NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Chance Warmack made the trip he most wanted to Thursday, going from Atlanta to Baptist Sports Park two weeks after the Titans drafted the guardwith the 10th overall pick.
Warmack, who communicated his desire to play for Tennessee for multiple reasons before the NFL Draft, made the trip in about three-and-half hours. It was convenient enough that his parents traveled with him Thursday only to go back to Georgia when Warmack reported for the Titans' 2013 rookie mini-camp.
"They're proud of me and were excited when they left," Warmack said. "I'm just happy that they support me in whatever I do."
Warmack joined other draft picks, as well as **15 undrafted free agents**, who reported Thursday afternoon to meet briefly with position coaches, the team's equipment staff, receive lockers, undergo physicals, have dinner together and meet with Coach Mike Munchak. They also donned Titans blue for the first time when they posed for their headshot photos.
The flash bulbs were popping, but Warmack is happy to be less flashy than most first-round picks. Despite drawing praise from analysts — NFL Network's Mike Mayock said before the draft that the offensive lineman that started his final 40 games in a row at Alabama may have been the best player in the field — Warmack remains grounded while reaching upward.
"I'm not really focused on the flash and the attention of being a first-rounder," Warmack. "I'm just getting to know my teammates and being just like everybody else and a being a unit and getting ready to be the person I can be.
"I guess it's just my personality," Warmack said. "Regardless of what accomplishments you make, you always have to stay grounded and know that there's always something at the top that you can reach for and not be satisfied with anything. I feel like I'm in a good situation where I can be, you know, the best offensive lineman I can be, and that's what I'm aiming to do."
Warmack said he's been working on fundamentals and preparing to switch from left guard to right guard, where he's expected to start for Tennessee. He said he wants the mini-camp and team's organized team activity practices to "get me in the best shape of my life" and he was excited to reconnect with center Brian Schwenke, who was drafted in the fourth round at 107th overall, and meet the rest of the rookies.
"I'm excited to be able to run drills with (Schwenke)," Warmack said. "We actually did a lot of training together in Los Angeles for the combine. It's good to know somebody on the same team."
The rookies will have multiple meetings Friday, as well as a practice without helmets in the morning and a practice with helmets Friday evening, and are scheduled to have another practice and meetings Saturday. They will join the veterans for the first time Monday.
NEW SCENERY: Cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson, a third-round pick of the Titans, was excited to make his first trip to Tennessee.
"It was nice. I got down here and it was a little warmer than I was used to up in Pennsylvania and Connecticut, but it's going to be a good transition coming in here and getting after this week," Wreh-Wilson said.
Wreh-Wilson was born in Massachusetts, attended high school in Pennsylvania and played collegiately at Connecticut.
"(Seeing a different part of the country is) something that I wanted to do," Wreh-Wilson said. "I've never been part of the South ever, so it's going to be a nice experience for me. Where I'm from (in Pennsylvania) is always Steelers, Browns and Bills, so you hear about that. Being part of the Titans, we've got a little bit of support in Pennsylvania now."
Wreh-Wilson started 40 of 45 games at Connecticut after playing just one year of high school football.
"I would say this isn't really what I was expecting to do with (going out for football in high school), but I've tried to make the most of my opportunity, and it's the same kind of opportunity coming here," Wreh-Wilson said. "I know they're presenting a lot of competition for a corner spot, so I'm going to try to make the most of my opportunity like I did before."
Wreh-Wilson said he's heard from several people near Edinboro, Pa., about the Titans opening the 2013 season at Pittsburgh.
"I've had a lot of people contact me and say they don't know what jersey they're going to wear," Wreh-Wilson said, "but I know what color I'm going to be wearing."
INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADORS: Three of the undrafted players who agreed to terms with the Titans on Thursday were born outside the United States. Kicker Maikon Bonani was born in Brazil, but moved to Florida more than a decade ago, and defensive tackle Stefan Charles and offensive tackle Matt Sewell were born in Ontario, Canada.
Bonani played collegiately at South Florida, Charles played for Regina in Saskatchewan and Sewell played for McMaster in Ontario.
Bonani said his social media accounts increased tremendously when word spread that he intended to sign with the Titans. He said he wants to increase the support for football in his native country.
"It's an honor, first and foremost to be at such an important organization like the Titans, but it's also an honor to represent a whole nation," Bonani said. "In a way, I have a lot riding on my back because the support's been great from my fans in Brazil and some media outlets, but most importantly, the population and the people that are playing the sport because football is a sport that's growing in Brazil. The support and the love have been great. I'm really excited to get to work and hopefully represent well."
