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CHARLOTTE -- Either Hakeem Nicks or the North Carolina Tar Heels will win a football lottery of sorts in 2009. The smart money's on Nicks.

If the Heels' junior wide receiver has, in fact, played his last college game en route to the NFL draft, he'll exit on good terms and sign for better terms after catching eight passes, three of them for touchdowns, in UNC's 31-30 loss to West Virginia on Saturday.

Coach Butch Davis said he has reached out to the general managers, wide receivers coaches and others on "eight to 10" NFL teams in search of Nicks' stature. Soon, player and coach will discuss the findings and the future.

"I'm not naïve," Davis said. "After 34 years in coaching, I know what goes on in kids' minds. When we talk, (he's) going to get the truth. And then I'm going to support him. Whatever he decides to do, I'll back him."

Nicks was non-committal beyond saying he'll rely on Davis' NFL experience.

"He will play a big role in it," Nicks said. "He's been great all year with us. We love him, and it will be based on the feedback I get from him."

It would be hard to argue with the timing of an early entry to the pros. On Saturday, he set UNC's career records for touchdown catches (21) and total receptions (181). The bowl standard for TD grabs was his by the midpoint of the second quarter. He owned the school's total receiving yards record before taking the field at Bank of America Stadium and now stands 11th in ACC history in that category.

On Saturday, he racked up 217 yards through the air, a total surpassed only once in UNC history. That mark of 247 also looked extremely vulnerable until the Mountaineers started doubling him all over the place.

"I told our defensive coaches, 'We have nobody who can cover him. Nobody. Just try to roll up, cover two over the top, bracket him, whatever you've got to do,' " West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said.

The best day of Nicks' football career came only a few miles from Independence High School, a team so loaded that he wasn't its first offensive option. He may be back in this town soon as a Carolina Panther or an opponent.

"I just wanted to go out in front of my home crowd and pursue the game plan that we've been practicing for the last two weeks," Nicks said. "All I did was make plays when my name was called."

The day's best play wasn't a touchdown. It came on a pass over the middle that Nicks held on his hip before handing it behind his back. They'll replay it around Chapel Hill for a while and hope -- perhaps in vain -- that they get to see an adaptation in Kenan Stadium next fall.

"I don't know if there have been very many players that I've been around that I respect as much as Hakeem," Davis said. "He reminds me of one of the fiercest competitors that I've ever been around, and that's Michael Irvin. Michael just bled to try to win. And that's what Hakeem is all about."

Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rob.daniels@news-record.com