By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

The first time I saw Josh Freeman play, the Grandview High
School quarterback was a man among boys.

On Sept. 30, 2005, the senior threw for 339 yards on the home field of Raytown High School, which my daughter was attending then. Grandview won 54-7.

Freeman dropped back in the pocket, fending off Raytown players who seemed to bounce off him. Once he dragged two and then three players with him until throwing yet another touchdown to a Grandview player.

Fast forward to this week, and Freeman -- now a junior at Kansas State -- has announced he will submit his name for the NFL draft.

If he gets drafted -- and he could go in the second or third round, according to some scouts -- Freeman would be one of the few Kansas City area high school players to make it to the pros.

Yet even Freeman, who won the annual Thomas A. Simone Memorial Award as the Kansas City area's top high school football player in 2005, isn't a surefire NFL pick.

He compiled a losing record at Kansas State, and there are questions about the accuracy of his arm and his tendency to turn over the ball on interceptions.

The story of Josh Freeman may turn out to have a happy ending.

But he still isn't a sure-fire shot in the NFL. That fact should be a reminder to all local athletes (and their parents) of just how tough it is to make it into professional sports.