Several former Illini football players will find out their fates this weekend during the National Football League’s annual draft.

At least half a dozen Illini will be eligible for this year’s draft, which begins at 10 a.m. Saturday. But after playing in four of the most troubled seasons in Illini football history, nothing is guaranteed when pro programs pick athletes.

“I’m not really worried about it,” running back Pierre Thomas said. “I know everybody thinks of draft day as a big deal, but I’m trying not to let it bother me.”

Thomas, who is still finishing his degree, has spent the last several months working out in hopes of improving his numbers and impressing prospective teams. He went through Illinois’ Pro Timing Day in March and competed in the Magnolio Classic All-Star game in Mississippi. He said he’s also done several other workouts that focus on position work – all while taking classes.

“It’s not too tough; it’s kind of the same as when you’re going to practice and still in school,” Thomas said. “I’ve had to talk to teachers a lot, get assignments in early. But I’m traveling a lot.”

Illini classmate Matt Maddox finished his degree in December and has focused solely on draft preparation ever since. But the offensive lineman has had a tougher time getting physically prepared, as he battles back from a pair of surgeries to remove an infection in his knee.

Maddox contracted a staph infection and underwent surgery the morning of Illinois’ season-ending loss to Northwestern on Nov. 18. The infection returned around Christmas, and Maddox had another operation, which he says set him behind all other potential draft candidates.

“All these other kids were preparing, coming off their seasons, and I was sitting at home with a line in my arm,” Maddox says. “Now my knee is fine, it doesn’t hurt, there’s nothing wrong. But my strength is about 70 percent of what it could be.”

Maddox battled back from the second surgery in time to participate in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 20. He has spent the subsequent months rebuilding his strength and working out for teams.

“It’ll be nice to finally be done with these workouts,” Maddox said. “All the stuff we’ve been doing the last four or five month