Central Valley grad/former Humboldt State star running back Ja'Quan Gardner hopes to realize his goal of becoming a professional football player in the near future.

"He hasn't been signed yet," said Cameron Weiss, Gardner's agent. "We're trying to find him more opportunities before training camps."

"As of right now, I feel like I've done all I could do," Ja'Quan said. "I'm going to keep working hard. Hopefully, I get a call. It could be tomorrow. It could be a month from now. You just don't know. It's all part of the business."

Ja'Quan attended the San Francisco 49ers' May 3-5 rookie minicamp and worked out with the Los Angeles Rams on May 11.

"We got good feedback from both teams," Weiss said. "They were complimentary."

Gardner attended team meetings and practices with the Niners.

He roomed with a practice squad player.

"I watched a lot of their guys on TV," Gardner said. "It was fun to compete with them. I'm happy with how I did. I talked with a couple of coaches afterwards. They were impressed."

Ja'Quan's workout with the Rams lasted 30 minutes.
"I did some drills and routes," he said. "It was a great experience, too."

Unsure about his future, Gardner will continue to train five times a week at Bonsu Elite Athletics in Ceres.

"I'm a little anxious," he said. "I don't know what's going to happen. I'm staying ready. I just want to play ball. It would be nice to be in the NFL. If that doesn't happen, I'll try to get into the CFL."

"He's a highly, productive back," Weiss added. "He's strong, compact and durable. He runs hard. He has the ability to make people miss. I believe that can translate to the next level. We just got to get him somewhere."