Update May 9, 9:13 p.m.: In the 62nd pick of the NFL Draft, Jimmy Garoppolo has been selected by the New England Patriots.

Before Jimmy Garoppolo even played a down at quarterback, coach Jeff Christensen told him he would be going to the NFL.

In the summer of 2007, just before Garoppolo’s sophomore season at Rolling Meadows High School, he and 149 other quarterbacks were at Northwestern University while a plethora of scouts and coaches cluttered the stands overseeing each of them.

That is when Christensen approached Tony Garoppolo, Jimmy’s father.

“I think you have a monster on your hands here,” Christensen told Tony. “Let me put it this way, you won’t be paying for college and he will be going to the NFL.”

Christensen knew what he was talking about. He has studied the quarterback position for 42 years.

In 1983, Christensen was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round at pick No. 137 overall out of Eastern. He spent seven years in the NFL, before dedicating his life to coaching at Throw It Deep quarterback and wide receiver training academy in Lombard.

Still, Tony was not completely sold just yet.

“He laughed and told me I was crazy,” Christensen said. “I didn’t laugh and I told him, ‘no. I’m serious.’”

Garoppolo wanted to believe it.

“To hear something like that is a dream, but I took it with a grain of salt,” Garoppolo said. “I was only playing quarterback for a year.”

Because a 16 year-old Garoppolo had only been playing football for four years. His freshman year of high school he played running back and linebacker.

His sophomore year he converted to quarterback, but still had not seen action at the position.

Nonetheless, Christensen saw the potential.

“He had a willingness to throw ball with his feet in conjunction with what his arm actually looked like,” Christensen said. “And again, a willingness to keep his hips in place in conjunction with his release.”

Garoppolo’s release is one that now has NFL scouts raving that it is the quickest among all of the quarterback prospects in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Two years passed since Christensen’s first interaction with Garoppolo, and after two years as the Rolling Meadows’ starter, Garoppolo decided to follow in Christensen’s footsteps, committing to Eastern.

Again, Christensen brought up the NFL to Garoppolo and his father.

“Now do you believe me,” Christensen said. “I said it even more serious this time. ‘Picture yourself getting drafted, starting in the NFL. That’s next.’”

Garoppolo was more onboard than ever.

“‘Coach that is the all-time dream,’” Christensen recalled Garoppolo telling him. “‘I believe you now.’”

But Tony was still hesitant.

“He said to not say anything like that,” Christensen said. “‘Let’s just get through college first.’”

Garoppolo did more than get through college. He left Eastern as the record holder for career passing yards and touchdown passes, single-season passing yards and touchdown passes, and single-game touchdown passes.

He brought the Panthers their first postseason win since 1986 and first Walter Payton Award since Tony Romo in 2002.

But Garoppolo will get to experience something Romo or fellow Eastern great Sean Payton was never able to: Be drafted into the NFL.

Both Romo and Payton went undrafted in their respective draft classes as free agents. Meanwhile, Garoppolo is one of 30 prospects attending the NFL Draft in New York City, but he is the only FCS player to receive and invite.

NFL.com draft analyst Mike Mayock has Garoppolo ranked as the fourth best quarterback in the 2014 class, behind Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), Blake Bortles (Central Florida) and Derek Carr (Fresno State).

Christensen, however, has him as No. 1. Christensen said Garoppolo has the best feet in the draft, the quickest release in the draft and he is the most accurate quarterback in the draft.

“People can talk about level of competition all they want, make up excuses, but it is all just rhetoric” Christensen said. “Eastern had some really good wide receivers, but you give [Garoppolo] a 6-foot-5 guy with a 4.20 40-yard dash time running open downfield because of his size, things will change.”

As for Garoppolo, he has no prediction or preference of where he is drafted. He said any of the 32 NFL teams will be a dream to play for.

Until the draft comes at 7 p.m. on May 8, in New York City, Garoppol said he will only be doing one thing: “I’m just keeping my fingers crossed, continuing to appreciate this opportunity.”

Leading up to the draft, Christensen had one more prophecy for his protégé.

“‘You’ve prepared for this opportunity better than anyone one I’ve ever seen,’” Christensen said to Garoppolo. ‘”If it all goes your way, you will have the chance to be the greatest quarterback in all of football.’”

Christensen has been right up to this point.

Anthony Catezone can be reached at 581-2812 or ajcatezone@eiu.edu.