Jeremiah Ledbetter comments on being drafted by the Detroit Lions
By Zac Snyder
Shortly after being selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Jeremiah Ledbetter met with the media. Here’s what he had to say.
On what today’s draft experience has been like for him: “Man, it was a long process. I was mainly with my family most of the night, most of the day. Just chilling, relaxing, waiting for the phone call, just enjoying my family’s presence was the main thing I was doing.”
On the social media video of him doing a backflip: “I mean, I can at times, but you know, I try not to do it to avoid injury. But I know it’s nothing to me.”
On his contact with the Lions during the pre-draft process: “I’ve been in contact with the Lions the last couple days. At the NFL Combine, getting to know the Defensive Line Coach, Kris Kocurek, and it’s just getting to know the program. I know this is a long process for me and it’s been a tough one and I’m just glad I’m a Detroit Lion now. I’m just blessed.”
On if the Lions view him as a defensive end: “I’m going to play any position the Detroit Lions want me to play. I’m a defensive lineman, so I can play defensive tackle or defensive end. It doesn’t matter. That’s up to the coaches.”
On if having relatives who were drafted in later rounds of previous NFL drafts prepared him for this day: “I feel like it has. It was a long journey for my dad and my cousin. I went through the same thing that they did. They encouraged me in some of the things and it was going to be a wait for me, so I just had to enjoy the wait and just give into the process of what this draft is all about. I mean, they did help me go through it, I’m just glad it’s over with now.”
On his minimum and maximum playing weights at Arkansas: “The heaviest I played at was about 285 (pounds) and the lightest I’ve ever been was 266 coming into Arkansas from junior college.”
On how much weight he can gain to play defensive end in the NFL and still be effective: “I feel like no matter what the team wants me to gain weight or lose weight, I feel like I’ll be comfortable. I mean, it really doesn’t matter for me, so whatever they want me to do I’ll do it.”
On if he is confident he can make an impact on the Lions’ defensive line: “I feel like it’s going to take a little bit of time for me, getting to know my teammates first and getting to know their playbook. When that’s done I feel like I can get that, I feel like I can make a standing, rotational player in the defensive line.”
On which NFL defensive player he admires: “I like to look up to Michael Bennett. That’s who I always looked at, me trying to compare myself to, but there’s a whole bunch of great NFL players in the League. That’s one of the ones I really look up to.”
On if he has watched film on Lions DT Haloti Ngata: “I did. Big, strong dude. One of the veterans on the defensive line for Detroit and just me getting in there and getting to know what he does. How he goes about his business is one of the huge things I’m trying to do to be a part of this defensive line unit at Detroit.”
On what he enjoys doing outside of football: “I just like to relax, mainly like to go fishing. I’ve never been to Detroit, so maybe I can get around the city and get to explore there. That’d be huge.”
On the furthest north he has ever been: “The furthest up north I’ve ever been was probably Boston.”
On if he visited the Lions during the pre-draft process: “I did not.”
On the biggest fish he has ever caught: “It was a Mahi-mahi, about a 30- or 40-pounder.”
On where he caught his biggest fish: “I’m from Florida, so you know, I went out on the Gulf of Mexico. I went fishing one time with my family and just caught a fish, a big one.”
Next: Injured Tigers on road to recovery
*All quotes provided by the Detroit Lions.