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Detroit
Lions
pick LB
Jarrad
Davis
with
their
first-round
selection
at NFL
Draft
 ALLEN
PARK -
The
Detroit
Lions
selected
LB
Jarrad
Davis
with
their
first-round
pick
(21st
overall)
of the
2017 NFL
Draft.
2017
DETROIT
LIONS
NFL
DRAFT
QUOTE
SHEETS
Lions
Executive
Vice
President
and
General
Manager
Bob
Quinn
was
available
to the
media
following
the
team’s
first-round
selection
of LB
Jarrad
Davis.
In
addition,
Davis
was
available
to media
via
conference
call.
The
following
is a
quote
sheet
with
excerpts
from
their
media
sessions.
LIONS
EXECUTIVE
VICE
PRESIDENT
AND
GENERAL
MANAGER
BOB
QUINN
QUOTE
SHEET
Opening
Statement:
“Jarrad
Davis,
felt
really
fortunate
to pick
Jarrad
as our
21st
overall
selection.
He’s a
guy we
spent a
lot of
time
evaluating
going
back to
our
spring
scouting
last May
and June
and all
the way
through
the
process.
From
fall
scouting,
to the
postseason,
to an
individual
workout
we had
with him
back in
March,
so it
was a
really
good,
thorough
process.
I
thought
everyone
contributed
from the
area
scouts,
to the
regional
scouts,
to the
Director
of
College
Scouting
(Lance
Newmark).
It was
the
whole
gamut
with
this guy
and I
felt
like we
did a
really
thorough
job and
got a
player
that’s
really
going to
help
us.”
On the
possibility
of
trading
the 21st
pick
during
the
first
round:
“Yeah,
there
was a
few
calls.
Nothing
really
got too,
too
serious
on that.
I
wouldn’t
say it
was more
than any
other
time
when
we’ve
been on
the
clock. A
couple
teams
wanted
to come
up. I’m
not sure
what
they
were
looking
for, but
we did
field a
few
calls.”
On how
much the
players
selected
before
the 21st
pick
influenced
the
Lions’
draft
selection:
“That’s
definitely
part of
kind of
what we
looked
at in
terms of
having
our eyes
on a
certain
guy and
how many
players
at the
other
side of
the ball
are
going to
go. So
when we
started
seeing
those
receivers
go off
the
board it
was a
good
thing to
see. But
you
never
know how
it’s
going to
go.
There
was a
run on
defensive
players
before
we took
Jarrad,
so like
I said,
we’re
very
fortunate
to get
him.”
On where
he sees
Davis
playing
on
defense:
“He’s a
guy that
we feel
can play
MIKE and
WILL
(linebacker),
so we’re
going to
put him
in the
mix with
all the
guys we
have on
the
roster
and just
kind of
figure
out
what’s
the best
way to
use him,
but he
definitely
has
position
flexibility.”
On why
the
Lions
selected
Davis
instead
of
former
Alabama
LB
Reuben
Foster:
“The
whole
evaluation
between
all the
linebackers,
we just
came up
with
Jarrad
Davis as
the top
guy at
that
time.”
On the
importance
of a
player’s
character
when
making a
draft
selection:
“It’s a
big part
of it.
We
talked
about
this in
my
pre-draft
press
conference.
When you
take
someone
with a
few
character
flaws—and
none of
these
kids are
perfect.
That’s
the
thing.
None of
them are
perfect,
so I
felt
like you
kind of
minimize
risk
when you
take
guys
without
some
issues.
I feel
real
comfortable
with the
guy we
took.”
On how
he
defines
a player
with
high
character:
“It
means
when you
go to
the
school
and
you’re a
scout
and you
talk to
the
trainer,
you talk
to the
equipment
manager,
you talk
to the
position
coach,
the head
coach,
anybody
you can
talk to
as a
scout
and they
gave the
guy
glowing
remarks
in terms
of
intelligence,
work
ethic,
toughness,
leadership,
all of
those
things.
It was
one
after
another.
It
wasn’t
just one
source
or one
coach.
It was
everybody
in the
entire
building.
To
solidify
it, we
went
down
there,
myself
and a
few
others.
