No question, it takes a certain amount of drive to audition for National Football League scouts.

About 375 miles, it turns out.

After training for nearly three months in Scottsdale, Ariz., former Hawai'i defensive lineman Josh Leonard yesterday drove from the Ikei Sports Performance center to Southern California in preparation for tomorrow's Pro Day.

Scouts, coaches and directors of player personnel from each of the 32 NFL teams will monitor the event in Carson, Calif.

"This is going to be big," said agent Kenny Zuckerman, who represents former Warriors David Veikune and Ryan Mouton.

Each Division I football team is allowed a Pro Day, a combine that measures pro prospects in such disciplines as the 40-yard dash and bench press. Because of Hawai'i's isolation, UH is allowed to hold its Pro Day on the West Coast. UH associate head coach Rich Miano, the liaison between the school and NFL, tries to time the event after USC's Pro Day.

More than a dozen former UH players are expected to attend.

For many, it's an opportunity to keep alive the dream.

"It's a chance to show what I can do," Leonard said.

For Veikune, it is a way to build on an already impressive application.

Veikune, who is 6 feet 2 and 260 pounds, played well in the Senior Bowl in January and was impressive in the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

At the combine, Veikune bench-pressed 225 pounds 35 times, the fourth-highest total among the participants.

In the 40-yard dash, his announced official time was 4.87 seconds, ninth best among the linemen. But that was the slowest reading by the three timers. One official clocked Veikune at 4.79 seconds.

Veikune said he will not bench press at the Pro Day. Instead, he will focus on the 40-yard dash and agility drills.

"I want to run in the low 4.7s," Veikune said.

Veikune projects as a defensive end in a 4-3 alignment and outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He was strictly a defensive end at UH.

"Teams are coming back because they want to see what he can do as a linebacker," Zuckerman said.

Last week, the Miami Dolphins conducted a private workout for Veikune and USC linebackers Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews and Rey Maualuga.

Yesterday, Veikune had a private workout with linebacker coach Don Martindale of the Denver Broncos.

"It was a 30-minute workout," Veikune said. "He wanted to see how I would react as a linebacker in different coverages."

Mouton also has drawn a lot of attention after his success in the East-West Shrine Game and NFL Scouting Combine. He had a 39 1/2-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 10 feet, 9 inches.

At the combine, Mouton popped his left hamstring at the 32-yard mark of the 40-yard dash. He still finished in 4.48 seconds, fourth best among defensive backs.

Mouton's hamstring is now sound, and he is expected to attempt the 40 again.

The sprints will be held on one of the outdoor fields at the Home Depot Center. Zuckerman said that artificial surface is comparable to the one used for the combine in Indianapolis.

Zuckerman said Veikune and Mouton will "try to improve on what they did at the combine. At Pro Day, even though they won't be at home, they'll be more comfortable."

Linebacker Solomon Elimimian is learning the business side of football. Despite being the Warriors' career leader in tackles, he was not invited to the combine or a postseason all-star game. He played mostly middle linebacker at UH. His pro future, he was told, is at outside linebacker.

"That's why I want to show my speed," Elimimian said.

He has spent the past couple of months working on his conditioning. His speed training has focused on resistance workouts.

"It trains your muscles to move faster," he said.

Elimimian has received inquiries from several NFL teams.

But, he noted, "if I run a good 40 time, it will help me a lot."