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Below is a recap of what linebacker Brandon Hepburn had to say about being picked in the seventh round by the Detroit Lions on Saturday. (Quotes provided by the Lions.)
On making the most of his time at Florida A&M: "Well, yeah, I actually came in as a tight end. I came in actually as a walk-on. I first played tight end and I redshirted the 2008 season. I came in and earned myself a scholarship that next semester, so that was a blessing. I did my best at the tight end position. I was a blocking tight end and the second tight end in our option. Then I moved to outside linebacker and started a few games in 2010. Moving into the 2011 season, I played primarily outside and also the inside linebacker during dime packages. Toward the end of the season I played mostly the inside backer in our 3-4 scheme. Moving into the 2012 season, I just cut loose, kind of put it all together and just tried to put my best foot forward. So, I believe my body kind of stands tall along with the things that God has been able to do with my life. I'm ecstatic to be a Detroit Lion and I'm ready to go to work."
On how the Lions are looking at him: "There are still some things I'm still figuring out. I'm still caught up in the rapture as far as it's concerned with the entire Draft process. You know, it's been a long day, but I'm happy that I found a home with a team for now and I'm going to work my hardest just to really make the best out of this investment that the organization put on me. The organization has a lot of plans for me and I plan to make the most out of each opportunity I have. So, I'm just going to go in, work hard, and just continue to put my best foot forward and try to make the best of everything."
On how he cured cancer: "I haven't, I haven't. But yeah, I actually did a lot of great work with Dr. Robby A. Petros down at the University of North Texas in conjunction with Florida A&M University through the chemistry department. You know, everybody at the school has to go out and do a summer internship and mine just happened to be at UNT under Dr. Petros. We were able to do some great work there. I was a part of a great project working for a cure for cancer."
On his passion for football: "Football is my number one love. I've always wanted to be in this position I am now. You know, to be able to live out my dream of playing in the NFL because at the end of the day, you can't always. You know, hopefully after a long career maybe I retire when I'm 40, maybe 50 or something and be able to go into that aspect of the talent that God has given me and be able to explore that a little more in depth. I hope nobody cures it before me (cancer), but even better if they do."
On what he wants to do after football: "I have a lot of things I'd like to do, but number one focus right now is, of course, football. It's to be an asset to the team. It's to be the best linebacker I can be, to take the great coaching that we have, to learn under Coach (Jim) Schwartz Coach (Matt) Burke and really just grow. I want to reach my full potential and I want to be the best linebacker I can be."
On the article about him wanting to own a pharmaceutical company: "This is true. After football I would love to own a pharmaceutical company. I have made some great friends at Florida A&M along with some other great, reputable institutions and I would love to start a research lab at first and then grow to become a large pharmaceutical company, yeah."
On adjusting from living in New York to Florida A&M: "Well, really, it's where God led me. I really prayed about it a lot with my family and just having faith Christ I ended up coming to FAMU. They actually offered me an academic scholarship, so I chose to go. I had a lot of talks with the coaches that were there before I came under Coach Reuben Carter. I had a scholarship offer that was on the table, so I decided to come down. But sadly, they were fired and they had to find new work. So, under our new coach, Coach Joe Taylor, who coached from 2008-2012, I was a preferred walk-on and I guess the rest is history."
On his SAT and ACT scores in high school: "Let me think. I know I got a 1400. How it's split up, I think I had a 590 on English and I think a 720 in Math. It was a 670 in one and 720 in the other. Altogether it was a 1400, so it was pretty good."
On what his grade point average was in college: "3.3. I graduated last spring, April 28, and it was a 3.3 at the time."
On what his degree was: "Biochemistry."
On what he scored on the Wonderlic: "I forgot what they said. 27, there it is."
On what contact he had with the Lions before: "Yeah, the Lions definitely were a very interested team throughout the entire process, starting all the way from the season. They came down and the scouts came and saw a lot of film. Definitely evaluated me well and they maintained contact throughout the entire process. They were the only team that actually brought me in during the Combine. I met Coach Schwartz, I met the linebackers coach, I met a lot of people a part of the front office and it was an awesome privilege to be around such prominent men and great guys that were a part of the game. So, they really showed a lot of interest and I was just wondering if they were going to make the decision to draft me. Now they have and I'm very grateful. I'm extremely thankful."
More from POD:
• Track the Lions' picks in our draft StoryStream
• Grade the Lions' 2013 draft class