We had a
long
talk
with him
and
spent a
number
of hours
with him
and felt
real
comfortable.”
On if
the
linebacker
position
need fit
the best
player
on his
draft
board at
the time
of the
21st
selection:
“It did
actually,
yes.
That’s
pretty
accurate.
There
was a
number
of
players
that
were
kind of
definitely
up there
that we
were
kind of
looking
at about
five
picks
before
and it
was
going to
be a
tough
decision.
But the
board
fell the
way it
did, and
like I
said,
it’s a
player
we
targeted
and it’s
a player
that we
wanted
and we
were
fortunate
to get
him.”
On how
drafting
Davis
impacts
TE Eric
Ebron’s
contract
situation:
“It
doesn’t
really
have any
effect
on it.”
On the
injury
concerns
with
Davis:
“Listen,
these
guys
play
college
football
for a
number
of
years,
so none
of them
are
perfect
medically.
We did
extensive
work
like we
do on
all
players
on the
physical
part of
it, the
medical
side of
it. He
passed
our
physical
at the
Combine
and
don’t
have any
issues
going
forward.”
On what
he likes
about
Davis
and
where he
can
improve
as a
player:
“I’d say
he’s a
passionate
football
player.
He’s got
very
good
playing
speed,
very
good
tackler,
good
blitzer,
good
coverage
player.
This
guy’s a
really
well-rounded
linebacker.
As a
freshman
he was a
special
teams
player
of the
year for
Florida
when he
was a
backup
linebacker,
so he’s
got
four-down
value. I
think
he’s a
really
well-rounded
guy that
has
position
versatility.”
On if he
was
surprised
at the
number
of
offensive
players
drafted
before
the
Lions’
selection:
“No, we
had
those
guys
graded
probably
about
where
they
went,
but I
was a
little
bit
surprised
about
how fast
some of
those
offensive
players
went
just to
be
honest.
We were
expecting
a few
more
defensive
players
to go in
the 20
picks
before
ours.”
On if he
was
tempted
to
select
some of
the
‘marquee
players’
still
available
at the
21st
pick:
“No.”
On if he
considered
trading
up in
the
first
round at
any
point:
“We
called a
number
of
teams. I
mean,
that’s
just
what you
do
during
the
draft,
but
nothing
ever
came too
serious
about
moving
up.”
On how
much
priority
he
placed
on the
linebacker
position
after
releasing
LB
DeAndre
Levy:
“It’s a
position
that we
had
trouble
with
last
year,
keeping
guys
healthy
first
off. And
it’s a
position
where I
think
you
really
need a
guy in
the
middle
of your
defense
that can
be
looked
upon to
call the
defense,
hopefully
become a
leader
in time
and
really
be that
gel
between
the
secondary
and the
defensive
line. So
it was a
position
of need
for
sure.”
On how
the
first-round
selection
affects
the rest
of the
draft:
“Day two
will be
exactly
like day
one.
It’s
follow
the
board.
Take the
best
player
available
and mesh
it with
what
your
needs
are and
that’s
the way
we’re
going to
go about
it.”
On if
the
draft
room was
excited
to see
the
number
of
offensive
players
drafted
before
the 21st
pick:
“Yeah, I
mean, I
kept
going
back,
‘Alright,
how many
offensive
players
is
that?’
It just
kept
growing.
We
didn’t
expect
that
many,
but it
worked
out for
us and
I’m
happy
with our
pick.”
On if
Davis
was
graded
above
some of
the
linebackers
Detroit
could
have
selected
in later
rounds:
“Yeah, I
think he
stood
out
amongst
the
linebacker
crew
this
year.
Linebacker
is a
position
that you
normally
don’t
have a
large
number
of them
on your
draft
able
board
just
because
in
college
football
a lot of
linebackers
are
undersized.
They’re
playing
at 215,
220
pounds.
So to
get
NFL-size
linebackers
with the
speed
and
athleticism
and all
the
stuff
that
goes
into
evaluating
linebackers,
he stood
out.”
On if he
views
Davis as
a
three-down
linebacker:
“Yes,
sir.”
On if
red
flags
placed
on
players
are
something
NFL
teams
must
continue
to
evaluate:
“You
have to.
