Updated at 12:43 p.m., Thursday, July 5, 2007
NFL: Ex-UH star Alama-Francis loving the pro life
Advertiser Staff
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The former University of Hawai'i basketball player turned star defensive end for the Warriors was taken in the second round by the Detroit Lions in last April's NFL draft.
Alama-Francis, one of eight Detroit draftees, was asked about his first impressions of life in the NFL after an offseason of conditioning, mini-camps and organized training activities (OTAs).
Here is his response on a Detroit Lions blog on the team's Web site:
"Wow. I'll tell you what – it's nothing like I ever imagined. Coming in they say the rookie season is always the hardest because you have to learn new things. They're throwing things at you every day. They're on you every play because they want to get you better – you're 'the rook'. But I'm loving it. I really do. I smile about it, go to bed at night, wake up the next day and love it again."
Other responses from Detroit's top draft picks:
WR Calvin Johnson, No. 1 pick, No. 2 overall: "The biggest thing is just adjusting to the playbook and everything. As far as the system part of it, conditioning, and getting adapted, I'm good. I'm just learning the playbook."
QB Drew Stanton, second-round draft pick: "I think it's a big adjustment just trying to get used to everything. It's a different style of game and the way that you approach it because you're dealing with people that are in a much larger age group. It's not just people who are within four years of you so it's one of those things where you come in here and you see people who have established themselves in this league and it's kind of remarkable. It's a job now, definitely, it's not just something that you're doing as you're going to school or doing different things. Taking that approach makes it a little bit different and the preparation is obviously different trying to understand everything – especially in my position – that involves the offense."
