Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Penn State lineman Tyler Reed has generated buzz during workouts for NFL teams. Click photo for larger image. More Coverage: PSU & the draft

As for similarities, Michael Robinson and Ethan Kilmer were born one week apart in 1983, and later, both attended the same college for three years. That's about it.

Robinson played football all his life, and most of the time, his success explained why. He finished fifth last season in the Heisman race. He became the captain -- and the charismatic leader -- of Penn State's 11-1, Orange Bowl-winning team.

Kilmer quit football one year into high school, and by the time he enrolled for school at Shippensburg, he became an amateur gym rat. Still anonymous, he transferred to Penn State, walked on to the football team and, finally, emerged as an unlikely special teams ace in 2005.

And then, on April 14 -- just to pick a date for comparison -- Robinson and Kilmer visited NFL teams, hoping their shortcomings wouldn't overshadow their potential. Kilmer, a wide receiver whose kamikaze special teams-style entices pro teams, visited Steelers headquarters in the South Side. Robinson -- whose position is more an argument (QB? RB? WR?) than an acronym -- flew to Miami to meet with the Dolphins.

At least for the dozen Penn State players pushing for a spot in the NFL, the recent months have acted as an equalizer, leveling the stars-and-scrubs dynamic of college. Since the Orange Bowl ended, Kilmer and another unheralded player -- guard Tyler Reed -- have generated buzz with their workouts. At Penn State's March 16 pro day, Kilmer ran a 40 in 4.45, benched 225 pounds 19 times and showed off his 40 1/2-inch vertical jump. Reed ran a 5.13 40 -- "excellent for a lineman," said Joe Butler of Metro Index Scouting in Pittsburgh, who thought Reed might be a late-round pick.

"Ethan Kilmer and Tyler Reed didn't even go to the scouting combine," Butler added. "But that's the funny part of this: A lot of guys come under the radar. Guys like Reed and Kilmer might not be draft picks, but they can make teams. Cream rises to the top."

And those at the top, in turn, face scrutiny unlike any they had in college. Last season with the Nittany Lions, defensive lineman Tamba Hali led the Big Ten in sacks. Robinson was named by coaches as the league's offensive player of the year. Cornerback Alan Zemaitis earned a spot on the conference's postseason first team.

Since, though, several of Penn State's most notable players have been tagged with the curse words of the draft -- falling, sliding, slipping. Robinson and cornerback Anwar Phillips recently appeared on a Rivals.com list of 10 of the most overrated prospects. Hali, once seen as a surefire first-round pick, disappointed some scouts at Penn State's pro day and now might slip into the second round. A recent NFL.com rundown of available cornerbacks listed Zemaitis as 13th best.

"The emotions are like a roller coaster," Zemaitis said. "One day you're up. One day you're down. You just have to stay strong through the whole process. At the end of the day, you're going to get paid -- literally.

"We were so high on top of the world [after the Orange Bowl]. But now, it's something different. Like after my workouts now, I fall asleep on the floor -- in the weight room. It's over. Working out with the NFL guys, like, it makes you feel like you don't know nothing. It's been real humbling."

Seven Penn State players attended the late-February scouting combine in Indianapolis. Among them, safeties Calvin Lowry and Chris Harrell have chances as second-day selections. Teams must determine a position for Robinson, who played alternately as a running back, wide receiver and quarterback during college.

"The process has been enjoyable, but at the same time, there is so much uncertainty," Robinson said. "One day people are telling you you'll go in the second round. Next day people will say second day."

Said Matt Rice, a defensive lineman angling to become a late-round pick: "You learn quickly that there's no room for error. Just like playing football itself."