SE's HINTON SIGNS AS FREE AGENT WITH CHIEFS

Brian Hinton knows he isn't the biggest football player around.

But the speedy Hinton nonetheless believes he has a solid chance of earning a spot in the National Football League.

Hinton, a cornerback who completed his eligibility at Southeast Missouri State University last season, will at least get the opportunity as he has agreed to terms on a free-agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hinton will report to Kansas City for a minicamp in early May.

"I'm ready to get out there and be able to prove myself," he said. "I'm real optimistic. If I don't believe in myself, who will?"

The 5-foot-9 Hinton weighed about 170 pounds during his senior season at Southeast. But that didn't prevent him from leading the Ohio Valley Conference in interceptions -- and ranking 24th nationally -- with five picks as he was named first-team all-OVC.

"There are a lot of guys my size in the NFL and that's always an inspiration," Hinton said. "Teams are always looking for speed and I know that's the main thing I have going for me."

Hinton, who said he has put on nearly 10 pounds of good weight since the end of the 1999 season, has eye-opening speed. He was timed at 4.4 seconds over 40 yards by several NFL teams that came to the Southeast campus to work him out.

Despite not being selected in last weekend's NFL draft, Hinton received calls Sunday from several squads interested in signing him as a free agent. He ultimately decided on the Chiefs. Now, he figures the rest is up to him.

"As long as I can remember, it's been a goal of mine to play in the NFL," he said. "I'm working out every day and I'm going to be in as good a shape as possible when I go (to Kansas City)."