Philadelphia, PA (Best E Casino) - Given that he is a quarterback, Joe Flacco has been the center of attention throughout his football career. Yet none of that experience has prepared the strong-armed passer for the attention he has received since the 2007 season ended.

Considered one of the best quarterbacks in the 2008 NFL draft class, Flacco's face has been plastered on web sites and in newspapers throughout the country, while television commentators pick apart his game on an almost daily basis.

"It's still awkward to see myself on TV," Flacco said Saturday, after watching Delaware's spring football game. "It's a lot of fun being picked apart."

ESPN actually asked Flacco if it could have a camera on hand at his family's house on Saturday to broadcast his reaction to being drafted live to the world.

But Flacco turned down that opportunity in favor of celebrating the moment privately with his family.

"I want to enjoy it, or suffer in private," Flacco said, with a mischievous smile.

There probably won't be much time for suffering. Flacco is expected to be selected either late in the first round or within the first few picks of the second, when the NFL begins its draft on Saturday.

He is likely to be the highest drafted quarterback from the FCS ranks since Steve McNair was selected third overall in 1994.

Matt Ryan of Boston College is expected to be picked within the first eight choices as the consensus top quarterback. After that, there is much debate about who is the No. 2 quarterback prospect from a group including Flacco, Louisville's Brian Brohm, and Chad Henne of Michigan.

But with several teams needing quarterback help, all of those players should be off the draft board by early in the second round.

Flacco soared up the list of prospects by leading Delaware to the FCS national championship game and with a strong performance at the NFL draft combine in Indianapolis in March. He has also excelled in a number of individual workouts for a variety of teams.

"I always felt like I could do this, but when I came to Delaware, I wondered if anyone would see me," Flacco said. "The success we had this season has been a big part of it. Obviously, they found out about me."

In some scouts' eyes, the fact that Flacco transferred from Pittsburgh to an FCS team is a red flag. But after his success at Delaware, you have to think that maybe Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt might have had second thoughts about allowing this talented performer to exit his program.

Flacco has made a habit of proving doubters wrong, and he's ready to do the same at the NFL level.

Many NFL types think that the competition level at FCS isn't good enough to adequately prepare players, though the success of athletes like McNair, Jerry Rice, Brian Westbrook, Jared Allen, Rashean Mathis, Dexter Coakley and Tony Romo, among many others, would seem to prove them wrong.

But several teams have fallen in love with Flacco's cannon of an arm - the best one in this draft - and his Ben Roethlisberger-like physique.

Among the teams that have entertained him during this strange courtship ritual have been the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets.

"They already knew a lot," Flacco said of the individual workouts. "They just want to see for themselves."

And most of the teams have apparently liked what they have seen. The question now is which one will hand a slip of paper with his name on it to NFL officials at Saturday's draft.

"It's a process," said Flacco. "I've had fun with it. But I'm glad that part is over with."