Notebook: Times in 40 not so cut, dried
INDIANAPOLIS -- For the moment, there's a shift at the top of the NFL Draft board, with Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry in and Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree out. That could change by April 25, of course, but until we know more about Crabtree's foot injury he's no longer numero uno.
Curry is.
"I didn't know about Crabtree," Curry said after he heard reports of Crabtree's stress fracture. "I'm sorry to hear that. That's a tough situation, but injuries have never been a concern of mine."
That's one reason to like the guy. Another is that he makes a lot of plays, returning three of four interceptions his junior year for touchdowns. Still another is that he is the best linebacker in the country.
"I just work hard and play hard all the time," he said. "Some people say I'm the best (in the draft); some people say I'm not the best. I'm just going to keep grinding."
Good idea. It got him here, and it should take him to or near the top of this year's draft. Now let's get something straight: That doesn't mean he will be the first pick. That's Detroit's choice, and the feeling -- at least for now -- is that the Lions take Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford. But stay tuned.
In the meantime, it's time to appreciate Curry, and not just for what he is or what he has done but for where he came from. I'm talking about a tough upbringing that culminated with the eviction of his family from their Fayetteville, N.C., home during the summer between Curry's sophomore and junior years of college.
Curry and his brother went to live with friends. His mother went to live with Curry's great grandmother. None of them would be the same again.
"To know that at any given moment anything can be just stripped from you like that ... that was one of the biggest turning points of my life," said Curry. "I realized I had to do something, and football was it.
"We didn't have the funds to get into another house, and those are the moments you think about in the fourth quarter when there's a play that needs to be made, and you know you have the opportunity to provide for your family for the rest of their lives."
So the guy is motivated, too. Just another reason to pay attention, class.
"I'm always a motivated person," said Curry. "The doubters helped me get here, but they're not the only thing that motivated me. My family -- my mother and my two brothers, Brandon and Christopher -- did a good job of making sure I was always motivated. And the situations I faced in life, as far as housing and whether the lights were on or not, kept me motivated."
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| Aaron Curry to the Lions: It would be great to go No. 1 overall. (US Presswire) |
If the Rams don't fall in love with the guy on film, they will when they talk to him. I listened to him Saturday, when Curry captivated his audience for 20-25 minutes, and he was gracious, informative and downright engaging. In fact, he was so engaging it's a wonder he wasn't treated to a standing ovation when he finished.
At one point he was asked about tattoos on his wrists. One, he said, was for one brother; one was for the other. But he didn't stop there. He rolled up his sleeves to reveal others, explaining that "they represent myself and my family because they (his mother and brothers) mean the world to me." But there was one tattoo nobody could figure out ... until, that is, Curry explained it was the bar code for his favorite box of candy.
"Jujubes," he said, laughing.
His audience laughed with him. And that's the other thing about Aaron Curry. He's irresistible. There are plenty of players here with talent but few who pass the personality test as easily as Curry. He's smart, graduating in December with a degree in sociology. He's sincere. And he's only too willing to reveal everything about himself -- as he demonstrated when he took reporters on a guided tour of his body.
In short, he is not a risk. He can play in a 4-3. He can play in a 3-4. He can rush the passer. He can drop into coverage. He works hard. He plays hard. He stays out of trouble. He isn't hurt. And he loves the game.
Michael Crabtree, move over.
"It would be great to go No. 1 overall," said Curry. "Detroit knows that in Aaron Curry they're getting a great linebacker and a great person. I mean, what more could you ask for?"
Exactly.
