Jesse Mahelona is heeding the words of his coaches in his first week of preseason training.

"Every day, my technique is getting better," the Tennessee Titans' rookie defensive tackle said. "I'm doing better every day. Coach keeps stressing if you make the same mistakes twice, it's because you're stupid, don't care or aren't good enough."

Mahelona, of Kailua, Kona, was selected with the Titans' second pick of the fifth round, the 169th player taken overall, in the 2006 NFL Draft, after an All-America career at the University of Tennessee.

Not that any accolades in college are coming in handy.

"You can forget about what you learn in college. The NFL is so different," said the Kealakehe alum, speaking from the Titans' training camp, which runs until Thursday at Austin Peay State in Clarksville, Tenn.

Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher told the Associated Press that Mahelona smiles, works hard, listens and learns.

"He plays with good leverage because of his height and strength," Fisher said. "He's active. Some of the shorter guys up front have a tendency to get their pads high and look around. He has a sense of where the ball is because he can feel block pressure."

Mahelona, listed at 6 feet 1 and 311 pounds, came into camp at 305 pounds with a target weight of 290 to 300 pounds.

In the first few days of camp he received fluids intravenously — four bags, each three pounds.

Forced to drink 10 bottles of Gatorade a day to combat dehydration, Mahelona increased his weight to 315.

Joining Mahelona in the Hawai'i contingency with the Titans are defensive end Travis LaBoy, who played at the University of Hawai'i, and offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

Mahelona faces Chow's offense — which includes rookie quarterback Vince Young — and said, "I try to attack (Chow's) offense, but at the same time we know where we're from."

Mahelona said Chow will "come up to me, telling me, 'When your dad them come up, tell them to bring kalua pig and lau lau.' "

"He told me he missed the smell of Hawai'i," Mahelona said of the smell of the ocean and the mountains. "I started to miss Hawai'i. I was feeling sorry for myself in the hot sun."

While Mahelona is used to his surroundings after playing in Tennessee the past few years, there are still quite a few adjustments. He and fellow rookie Lendale White, a second-round pick from Southern California, marveled over their first pay checks.

"My first big purchase? I bought a car. A (2006) GMC Denali," said Mahelona, who said he handed his check over to his financial adviser.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.