MACOMB, Ill. - Senior placekicker Taylor Rowan and senior long snapper Travis Cherry have done their parts in writing the storied history of Western Illinois' special team success.

Now they would like to be part of the Leathernecks' long tradition of sending players to the NFL.

The pair attended the Aguiar Kicking Academy Pro Camp in Las Vegas, April 4-9, where they joined nearly 80 kickers, punters and snappers to practice with some of the nation's top specialists and be evaluated by NFL scouts.

The 5-day camp/combine run by 10-year NFL veteran Louis Aguiar included pro-style workout days, practices and individual instruction with camp coaches, filming and meetings with NFL personnel.

During the pro-workout days, players were charted and then ranked for the Pro Day which was attended by NFL coaches. Kickers were charted during the workouts on field goals of 24, 32, 27, 28, 45, 49, 53 and 42 yards, as well as six kickoffs. Rowan hit each of the first seven field goals before missing the 42-yarder at the end, and all six of his kickoffs landed inside the 5-yard line. Out of the 12 draft eligible kickers who were evaluated, Rowan was ranked among the top two.

"I was very impressed with Taylor at the camp," said Michael Husted, who played nine seasons as a place kicker in the NFL and now works for the camp. "He has tremendous leg strength and great height on the ball and those are two things that every NFL team is looking for. He is also very confident and has a great work ethic.

"Taylor has the capability of hitting the long-distance field goals," continued Husted, "but it is that consistency from 45 yards in that will win you a spot on a team. Teams need you to go out there and put points on the board."

Rowan, who set a new FCS record by hitting 129 consecutive PATs and owns six of Western Illinois' 10 longest field goals, says being a draft selection on April 26 would be nice, but a phone call that Sunday evening with an invitation to a camp would be just as great.

"I would just like an opportunity," said Rowan, "no matter how it comes."

Cherry was one of two draft-eligible long snappers to attend the camp and was joined by six free agents. He went through a similar week to Rowan's, with several days of instruction, one-on-one coaching, and video taping to fine tune his skills, focusing on timing, accuracy and even blocking assignments. Cherry's long snaps were timed consistently between .69 and .72 seconds.

"For me it was just a chance to get my name out there and get some of my work on film," said Cherry. "I just want teams to know that if they have a need, I am available."

Of the eight snappers at the camp, Cherry was the only player who had also played another position in college.

"NFL teams actually prefer that," said the six-year Leatherneck linebacker. "A lot of long snappers in the league are also tight ends, fullbacks or linebackers."

Just in case the NFL doesn't come calling later this month, Cherry has plenty to keep him busy. He is currently finishing requirements for his degree, student-teaching physical education at Jay Stream Middle School in Carol Stream, Ill., and coaching a wrestling club at his alma mater, Glenbard North High School.

WESTERN ILLINOIS SPECIAL TEAMS HIGHLIGHTS

• Pat Bayers in 1982 returned a missed field goal 89 yards, the longest such return in I-AA history.
• Jerome Stelly set a national record in 1981 by returning two kickoffs to the end zone in the very same game.
• Buck Phillips accomplished a similar record-setting feat 13 years later, returning two punt to the end zone in a single game.
• In 1997 Frank Spraggins scored a rare defensive PAT to tie Northern Iowa with 40 seconds left in the game, and the Leathernecks prevailed in overtime.
• Mike Scifres once booted a 75-yard punt at Southern Utah in 2002, only to be followed by a 72-yarder on his very next attempt. And both of those paled in comparison to his school-record 89-yard punt two years earlier.
• Justin Langan set a I-AA scoring record in 2002, scoring more points than any other kicker in I-AA history.
• Scifres kicked a school-record 56-yard field goal as time expired in the UNI-Dome to win the 2000 Gateway Conference title. It was Scifres' first-ever field goal attempt.
• Taylor Rowan set an FCS record by converting the first 129 PATs of his career.
• Rowan hit six of his eight 50-yard attempts in 2007, more than any other Division I kicker in the country.