DETROIT LIONS SELECT T TYRELL CROSBY WITH THEIR FIFTH-ROUND PICK (153RD OVERALL) OF THE 2018 NFL DRAFT
Lions T Tyrell Crosby was available to the media via conference call. The following excerpts are from his media session.
On his position flexibility experience at Oregon: “Yeah, so at Oregon I was both right tackle for two years, left tackle for the other two. Never really played guard. Practiced it, but never played it, so kind of looking forward to the future, just wherever they need me. Wherever they see I fit best, that’s where I’d love to be.”
On the reports about his concussion history: “Really, just talking to my agent and stuff and we were both kind of just confused listening to it. Throughout the whole Combine process, Senior Bowl, team visits and all that, every team said I was healthy and ready to go if I had a game tomorrow. So, from like everyone I know that has more inside information and all that, that was just more of a – They were just trying to find a reason. But if we had a game tomorrow, I would be 100 percent healthy for it.”
On how many concussions he has had: “I’d prefer not to answer that.”
On why he feels he ended up being selected this late in the draft: “Yeah, I didn’t expect it, but honestly, at the end of the day I’m now a professional football player. So, things happen in life and you really just, at the end of the day you realize how grateful you are, especially looking back at how small of a percentage of college players make it to where I made it today. Things happen and I might have gone later than I expected. At the end of the day I’m excited to be a Lion.”
On if he was agitated that he fell in the draft: “It’s frustrating just because my personal opinion, I think I’m the best, well, one of the best offensive tackles from the 2018 draft. But, though it kind of sucks, at the same time it’s just an awesome feeling to know that I’m a part of such a great organization with great history. Wherever I went, I ended up in Detroit and I’m so thankful for it.”
On his strong high school basketball background: “Yeah, coming out – Well, in high school I had a couple of small-time offers, just JUCO for basketball, but I only played basketball two years in high school. I never really considered it as a thing I wanted to strongly pursue. Just had a hobby for it and had a passion for running around with the basketball. It helped me on the field, just learning my body better, understanding my balance, my footwork and just really, I would say, mainly kind of understanding where my weaknesses are when it comes to athleticism and where my strengths are.”
On if he knows Lions S Miles Killebrew: “Miles Killebrew? Foothill High School? Yes, I know Miles. He went to Southern Utah University. Tremendous amount of respect for him and what he’s done, especially going to high school a 10-minute drive from him. When he got drafted, him coming from a small school like SUU, honestly it was awesome for me to see just because he’s a public school kid from this area. When you hear high school football in Nevada, you think Bishop Gorman High School, the private school here. It’s exciting seeing public school kids just come out and show you don’t need to go to a private school out here.”
On the pancake award he earned as a freshman at Oregon: “Yeah, so with that award it was whoever got the most knockdown blocks. Each game coaches and GAs and all the assistants watch over film, watch each play and just kind of pay attention to what’s happening , who got a knockdown or any of that. At the end of the year sitting down I remember Coach (Steve) Greatwood started off reading his little intro to the award and then right before he announced it he said, ‘I’m as surprised as everyone else in this room because I expected this kid to redshirt when he came in.’
On not allowing a sack last year and how much pride he takes in being named his conference’s offensive lineman of the year: “Just a tremendous amount of pride. As an o-lineman, you never want your running back, quarterback or just anybody with the ball or teammate in general to get hit by anyone. To know that I kept our quarterback safe throughout the entire year is a tremendous achievement in my opinion. Getting named top PAC-12 lineman of the year voted by the defensive linemen, it’s humbling knowing that your peers think that highly of you.”
On his visit to Detroit in the pre-draft process: “Honestly, I more so – My agent just let me know. I mean, he said, ‘You have a visit.’ Not really like last-second, he just let me know that when I was planning all my visits that I had one to Detroit. I was just enthusiastic to get up and see Dearborn and Detroit.”
On his relationship with professional boxing and MMA cutman Jacob ‘Stitch’ Duran: “That’s one of my really good friend’s Daniel Duran’s dad, so love that man to death. He’s always been supporting me since high school, since like my freshman year in high school, and has always had my back. So, just always admired that guy and knowing his life story and how he got to where he is, just blue-collar, hard-working man, really inspired me. To know that I have a role model in my life that if I need to I can call at any time in the day to just ask for advice, he’s just always there for me.”