Detroit Lions draft pick Nick Fairley looked speechless when he was on the phone with his new team on Thursday night. That is probably partly because he didn't expect to fall to the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, but it's also probably partly because he didn't expect to join a team where he will line up next to rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh. Fairley is very excited to play next to Suh and learn from him, which is one of the things he discussed in a conference call with the media after being picked.
Via the Detroit Lions, you can check out a transcript of his conference call below.
On how he felt when the Detroit Lions drafted him
"Aww man, it was a great feeling. My dream finally came true; to finally play in the NFL, it's been a dream since I was eight-years old. Whoever picked me matters, but I always tell folks that whatever team I go to was going to be my No. 1 pick."
On how much he knows about the Lions' defensive line and the personnel on it
"I know a little bit about it. They have Ndamukong Suh and they've got a guy that's a defensive end that's a hard worker; I'm just looking to come in and work my butt off and contribute to the team."
On being projected in the top-5 and then slipping to 13
"I really didn't know where I was going to go coming into the draft; for Detroit to pick me, I'm very excited and I can't wait to get to the town and get this thing started."
On whether it concerns him that he'll be part of a three- or four-man rotation at defensive tackle
"Aww man, playing with Suh is going to be an honor. That guy was the defensive rookie of the year, so to be able to play next to him... I can't wait to get in and pick his brain for the things he did his rookie year."
On having a breakthrough season last year at Auburn
"We had a great season. We went out there and just did everything we had to do to come out with a win as a team. So basically I just tried to contribute to the team as much as I could."
On whether he'll carry a chip on his shoulder after slipping in the draft
"Not at all. It's just the way (draft) landed. It's been a great experience, it's a great moment and I'm blessed to be a part of the Detroit Lions now. I'm ready to go and ready to come in and get the work done."
On whether he feels pressure to live up to what DT Ndamukong Suh did as a rookie in 2010
"I'm just going to come in and work my butt off and try to earn everything I can and see what happens from there."
On what his meeting was like with Head Coach Jim Schwartz during his pre-draft visit
"My take from it was (that they're a) great group of guys, great group of coaches. I know they've got a game plan for the Detroit Lions and I'm happy to be part of it."
SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.