You have
to
evaluate
not only
the
player
on the
field,
but you
have to
evaluate
the
person
that
comes
along
with it.
It’s a
total
package
and
different
positions
and
different
players
you can
do
different
percentages
of
on-the-field
stuff,
off-the-field
stuff.
You’ve
got to
blend it
together.
You’re
drafting
the
whole
player.
You’re
drafting
the
whole
person.
You’re
not just
taking a
guy and
you guys
are
going to
see him
out
there on
Sunday.
He’s
going to
be a guy
that has
to be in
this
building,
has to
be in
this
community,
so it’s
the
whole
package.”
On the
rapid
evaluation
process
of
former
Ohio
State CB
Gareon
Conley
after
this
week’s
news:
“That’s
exactly
how it
went.
Something
like
that
comes
up,
you’ve
got to
get on
the
phone.
You’ve
got to
get
people
in your
building
making
calls,
doing
research.
Unfortunately,
it’s a
very
unfortunate
situation
that
happened
and we
just try
to do
the best
we can
in the
limited
amount
of time
to
evaluate
that
situation.”
LIONS
LB
JARRAD
DAVIS
CONFERENCE
CALL
QUOTE
SHEET
On how
surprised
he was
when he
received
the call
from
Detroit:
“I
didn’t
know
what to
say
going
into the
draft,
man. I
was
really
excited
to just
sit down
and be
able to
watch it
like I
usually
do. You
know,
just be
able to
really
take
things
in and
just
appreciate
the time
with my
family.
This is
a big
moment
for me,
just
being
able to
be
considered
a guy
who
could be
taken at
this
point. I
don’t
know,
man.
Just
blown
away by
the fact
that I
was
picked
by the
Detroit
Lions.”
On who
called
him to
inform
him that
he had
been
selected
by the
Lions:
“Bob
Quinn
called
me. He
just let
me know
that
they
were
very
interested
in me
and that
I was
going to
be a
Detroit
Lion.
And then
I went
and got
on the
line to
Coach
Caldwell
and also
got a
chance
to talk
to Mrs.
Ford as
well. So
it was a
really
good
conversation
to talk
to them.
It was
loud in
the
background,
had a
lot of
stuff
going
on. But
at the
same
time, I
really
appreciated
them,
you
know,
just
making
the
selection,
making
their
selection
on me.”
On if he
had a
good
feeling
about
the
Lions
after
the team
flew
down to
meet him
for a
private
workout:
“They
were
really
good. I
really
liked
it. I
really
appreciated
them for
coming
in and
spending
time
with me.
You
know,
there
are so
many
other
athletes
across
the
country
that
they
could
have
probably
gone to
see. For
them to
come and
sit down
and talk
to me
and
really
break
down
what
they do,
and then
how they
see
things
going
with
their
organization,
to make
me a
part of
it is
very
special
to me.
So I
really
appreciate
them and
everything
that
they
did.”
On how
long he
has been
following
the NFL
Draft
growing
up:
“Honestly,
I’ve
been
watching
the
draft
since I
was a –
It’s
been a
long
time,
man.
I’ve
been
watching
the
draft
for a
long,
long
time.
Just
being
able to
see it
every
year and
just sit
at home
and
watch it
and
being
able to
really
accept
the
moment
for what
it is
and see
guys who
have
worked
so hard
and have
it all
pay off
that one
night,
on this
one
night.
It’s
really
special.
Leading
up to
this
year,
for me
to be in
it this
year is
just a
complete
blessing,
man.”
On if he
ever
envisioned
as a kid
that he
would
one day
be
drafted:
“Honestly,
I didn’t
envision
myself
being in
the
draft
until
maybe,
you
know,
when I
committed
to
Florida,
when I
came to
Florida
as a
student-athlete.
I knew
once I
came to
a school
like
that I
really
knew
that I
wanted
to be
one of
those
elite
guys and
be able
to have
the
opportunity
to put
myself
in this
position.
I don’t
know,
man.
Being
able to
watch
it, it
almost
felt
like it
was
unreal,
you
know. In
my
younger
years,
it was
almost
like it
was a
task
that was
almost
unreachable.
