Here are some quotes from New York Giants first-round draft choice David Wilson, a running back, during Day 1 of the team's rookie mini-camp.
Q: What’s it like putting on that Giants helmet?
A: It finally set in that I’m really about to be part of this team. They were the Super Bowl champions and the main goal, as Coach Coughlin said yesterday, is to get back to it again – try to get them back to back.
Q: Coach also said he told you guys you never get a second chance to make a first impression. What do you hope to show these guys?
A: Just be myself, go out there and compete because I’m a competitor and I love competition and try to wow the coaches. But at the same time, you have to know the playbook and go in the right direction at the same time, too.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the couple of days here?
A: Just get accustomed and learn the plays that they put in front of me and be prepared when the veterans come in.
Q: How do you avoid a ‘deer in headlights’ reaction? This is a pretty big deal.
A: Yeah, definitely. You just go with the flow and be yourself, like I said. I think the only time I will feel like a deer in the highlights is if I’m running in the wrong direction or messing up a play. That’s something you don’t want to do because then you feel like maybe they’re second-guessing drafting me. You definitely don’t want that to happen. It’s a lot of pressure.
Q: Do you have a sense on how you and Bradshaw might complement each other?
A: Yeah, I have seen some film on him and he’s a hard running back and tough – tough, physical guy. He’s from Virginia so we’ll try to bring that tough and physicalness. We’re both going to go out there and we’re going to compete together and make a lot of plays.
Q: Do you know him?
A: No, I haven’t met him. I haven’t talked to him yet.
Q: What aspects of your game do you think will translate the best to the NFL?
A: I’ll try to translate my whole game to the NFL and just pick up where I left off, but that very rarely happens. When you look at rookies they always have that transition period. I just have to feel it as I go along and like I said, just go out there and compete.
Q: What are you most curious about?
A: How my transition will be. I have no clue coming up and a lot of these guys are very talented athletes and were basically ‘the man’ at their college. Some of them weren’t the man in college and became pros and became ‘the man.’ It’s a good mixture out there – different personalities and different talents.