BLOOMINGTON - Some high school athletes have to search for a role model. Javier Safford's was just down the hall.

Safford looked up to his 6-foot-9 brother, Justin, in every way. He watched Justin Safford pour heart and soul into basketball, first at Central Catholic and last season at a North Carolina prep school. It led to a scholarship this year at the University of Missouri.

"I've seen how hard he's worked," Javier Safford said. "He's been like one of my idols. I'm trying to build on what he's doing and continue my career in the sport I love to play."

That would be football, even though the younger Safford did not strap on a helmet until his sophomore year at Central.

He entered high school as a basketball player, watching football games from the stands as a freshman. Soon, the voice in his head offered a suggestion, and wouldn't let up.

"All year, I was saying to myself, 'I need to come out next year,' " Safford said.

He did, and instantly "fell in love with it."

Now a 6-1, 180-pound senior, Safford has established himself as the go-to receiver for the 3-0 Saints, who are ranked No. 3 in the Class 4A state poll.

His 14 receptions for 201 yards include five touchdowns, with three coming in last week's 46-0 win over Rantoul. Safford's only catches of the night were 16-, 25- and 10-yard TDs. A week earlier, he had nine receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown in a 19-7 win over University High.

Like his brother, he has worked his way onto the college radar.

"After the U High game, I had a guy who does some recruiting for the Midwest tell me he was very impressed with Javy," Saints' coach Bobby Moews said. "He said he could definitely play at the I-AA level, and a I-A team might take a chance on him.

"He has the skills to do it. He just might need to improve his 40 time a little bit."

Safford is working on it, saying he hopes to whittle his best of 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash to 4.5 or, ideally, to 4.4.

He took a major step last spring, competing on the Central track team for the first time as a sprinter.

"It helped my technique in running. … How I run totally changed," Safford said. "I should have done it earlier."

Moews saw the difference immediately in summer passing tournaments. It was apparent Safford would be the first option at receiver this fall, taking over for the graduated Bobby Selzer.

"You could just tell he was much smoother in his routes and much quicker in getting to where he had to be," Moews said. "Track did him a world of good."

Safford devoted much of the summer to football, attending camps at Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Illinois and Iowa.

He said he learned new techniques for running routes and catching the ball. It has made life difficult on opponents, but much easier for Saints junior quarterback Adam Rebholz, a first-year varsity starter.

"I know he's going to be in the right place at the right time," Rebholz said. "If I can see a zone, I can just throw it and he'll be there. I can relax knowing if the ball is anywhere near, he's going to make a big play."

Safford also has had an impact in the defensive secondary, intercepting two passes. He returns punts and kickoffs as well, and has a 34.2-yard average as Central's punter.

He rarely comes off the field for the Saints, who meet Olympia (0-3) at 7:45 tonight at Stanford.

"He's an athlete," Moews said. "He's a very valuable asset for us."

It is a role Safford relishes. He no longer plays basketball, leaving that to his much taller brother. His heart belongs to the Saints' football field, and the all-weather track surrounding it.

"I've been wanting this for a long time," he said. "It's my senior year, and I have to go all out."