego, Chicago, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.

“I don’t have a preference at all,” Johnson said. “I just want to get picked up and contribute early.”

Numerous mock drafts online and in print have Johnson projected as early as a second-round pick and as late as a fifth-round pick.

ESPN draft guru Todd McShay predicted that Johnson will be taken by the Cowboys in the fourth round. Rick Gosselin, longtime NFL writer for The Dallas Morning News, has him going in the fourth or fifth round.

Johnson said he has not paid attention to the mock drafts.

“I don’t even look at those,” he said. “There is no need to pay attention to those things.”

Johnson plans on watching the draft on Saturday at a Dallas hotel with family and close friends. He doesn’t think he will be nervous or overly excited on Saturday.

“To be honest, I think I am going to be perfectly fine,” he said. “I have had a really great week. This week I have just kicked back with my family. So far I have really enjoyed it here. Emotionally, I am ready to go. Physically, I am ready also.”

During his senior season at Denton in 2003, he was one of the most sought after players in the nation. He said he still thinks about his days as a Bronco.

“I drove by the high school the other day and I didn’t even recognize it because all of the construction,” he said. “But you know I always think about Denton High. I always keep up with what is going on with the teams.”

Johnson said he thinks Denton’s football team will bounce back after a winless season in 2008.

“They have a nice freshman class coming in next year,” he said. “Hopefully that can get some things turned around. I will continue to see how they do. I won’t forget about Denton.”

Tennis

Crucial comeback gets Kim to state

Denton tennis coach Carlos Blanco was all smiles when he talked about junior Hee Won Kim’s performance at the Class 4A Region I tournament in San Angelo this week.

Kim finished second in the tournament to earn one of the eight spots in the Class 4A state tournament on May 11-12 in Austin.

Blanco said the most crucial match during Kim’s run to state was his semifinal win against Meliton Morales of El Paso And-ress. Kim lost the first set, 6-0.

“He was pretty nervous and was worried he was going to lose,” Blanco said. “But I told him to keep fighting.”

Kim quickly turned it around by winning the next two sets, 6-3, 6-3. He did it while nursing a sore right ankle.

“He battled through it,” Blanco said. “He relaxed and played his game. That match was the key one.”

If Kim would have lost to Morales, he would have missed out on a trip to Austin.

Volleyball

Three Lady Broncos sign letters of intent

A trio of Lady Bronco players signed on Tuesday to play volleyball at the collegiate level. Amanda Hall, Mandy Muncy and Kelsey Cheatham all inked letters of intent.

Hall will stay close to home and play at TWU. Muncy signed with Oklahoma Wesleyan and Cheatham will take the court at Arkansas Tech.

Baseball

Denton struggles continue

After Denton beat first-place Ryan two weeks ago, Denton head coach Marty Green hoped the win would be a catalyst for a turnaround to the Broncos’ season.

However, since the upset win over the Raiders, the Broncos have lost three consecutive games. Before the win against Ryan, Denton had lost 11 consecutive games.

“We just haven’t been getting it done,” Green said. “It is a combination of a lot of different things. We have played hard, but we just haven’t been getting the hits at the right time.”

The Broncos’ latest loss was a 3-1 defeat against The Colony on Tuesday. Denton only got two hits in the game.

“Their pitcher pitched an exceptional game,” Green said. “We had a lot of trouble getting hits. That was the difference in the game.”

Broncos look to end season strong

Green said it is a little weird to not be playing for a playoff spot this time of year.

“It has been awhile since we haven’t been in the playoffs,” he said. “It is a different experience for the players and a different experience for me.”

So instead he said the Broncos have to play for something else – pride. Denton has two games remaining, against Lake Dallas today and Little Elm next Friday.

“We hope to play well,” Green said. “We want the seniors to go out on a winning note.”

Both opponents are also out of playoff contention.

Softball

Denton looking for answers

After a promising start in nondistrict play, it appeared Denton could be one of the four teams in District 5-4A to reach the playoffs.

But numerous struggles have hurt the Lady Broncos’ chances of reaching the postseason.

Denton has lost six consecutive games, all by way of the mercy rule. During the setbacks, the Lady Broncos have been outscored by a combined 87-12.

Player of the Week

Denton junior Hee Won Kim became the first Bronco in more than a decade to qualify for the UIL state tennis tournament after he finished in second place at regionals earlier this week.

Kim also was the only player to win a game against Region I champion Chase Curry after losing, 7-5, 6-1, in the title match. For his efforts, Kim is the Denton Record-Chronicle Den-ton Player of the Week.

MATTHEW MUENCH can be reached at 940-566-6869. His email address is mmuench@dentonrc.com .