But as
years
went on
and the
harder I
worked
and the
older I
got and
the
closer I
got to
this
point,
it
became
more and
more
realistic.
So just
the type
of
person I
am, the
work I
put in,
I knew
that I
helped
myself
out a
lot in
order to
get me
in this
position
I am.”
On what
he
brings
to the
Lions
defense:
“The
biggest
thing,
man, not
only as
a
linebacker,
but as a
player
and as a
teammate
I bring
that
hard-work
mentality.
I’m a
guy who
I’m
going to
sacrifice
everything
for the
benefit
of the
team.
I’m not
a guy
who’s
going to
come in
and try
to steal
the
spotlight.
I’m a
guy
who’s
going to
come in
and fit
the mold
and work
with the
program
and make
sure
that I
also
push
everybody
else.”
On how
he
envisioned
his name
being
called
on draft
night:
“I
really
envisioned
walking
across
the
stage,
but the
older I
got, the
more and
more I
knew
what to
expect
out of
the
draft.
So the
biggest
reason
why I
stayed
home was
because
to just
be able
to do it
the way
I’ve
been
doing it
for so
long.
I’m a
guy
that’s
really
big on
routine,
man. And
watching
the
draft
from the
house is
a big,
big
benefit.”
On which
positions
he
played
and
enjoyed
the most
at
Florida:
“I
played
the MIKE
and WILL
(linebacker),
so I
came in
as a
freshman
and I
had to
learn
the MIKE
and WILL
position
and just
continuing
to play.
I was
comfortable
with
both of
them and
then I
played
more
MIKE. I
played
the
strictly
MIKE all
the way
through
my
junior
and
senior
year.
Being
able to
play
that and
just
leading
the
defense
and
having
an
opportunity
to make
almost
every
play,
every
snap
being in
the
middle
of the
defense,
it was a
position
that I
really
enjoyed
and I
really
thrived.”
On his
ankle
recovery
process
and if
he knew
he would
be a
first-round
pick:
“The
process
was
tough,
man. The
process
was
really
challenging,
but it
was
something
that I
want to
say
battle
tested
me. It
was
something
that
really
showed
me what
I had
deep
down
inside.
A lot of
times
when
guys my
age and
even
myself,
you
almost
forget
what you
have in
you when
you’re
down for
so long,
you
know?
It’s
easy to
stray
certain
ways and
do
certain
things
that
you’re
not
supposed
to do,
but at
the same
time I
knew
what got
me to
the
point I
was at.
So I
stuck to
that
even
through
my
injury
and I
made
sure
that I
wasn’t
just
helping
myself
out by
getting
back
right,
but also
helping
my
teammates
and that
made the
process
go by a
lot
smoother.
And
throughout
the
offseason
I was
very
eager to
get back
to work
to
better
myself
to build
my body
and show
the
coaching
staffs
across
the
country
that,
‘Hey,
I’m a
guy that
I
haven’t
lost a
step.
I’m
still
the same
guy that
you all
see on
film.’
It was a
very
challenging
process.
It was
something
that I
really
had to
battle
myself
with and
just
make
sure
that I
took it
one day
at a
time.
And
being
able to
really
just
push
myself
to the
end and
get to
the
point
where I
am now
is just
a
testament
to the
people
who
raised
me, the
way I
pushed
myself
the last
four
years.”
On what
he
thinks
about
playing
in a
cold-weather
city: “I
knew
that was
coming
and I
was
waiting
on it.
I’m
excited.
I’ve
only
seen
snow one
time in
my life
and that
was at
my
grandma’s
house in
South
Carolina
and I’m
ready
for it.
Honestly,
I’m a
fan. I
wish it
would
snow
every
day, but
we all
know
that’s
not
true.
I’m
excited,
man. I
love
playing
football
and it’s
one
thing I
know
from
playing
at
Florida,
training
in the
heat is
unmatched.
So,
maybe in
the
offseason
I’ll be
down in
Florida
working
out and
make
sure
that I’m
getting
what I
need,
but
teams
that
play in
the hot
weather,
they
don’t
like
coming
to the
cold.”
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