Montgomery, Eslinger & Setterstrom Comment On Being NFL Draft Selections

MONTGOMERY QUOTES ON BEING SELECTED BY THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS

"It felt like home and felt like a place that I was supposed to be. Everyone was friendly. There were a lot of guys working out. I talked to a couple of players like [Antwaan] Randle El and he talked to me like I had been on the team forever. I met with Coach [Joe] Gibbs and we had a nice conversation. It just felt right."

On what he does best on the football field:

"I think my size and my athleticism are my strong points at this stage. That, plus the fact that I can use my hands well. But I know I have a lot of room for improvement. I need to work on keeping my pads lower, and on improving my footwork and getting off the ball. So I recognize there's a lot of room for improvement in terms of my technique."

On his dream of getting drafted in the NFL:

"It was never to get drafted in the first round, although that would have been nice. I got drafted and there are a lot of guys who played football as kids and didn't get this opportunity."

On waiting to be drafted:

"I was sitting here, sweating it out. After I visited Washington, I thought the coaches liked me. I liked everything I saw myself there, as soon as I walked in the door. The coaches told me they had a fifth-round pick and some sixth-round picks and they said, 'Don't be surprised if I get a call.' I visited two teams, Washington and Green Bay. I grew up in Cleveland as a Browns fan, but obviously I didn't care who drafted me. I just want to play football."

On being a new player:

"As far as being a rookie, I'll just try to fit in. I'll work hard to learn my role and the system. Basically, as a rookie, I'll try to get around the vets and learn as much as I can. Hopefully, I'll be able to contribute to the team, and get in on a play here and there. Whatever they need me to do, I'm ready."

ESLINGER QUOTES ON BEING SELECTED BY THE DENVER BRONCOS

Q: What kind of contact did the Broncos have with you leading up to the draft?

“ Not a lot of phone calls or anything but some contact with their scouts and stuff like that.”

Q: Did you see yourself as someone who would fit in well with their scheme or system?

“ I see myself as someone who fits in well with their system and Ben Hamilton, their current guard came out of Minnesota and he has done extremely well and I think I fit that style of play.”

Q: Were you surprised that you dropped so far considering that you were first team All-Big Ten and you went behind (Nick) Mangold of Ohio State?

“To tell you the truth I haven’t really thought much about it and I kind of had the mentality the whole time that I don’t care when I go or where I go, I just want to have a shot at the NFL and get a shot to prove myself at the next level.”

Q: Why do you think that teams kind of underestimated what you had to offer?

“I don’t know. I really couldn’t tell you. I think they limited me to more of a zone team like we play at Minnesota, but I really have no idea. They may have had many reasons.”

Q: Do you know Ben Hamilton at all?

“No, he went there two years prior to when I came to Minnesota. It’s funny though because early in my college career I used to watch a lot of film on Ben Hamilton because I wanted to try to incorporate a lot of things that he did into my game."

SETTERSTROM QUOTES ON BEING SELECTED BY THE ST. LOUIS RAMS

"I am excited about being a St. Louis Ram. The wait (to be selected) was a little longer than I had hoped for but I got to go to a team that I was really hoping to go to in the end.

Q: Did you pay a visit to St. Louis prior to the draft?

"No. I didn't."

Q: Did you have any contact with the Rams?

"Yeah. (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) Jim Chaney was at my Pro Day so I sat down with him for about an hour and watched some film with him and got to know him a little."

Q: What did you like about being selected by the Rams?

"I am a midwestern guy and I love the attitudes and the culture of the Midwest. I also have some family that lives in the Lawrence (KS) area. Again, it is a midwest team and the Rams have had some great years and a lot of great players and also some great coaches that I have gotten to know."

Q: We just thought you wanted to come to Laurence Maroney's hometown.

"Yeah, I got to go there and he has to head out of town."

Q: Where you surprised you lasted as long as you did considering the success your running game had at Minnesota?

"Obviously I had some higher hopes and I was hoping to maybe go a round or two higher in the draft, but at the same time that is the way it goes and I was just happy that I got to go to a team that I was happy to go to."

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