Marcus Lattimore and his repaired knees are finally on the clock at the NFL draft.

The ex-South Carolina tailback will be in Atlanta with his representatives the next few days waiting to find out when or if he will be selected in the draft that starts Thursday night.

Lattimore was projected to be the first running back off the board and a certain first-rounder before the 2012 season began. But then he suffered a second serious knee injury in as many years, against Tennessee last October.

He's confident, however, that he'll be ready to play when the season starts for whichever team takes a chance on him.

"I feel like, personally, I need three more months before I put some pads on," Lattimore told USA Today Sports on Tuesday. "I know my body. I know when I'll be ready to play. It takes time I know, but at the beginning of the season, I feel like I should be ready to go."

Saturday will mark six months since Lattimore dislocated his right knee cap and tore three ligaments. He had surgery in November and then gave up his senior season the next month and set off for Florida to rehab his latest knee injury. He also has worked nearly every day since to convince the NFL he's the same first-round talent he was before getting hurt.

"I have no clue where I will wind up," Lattimore told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. "Shoot, I've heard from first to undrafted. It's still a mystery to me."

Lattimore has done what he can to help his cause, finishing up a pre-draft media blitz to let NFL evaluators know he's OK and expects to play this season. Dr. James Andrews, who operated on Lattimore, told NFL teams at the Indianapolis combine that the player was ahead of schedule on his recovery and one of the hardest workers he'd seen.

"He keeps saying I'm going to shock the world," Lattimore said.

Lattimore demonstrated the knee at South Carolina's pro timing day on March 27. He ran several drills in the school's weight room and training area and drew loud applause from the NFL personnel attending. He believes he has made great strides but doesn't have a lot of insight on what that means for his draft chances. Lattimore and his agent, Michael Perrett, keep hearing third round.

"I don't worry about that anymore," he said.