2008 DETROIT LIONS DRAFT TRANSCRIPTS - FIRST ROUND SELECTION: T GOSDER CHERILUS

LIONS PRESIDENT & CEO MATT MILLENOpening statement: "With our 17th pick we were able to do a couple of things: take the best guy we thought on the board right

LIONS PRESIDENT & CEO MATT MILLEN
Opening statement: "With our 17th pick we were able to do a couple of things: take the best guy we thought on the board right there and then also solidify that offensive line. A couple things about the kid that we love, first of all, he's got a great mean streak; he's one of those kids who plays with great emotion and it shows up on the field. The second thing, he's got some flexibility because he can play both sides of the ball. He played right tackle the last few years; he played left tackle this year. We believe we got ourselves a guy who fills a need and also is a guy who makes us stronger. We were thrilled with the pick.

"It was interesting because, as the board was going off, the first 15 saw them the way we did, so guys came off the board pretty quick. But like I said, when you get into the draft you prepare for just about every scenario that you can think of and at the end of the day you have to have a pool of players that you have to be ready for and feel comfortable with and we were. You get down to that point and you just wait and see what happens. It turned into A Night at the Improv there and you just wait to see how you can better yourself and maybe help yourself someplace else and still get a player that you like which is what we were able to do."

On whether he was disappointed when Florida DE Derrick Harvey and Tennessee LB Jerod Mayo were gone so quickly: "I got disappointed when (Virginia) DE Chris Long went off the board and that was at two. There's no way of knowing so you just sit there and you watch. You're sitting there and you're saying, 'we think this pool of players will be here.' As they go off the board, then they're not there anymore. Again, we ran every scenario and this was a scenario that we thought could happen. The player we got is a real good football player."

On whether they tried to trade up at all: "There were a lot of calls going back and forth but there wasn't anything real serious."

On whether there were any inquiries for WR Roy Williams: "There's always calls - I mean you called me yesterday on him."

On whether teams are calling about Williams: "There's always calls; there's been calls for a couple of different guys."

On if it's possible that T Gosder Cherilus could be starting at either tackle spot: "No. I think he's a right. He played at right through his junior year. They moved him his senior year - he's a selfless kid, a team oriented type of guy. We'll put him on the right side but he has flexibility, that's the point."

On some scouting reports suggesting that Cherilus sometimes lacks focus and doesn't play hard all of the time: "I didn't read what you read so I don't have any idea what that is. All I know is what we looked at on tape - this kid is an intense kid; this kid has athleticism for both sides; this is a guy who comes off the ball; has a nice mean streak; fits what we like; he fits what we want to try to get done in the running game and we believe it's a good fit for us and it was a good pick."

On whether Cherilus is a better run-blocker than a pass-blocker: "He's got a good feel in the running game; he's got nice long arms; his feet are good - he's what you're looking for."

On what was going on in the draft room when the players they like were coming off the board: "What's going is you sit there and say, 'okay, who do you think they're going to take,' and you think this is a possibility and this is a possibility. When one goes off, there's not really much (reaction) in the room. The room is (focused) on what's left, 'okay, we're still good we can go here.' There's nothing you can do about it. Like I said, we ran these scenarios how many times so you're prepared for them. The bottom line is: they were drafted the way we had them rated. Guys went ahead of Gosder who were guys we had rated pretty high. So the rest of the league saw them the same way and then we just took what we took."

On whether they decided to start trying to trade back after RB Jonathan Stewart was drafted by Carolina: "No, actually, when you get to about 10, you see the group, that's when you say, 'okay, what can we do; how many guys are left in the pool, is that a possibility is it not a possibility, can we move back, is there's somebody who's willing to move back.' There's not always a suitor."

On whether they'll look at moving up later in the second-round: "We could. We'll wait and see what's up there."

LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI
On whether he was disappointed both Harvey and Mayo were off the boards so quickly: "I'll talk about the man we drafted if that's what we want to do.

"That's who we drafted and I'm excited about him. He's a very big, very physical guy. I think it's nice: he can play both sides and has played both sides, we saw that on tape. He competed very well in the Senior Bowl - did some good things there; (has) good balance; he's very physical and very tough. So it gives us a presence and he's got a chance to come in and compete right now."

On when the moment came watching film that he decided that Cherilus was the guy they wanted: "I don't if there's sometimes just a moment but as you look through all the tape and we had a chance as a staff to watch these guys - I think what we were looking for is a guy with really nice quickness too for the zone scheme; he can cut the backside off very well; he's got explosiveness onside. He's got a chance to be a very good protector and he's got good feet. It starts up front, I've said, and we've added a guy to that piece and we want to be more physical in terms of our offense and he'll add to that."

On whether they made any calls to maybe move up into the top 10: "I think most of the calls coming in were of people wanting to move up."

On whether they initiated any calls to try and get into the top 10: "No."

On whether they see Cherilus eventually becoming a left tackle or will stay at right tackle: "We really think of him as a right tackle. The thing he gives you, that's nice is: if you have an injury (at left tackle), he's a guy that can play two spots and he's done it, you're not projecting if he can do it, he's done it. But what he gives you is a very physical presence on the offensive line - he's a very young, physical player. We've added to that mix and hopefully in terms of that, it will help us run the ball like we said we'd like to do and it helps your protection obviously. He's a very bright guy so I think he'll come in and compete early."

On whether drafting a tackle was partly because they were coming off the board so quickly: "We knew it would be the good defensive players early and then we felt there was going to be a run at the tackles or the corners. We felt that's where it was going to take off. I think that allowed us to still move back and gather another pick and still get a really good player."

