2014 NFL Draft: Quotes from Kyle Van Noy's introductory press conference

Below is a recap of what outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy had to say during his introductory press conference with the Detroit Lions on Saturday. (Quotes provided by the Lions.)

LIONS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS AND GENERAL MANAGER MARTIN MAYHEW

Opening statement: "One of the best things about Kyle is his versatility. I mean, whether it's run game, pass game, base defense, sub defense, whatever it is this guy can make plays. He can rush the passer, he can make plays dropping back in coverage, so we're excited to have him. One thing that I know that Sheldon White talked about at the town hall meeting was needing closers. Kyle is that kind of player. He is a closer. He's a difference-maker I think on our defense and we are excited to have him."

LIONS HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL

Opening statement: "Real pleasure to be back with you again really to introduce a young man that's of great quality. I had an opportunity to spend some time with him when he came in on his visit. We sat down and talked. Oftentimes, I know you understand in this business, it's a relationship business. Sometimes relationships develop pretty quickly and if you get a chance, you kind of hit it off with a guy or you get a pretty clear understanding of one another. It didn't take Kyle and I very long to get to know one another pretty well. We had some pretty special moments, and a lot of it is, obviously, because of the fact of the kind of person he is. He's open, he's honest, he's passionate. He thinks about what he says, he means what he says. When you watch him as a player, you get that sense too, that all of those things that are about him in terms of his passion, it shows through and is demonstrated every single time the ball is snapped. He's a guy that turns it on from start to finish. He's committed to play and play well. He has the ability to really turn the ball over. He's an exciting player and I think he's going to be a great leader for our team as well as he matures and develops."

LIONS LB KYLE VAN NOY

Opening statement: "I just want to thank Coach Caldwell and Mr. Mayhew and the Ford family for believing in me and wanting me as a part of their organization. It's an honor to be a Detroit Lion."

On if he had a feeling he would be drafted by Detroit: "Yeah, I did. Me and Coach Caldwell just had a personal talk with each other that was really just - I haven't had that with somebody else in my entire life. I was just grateful to have it with him and we hit it off, like he was saying earlier. I'm really grateful that he believed in me and wants me to be a part of his team."

On what was special about his talk with Caldwell: "He picked me apart. He kind of told me what I needed to work on. He's really honest and upfront. That's the kind of person I am as well. I'm honest and upfront. From that point on, I bought in to what he was saying. I bought in to his system, what his coaching style was and I just bought in to the team and the values. I was just grateful to get that phone call and have him on the phone and tell me that I'm his guy as far as for this pick, and to come in and work hard and try to help out the team as best as possible to win."

On if he feels comfortable with landing in Detroit after knowing Lions DE Ezekiel Ansah: "Yes, I do actually. I mean, having somebody who you have played with for three years and, you know, you're away from them for one year, and then be able to go through the experience with being on them for multiple years at a time now. He has been such a great friend, a brother going through this whole process. He's reached out and has been awesome. I couldn't ask for a better role model since I'm not role modeling him anymore. The roles get a change, so I'm excited to be a part of the Detroit Lions."

On if he watched any Lions game last season: "Yes, I did. I watched a lot. I know that the Lions started off 6-3 and then lost the last seven or six games. They were all close games. I hope I can come in and work hard and be able to contribute to turning that into more wins."

On knowing some of the other rookies in his class: "I know a lot of the rookies. I know Nevin (Lawson), I know Travis (Swanson). I haven't met Eric (Ebron) yet, but I'm excited to meet him and be a part of this new class that we have here for the Lions. I'm ready to get to work and get on the field."

On what he learned about himself as a player from staying another year at BYU: "That's a good question. I learned a lot actually. I learned the frustrations of when things don't go your way to keep battling and keep finishing. I learned to be coachable, to be teachable. There were things where I thought I knew, but I didn't, and to always be open-minded with things and always try to learn anything you can. You don't know as much as you think you know, so just always keep an open mind."

On what the word ‘closer' on defense means to him: "A closer means to me like pitching. (Mariano) Rivera for the Yankees, who retired, he came in and everybody knew when he came in that he had the chance to win the game. Everybody believed in him to win the game. I'm not going to say that I'm that guy, but that's what I believe a closer is. Hopefully, we get enough guys on the Detroit Lions, offensively and defensively, to get that mindset and we'll win games."

On his strategy for generating turnovers: "I just love the game. I try to focus on any chance I get. I've said it in times before, I feel like I'm an offensive player on defense. It's all about the ball. That's what I'm trying to do, is get it into the offensive players hands to do the rest. Getting turnovers and takeaways help out the offense and the team. That's what I'm here for."

On if he is a tactical player or an instinctual player: "I think for me, I'm a little bit of both. You have to be. You have the coaches that give you certain things to look at, what to look for, but you're the one out there. You're the one experiencing that moment. You're going to have to adjust with situations that you personally see. So, it's a little bit of both. You've got to have both to be a football player, especially in this league, and to last there."

On what Caldwell picked apart about his game: "I would say, just him and Coach (Teryl) Austin, just finishing - Just little things, little things that you should pay attention to, minor-detail things. There are things that I can work on personally that I'll become a better player if I just focus on those little nuances."

On what his conversation with Caldwell entailed: "It was about life, too. We're both simple people. I don't need much. I'm a homebody. I like to sit at home and watch movies and hang out with my fiancée. I'm not really in the limelight. That's not my thing, so just having a heart-to-heart over just being simple people and coming from where he's from and where I'm from. It was awesome."

On his football background growing up: "I started playing football when I was five against eight-year olds, so I've had a football in my hand since day one. My dad worked parks and rec, and he snuck me on his league. He said, ‘Just don't tell anyone you're five years old playing against eight-year olds and we're fine.' Finally, when I was nine he was like, ‘Alright, you're ready to put pads on.' Since then, the rest has been history. I'm here now and I'm just really honored and blessed to be here."

On how big he was when he started playing football: "Man, I was actually small. I didn't hit my growth spurt until about sophomore year of high school when I went in from freshman to varsity, and then over my freshman to sophomore season. That's when I really grew, so I was an average height."

On if people could tell he five years old: "No, I was small, but they always asked questions. I would always just say, ‘I'm eight.' I couldn't say anything else."

On if he was a pass-rusher in high school: "Yeah, I actually played defensive end and receiver. That's something that I like to - My claim to fame is that I had 18 touchdowns as a senior playing receiver. So, I love the end zone. I found it in college and hope to find it at the next level."

On when his aggressive side comes out: "Between the lines. I just know how to be respectful off the field. I'm just a regular person. I understand that when you're in between the lines, you get to be whoever you want for that day. When you're off the field, then you're just a normal person. You have blood just like everybody else does. I'm just a normal guy."

On what NFL player he watched growing up: "I would say an old one would be Derrick Brooks. I grew up watching him. He was the person I watched growing up with the Tampa Buccaneers. That whole team, they just played the right way, and he's a good person on and off the field. I respect him a lot."

On what he liked about watching Brooks: "Just the way he went about his business. He played hard, he played the right way, he was very smart, just every characteristic you want in a linebacker. He did it all. He was able to play coverage, he was able to rush the passer, he was able to play heavy in the run, so he's just an all-around great player, and that's why he's in the Hall of Fame. I'm not going to compare myself to him. I just answered the question. I just enjoyed watching him."