LB AVERY WILLIAMSON
(on staying close to home )
It's crazy. The fact that I'm two hours away from the house and I can come home whenever and my family will be close, so I will have a good support system so it will be crazy.
(on if he had any idea that Titans were going to draft him)
I thought they might, but I didn't know. I thought someone else might slip in and take me. When I saw the number pop up I was like, 'Aw man,' I couldn't believe it.
(on if he was a Titans fan growing up)
Oh yeah, I was always a Titans fan when I was growing up. I was a Titans fan and I love Steve McNair, Eddie George, and Jevon Kearse so I was always watching the Titans when I was growing up. It's amazing to think that I am going to be playing for them. It's surreal.
(on if he went to any Titans games growing up )
I went to one Titans game in high school and that was the only one ever but I always watched then on TV and stuff. It was the Titans and they played the Browns and it was going into my junior year.
(on if he knows Wesley Woodyard)
Oh yeah, Wesley. That was the first thing that I thought about is that I'm going to be with Wesley and be able to play beside him and I will have somebody great to look up to and to guide me in first year. It's going to be great.
(on if he tries to play like Wesley Woodyard)
Yeah I watched him play at Denver and stuff and he is family here at Kentucky but the fact that I'm going to be a teammate with him is crazy. I'm in shock right now.
(on what he brings to the defense)
I'm going to bring speed and toughness, a guy that can make great tackles and get off linemen well. I feel like I will be a great learner and I'm going to be a great leader on and off the field.
(on where he visited before the draft)
I went to Miami and I went to the Patriots. I didn't know who was going to get me.
(on how his visit to the Titans went)
It went great. Honestly, I really liked it. I really like that it's close to home. Lou Spanos the linebackers coach, I felt really good with him. I feel like he is a great linebackers coach. I feel like he is a great teacher and I feel like I can really gel with him really well.
(on his playing weight )
In my senior year I was about 240. I feel like I play well at 240 to 245. I feel like that is my good playing weight. As long as I'm making plays and I feel comfortable that's what I want to play at.
(on how important the NFL combine was to him)
It was really important because before that they really had me listed as free agent or late seventh round or free agent. It was huge for me to show out at the combine and do good. It was my chance and I really had to shine and take advantage of it.
(on if he has been watching the draft from the beginning)
I have watched it from the beginning to now. I have stayed tuned and on the phone looking at who has the next pick. I have really paid attention to it and it's the most I have ever watched the draft.
(on if any of his friends tried to play tricks on him pretending to be teams)
No, no. People have been calling me. My girlfriend called me and she was the last person that called me and I was like, 'please, don't call any more.' I didn't want it to ring and think that it was a team calling and then look down and it's a freaky feeling. I told everyone to text, no calls.
(on how his girlfriend took it when he told her not to call)
She didn't take it too hard, she understood. I told her that she was going to be the first person that I called. When it happened I told her that you will be the first person that I call.
(on being from Milan, Tennessee and if it's a big deal that he got drafted)
It's huge. I'm the first player to get drafted from Milan. It's huge for everybody. My phone is blowing up. It's so crazy and it's a crazy feeling because I never would've thought it would be me to be the one to go pro. It's a crazy feeling and I can finally eat something now.
(on when he started playing football)
I was in the sixth grade.
(on if he feels that he needed to prove his speed at the combine)
I told the scouts that I had the speed and that I was strong enough and move well enough that I could play in the NFL. I feel like that was the big deciding factor.
(on if he plans to watch the rest of the draft)
I'm done. I watched it enough.
(on what he will do the rest of the day)
I'm going to enjoy the family and just relax. I'm trying to keep my phone charged because my phone is starting to be really low now with all of these people calling. I'm going to enjoy my family.
(on how many Titans fans there are in Milan, Tennessee)
Man, a bunch. There's going to be a lot of people going to the games and a lot of Kentucky fans too going to the games.
