ASHLAND — The prospect of elbowing in on a star-studded backfield isn’t daunting to Dusty McGrorty.

The former Southern Oregon University tailback learned by phone on Sunday that he would soon be battling the likes of Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson for playing time with the St. Louis Rams.

After watching both days of the seven-round NFL draft with family and friends at his home in Warrenton, McGrorty got the good news from his agent, Zeke Sandhu.

The Rams offered a one-year, $230,000 contract with a $3,000 signing bonus. Since the figure was slightly more than the $14-an-hour McGrorty made working construction, he took it.

"I was just like, wow, I can make this much money doing what I love to do," McGrorty said.

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One of his teammates this past fall, wide receiver Andrae Thurman, will get that opportunity as well, having signed a free-agent deal with the New York Giants, according to SOU coach Jeff Olson.

Olson has been unable to reach Thurman, but the coach spoke with a Giants staff member who confirmed the signing.

McGrorty goes to a St. Louis franchise that has relied heavily on Faulk, one of the most prolific all-purpose backs in NFL history. With Faulk entering his 10th season, the Rams grabbed Jackson with the 24th pick in the first round.

Jackson, who plays the same position as McGrorty, was projected by some analysts as the top running back in the draft.

That doesn’t seem to bother McGrorty, who said he actually performed as well or better than Jackson in many of the pre-draft speed and agility tests.

"I’m just going to go in there and work as hard as I can, meet with the running backs’ coach and see where he’s at," McGrorty said.

With his dream of playing in the NFL within reach, McGrorty says he’s willing to do whatever it takes to earn a roster spot, even if that means playing special teams.

"And if that’s the only way I can make the team, that’s going to be my role — just a straight special-teams player," he said. "I need to get over there on the third side of the ball and show what I can do on special teams."

McGrorty said he was confident, even after being passed up in the draft, that some team would offer him a contract, probably St. Louis or Detroit. When the Rams grabbed Jackson, however, McGrorty thought he would probably end up with the Lions.

Then Detroit made a trade for the 30th overall pick, which they used to select running back Kevin Jones of Virginia Tech. Suddenly, the NFL doors that were open widest for McGrorty seemed to be slamming shut.

Still, McGrorty stayed positive.

"From the scouts that I’ve talked to with St. Louis and the Lions, they basically told me I was going to go somewhere," he said. "So I was kind of expecting that I was going to go somewhere. I really didn’t expect it to be St. Louis."

Then came the call, and the offer and finally an exhale four years in the making.

"I was relieved and I didn’t sleep, my stomach was upset and everything," he said. "Instantly, I kind of got a little nervous and almost a little bit scared of going to the next level."

McGrorty knows making any NFL team, especially one that has a potential future Hall of Famer and a recent first-round pick at his position, will be one of the greatest challenges of his life. But one advantage, he said, is that St. Louis wants to keep him at halfback, the position he broke records at in college.

Detroit, McGrorty says, would likely have tried to convert him into a fullback. While he would have been fine with blocking out of the backfield if it meant nailing down a roster spot, McGrorty would rather stick with what’s got him this far.

"It’s where my heart is, carrying the ball," he said. "I feel like I’m going to do my best at that position, but they have Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson and ... I’ve just got to go in there, and I’ve got my work cut out for me."

McGrorty will have to make the team in order to collect all the money he signed for. He said the Rams have told him he has a good shot at doing that as a special teams player — possibly as a return specialist — or as a backup running back.

But for now, McGrorty is thankful he’s getting the shot he’s always wanted.

Joe Zavala is sports editor of the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 482-3456.