PISCATAWAY — In its latest mock NFL Draft, NFL.com predicts eight quarterbacks will get picked in the seven-round draft.

Gary Nova isn't one of them.

But while Rutgers' all-time leader in passing touchdowns has a grade (4.9) that ranks 15th among quarterback prospects according to league website, a longtime NFL starter at the QB position offered a ringing endorsement for Nova.

"Gary's been doing great,'' said Jay Fiedler, an eight-year former NFL quarterback who spent five years as the starter for the Miami Dolphins in the early 2000s. "He's refined his mechanics a little bit, worked on all of his drops. He's a guy who is very adaptable to the pro game. He's worked under center before. He's worked in shot gun. He throws very well on the move. He can do just about everything that any offense is going to ask of him at the next level. I just think he's a guy who can make every throw.

"He's a guy who is going to compete once he gets into camp. Any team that gives him a shot is going to get a really good player, somebody that's going to be able to develop and ultimately become, I think, a good player in the league.''

Fiedler, who has helped train Nova for a few days a week since January, has dedicated his time to working out high school and college players since retiring from the NFL in 2005.

With Nova, he got back to the basics by making slight adjustments to the 6-foot-1, 222-pounder's footwork and, he said, "his transition from his lower body into his throw and his balance.''

"He can make every throw in the league,'' Fiedler said of Nova, who ranks first in Rutgers history with 73 touchdowns, second with 9,258 passing yards and second with 689 completions. "He's an accurate thrower. He's got a real quick release. He throws a firm ball, hits all the different types of throws, the underneath throws, the intermediates, the deep throws.

"I think the other strength that he has is his adaptability, his ability to do a lot of different things from under center, move the pocket around, to drop back, to shotgun, to run play-actions, to adjust his tempos on his drop, to adapt to the reads that he's seeing downfield. All of those things are what I feel make for a successful quarterback at the next level.''

How did former Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova measure up in front of scouts from 32 NFL teams?

Fiedler understands Nova isn't likely to hear his name called at any point of the NFL Draft, which runs from Thursday through Saturday.

"I told him already not to worry about the draft,'' said Fiedler, who bounced around the NFL before finding a home in Miami, where he started 59 games from 2000-04. "In some respects it's better to not be a late-round pick and be a preferred free agent, and someone that a few teams are trying to sign up. That way he has a choice of a few different programs that he feels are the best fit for him.''

Fiedler said he'd be "very surprised'' if Nova doesn't receive a phone call from an NFL representative at some point late in the evening Saturday after the draft.

"I know there are a number of teams that have already shown interest, or spoken to his agent about being a preferred free agent for them,'' Fiedler said. "I'd be very shocked if he was not invited to a camp immediately after the draft. I told him he just needs to be in the best shape that he can be in when he gets into camp. And do everything that he can to have himself stand out. He's going to get limited reps, and he just has to make the most of every opportunity he has to show the coaches what he can do.''

NFL DRAFT:

Full coverage of the 2015 draft class

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.