On fans not understanding how important of a pick this is because it's not a sensational choice: "That's a great question too. It is (important) because the quarterback's getting hit or the runner is getting stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Something we've talked about is trying to create a presence up front - a nice physical presence and he's mobile, he's a very mobile guy and a great person. I feel good about that. Is it a glamorous guy coming in? No, not in terms of those things; but for a coach it is (glamorous)."

On what impressions he got of this kid during the interview process: "We brought him (for a visit), so I had a chance to visit with him here. He's very serious, extremely serious about what he does. I just had a good feeling, a gut feeling about him. I think he's a guy that's going to go to work for us. All I'm asking these guys is to be the best they should be. Whatever the best is, be that."

On whether Cherilus will enter camp as a starter: "Well, I think you come in and you slash guys and make guys compete. I want him to earn what he gets - just like we've done with the other guys."

CONFERENCE CALL WITH LIONS T GOSDER CHERILUS
On what his feelings are coming to Detroit: "It feels great. (I'm) excited. It's overwhelming, but I'm looking forward to working with coach (Rod) Marinelli and coach (Matt) Millen. I'm excited."

On what he knows about the Lions: "I can't tell you that I know a lot, but I do know that their owner is one of the best owner's in the NFL, Mr. Ford. I know coach Millen has been there for awhile. I know a little bit about coach Marinelli from when he was in Tampa. I know coach (Mike) Barry, great guy, I had a chance to work with him. I know some of the guys that they drafted. I had a chance to go against them and I did real well, they're great guys. I plan on coming in and helping out wherever they want me and (with) whatever they want me to do. I want to come in and help out right away."

On whether he has a preference of right tackle or left tackle: "Wherever the team needs me. I belong to the Detroit Lions and if they think I'm better fit for the team at left, that's what I'll do and if they think right (tackle), that's where they need me, that's what I'll do. I don't really care right now, I just want to come in and help out."

On his playing style: "I love football, you know. I'm not the type who's going to be satisfied just getting the job done. I'm going to go after the guys and be aggressive and let them know that we are very good offensive linemen - we're aggressive; we're nasty; nothing against the whistle, everything within the whistle and really make a name for ourselves. That's what I was doing at B.C. (Boston College) for four years and I just want to carry everything to the Lions with me and hopefully when my opportunity comes I'll be able to help and everything."

On what the circumstances were with his parents move from Haiti to the United States: "My dad's been there for awhile. He's been there for almost 30 years. They're just trying to get a better living. They're just hard working people trying to give the family something good to look at, a good leader, he's the leader of our family and he's excited now. We said it was the right move to come here to America, to work hard and help the family. When it was time for me to come here and help them out, that's what we felt would be better for the family and that's what we did."

On where he watched the draft and whether he felt he was going to go to Detroit: "I talked to the coaches. I came down to Detroit for a visit, but you know how it goes. They're not going to tell you who's going to draft you, who's not going to draft you, but one thing I knew for sure was that I trusted these guys to make the right call and today when the time was right coach Millen called me and let me know that I was a Lion."

On where he grew up: "I was in Haiti with my grandmother and my mother, my father was taking care of us, pretty much. I could have been here (United States) a lot sooner, but he said it would be better for me to stay at home and go to school. Where I came from, my family and everything, believed in the Haitian school system and that's what we did. But, when I was getting ready to go to High School, he said it would be better for me to come here and go to High School here because it's better to go to college and that's what we did."

On whether the rest of his family is over here now: "Yes, my mother here's, my grandmother, pretty much most of them."

On how many brothers and sisters he has: "My mother had two of us, but my father has other children."

On what sports he played in Haiti: "I played soccer and basketball."

On whether he was too big for soccer: "Yeah, that's part of the reason I fit very well playing football. When I was playing soccer I took a lot of right guard because I was so aggressive (laughing). Basketball I got fouled out and once I came here and was introduced to football I felt that it was the right sport for me because it was like the quick fit, the good fit and putting them all together, with me being so aggressive, I felt it was the right fit to be a good offensive lineman."

On whether he's in Boston right now: "Yes, I'm in Boston right now."

On his father's name: "J-e-n-e-l, Jenel."

On whether he had a language adjustment coming to the United States: "Yes, a little bit. Where I went to school in Haiti, they did speak English, but it wasn't the same. But, right away, when I came here I went to school with kids who have been living here forever and I did really well in the classroom. I was an A student my senior year. I did really well, so I knew I had a little language barrier and I knew I had to work twice (as hard as) normal kids, so that's what I did. But, that didn't really make a difference because I was still getting the good grades and doing really well for myself in school."

On playing against former Boston College QB Matt Ryan in the first game of the season vs. Atlanta: "(He's) a great player, great leader and one of my best friends on the team. He's a great person and one of the biggest competitors I've ever met in my entire life. For him to go where he went and doing as well as he's doing for himself right now, I'm happy for him."

On whether he's played against any of the guys that have been drafted today: "I played a lot of good defensive ends and to tell you the truth I haven't been able to watch the draft to tell you who's been drafted."

On whether he played Virginia: "Yes, I played Virginia, about two years ago I played again (Chris) Long. We were both young back then. I was a red-shirt freshman and he was a red-shirt freshman, so we were both young first playing the game. I already played Glenn Dorsey, but what we trained together, so we had the chance to really help each other out and go one-on-one and do a lot of things together. That's pretty much it I think."

On who his agent is: "Greg Diulus."

On what the native language of Haiti is: "French-Creole."