New Detroit Lions defensive end Ronnell Lewis held a conference call with the media after he was picked 125th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. The transcript of the call, via the Lions, is below.
On if he will play DE: "I don't know. I feel like they will put me where they want me to play. I'll contribute and help the team out the best I can."
On if he has a preference: "No sir, not really. They didn't talk about it. They just said you know we want you to come in and they'll put me wherever and the time will come."
On if he's more comfortable as a DE or LB: "I feel comfortable both ways, either way, wherever the coaches put me is where I'll play and be comfortable and be happy as long as I'm getting that opportunity."
On what he likes most about rushing the passer: "Using my speed and agility and just inflicting pain."
On WR Ryan Broyles wide receiver: "He's a great guy, competitive, athletic guy, it was an honor to play with him at OU and we're on the same team now. It's crazy I never would have thought that but it's going to be great to have a teammate like him and be out there with somebody I know and he's a really great guy."
On pro-day with Matt Burke: "We really just sat down and talked about my ability of playing and where he thought I would play. We didn't get too in-depth about it. He got to know me a little better and on a personal level."
On playing middle-linebacker: "I never really played middle-linebacker. I played a little bit in spring ball my freshman year. I've mainly been outside and before this past year I played defensive end."
On academic program at Oklahoma and if he's smart enough to read plays: "I feel like with my academics that's in my past. I've got to look forward and continue and this is gonna be my job now so I feel like I will pick up well on learning our offensive and our defensive keys and this is my job and a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm going to make the most of it and value it. That stuff is in my past and I've got to look to my future right now."
On thoughts coming in as fourth-round pick and if he thought he should have gone earlier: "Wherever I was meant to be, was meant to be. I'm going to just come in and play the game that I love and play hard. That's what I love about the game. Doesn't matter where I went, just to have that opportunity to play for a team and to play really well and make the most of it."
On Lions defense and impressions: "I know they got a big front but I haven't gotten the opportunity to sit down and watch them but I believe that I'll be with a great group of guys and we will match a lot of our abilities out there."
On player he feels he models after: "Ray Lewis. I look up to him as a role model because of what he does on the field. He's a beast. I wanna be that way one day. He's a leader and a motivator on his team."
On Ray Lewis' overcoming of character issues and relating to it: "Yes sir. At this time I feel that it is time for me to grow up and be more responsible. Like I said, that is in my past and turn over a new leaf now. I'm really happy and I want to make that change. I know I have to do it. I'm real excited."
On having most bench presses in the combine: "Yes I love the game. I put everything in to it, working out and taking it to the field, yes sir."
On power-lifting in high school: "Staying fit, keeping my body well-taken care of. Getting bigger, faster, and stronger and one day like now I have that opportunity to play in the National Football League."
On involvement in rodeo in high school: "I grew up in the country, I love riding horses and stuff like that. Then a little bit of rodeo locally, nothing really big. It's just something I grew up into and my family was involved in it and it's something I just took after. Something I like doing, kind of one of my hobbies. In high school I did bull-riding, now I just train horses."
On nickname ‘the hammer:' "It was my freshman year; I got my first game against Stanford in the Sun Bowl. I had a few big hits on kick-off and you know coach named me the hammer after that. I had a pretty good game as a freshman, coming in being my first game to start and I felt I had done pretty good and I was just the hammer from there. Fans love it, teammates give me a hard time about it, but it's awesome to have that name from a coach like coach. I just want to continue to have that and take it to the next level with me and continue to hit hard."
On what it's like to ride a bull: "It's an adrenaline rush like taking a sky dive or swimming with sharks it's pretty intense, it's real dangerous, but I consider myself a guy who lives on edge and likes that adrenaline."
On best time on the bull: "I guess 8 seconds."
On doing anything else dangerous: "Bull riding is as far as I go. I'm scared of heights and I can't jump out of no plane but that's as far as I go for living on the edge."
On what it's like to get thrown off: "It hurts. It depends on how you land. Luckily the bull ain't got to me."
On running with bulls: "I thought about it but I kind of like the way my body is right now and getting a little older and more mature I put that stuff behind me now."
Reminder: You can follow Pride of Detroit on Twitter and like us on Facebook.