Quotes from 4/30/07, more NFL draft quotes

About having the 7th most (tied with USC, Miami, LSU, Auburn, Florida State, and Penn State) players drafted (with another 5 getting free-agent contracts), Nate Ilaoa said:
"I am not surprised, not with the season and the type of team we had. It shows the kind of actual talent we have. For us to tie with USC (in picks) means we're not a fluke, or a gimmick offense, or whatever they like to call it. We have something very special here and (this draft) confirmed it."(HSB)


Happy that Philly drafted him, Ilaoa (who went to high school in Virginia) said:
"I'm happy and feel very fortunate that it was Philadelphia. I was at home, watching it on ESPN, and waiting for it to happen." (HSB)


Mel Purcell, who watched the draft while eating breakfast with his family at Ana Miller's, said:
"I feel good about them, the coach was nice and they run a 4-3. We haven't talked about money. I'm going up there to play football. But I heard it's cold, so I will have to go out and buy some warm clothes. It's amazing that we had five drafted. I waited for the others to be picked and I'm happy to hear about all the free agents. I'm so happy for everyone." (HSB)


About what he was thinking when they went out to breakfast, Purcell said:
"If we get the call, we get the call." (HA)


About how he talked with all the NFL scouts about Purcell, JJ said:
"I talked to all of the scouts (about Purcell). I said, 'I'm not even going to make a highlight tape. You just pick up one of his last five games and watch it.' " (HA)


Surprised that Cleveland drafted him, since Miami and New England has shown the most interest, Purcell said:
"They never spoke to me (before the draft)." (HA)


Mauia was shocked to be drafted, as he planned to slep through the draft, and said:
"I started getting all of these calls, with people telling me I got drafted. I thought I was dreaming." (HA)


About joining UH as a walk-on in August 2005, Mauia said:
"I'm not a gambling man, but I wanted a good future for my son. (Playing football) is one of the best ways I knew how." (HA)


About why he asked Mauia to go from nose tackle to RB on the scout team, JJ said:
"I saw his balance and quick feet for a guy his size, and I thought he could be a pretty good running back." (HA)


About how he was happy to move to RB, Mauia said:
"When I was growing up and playing pickup (football), I always wanted the ball. As big as I was, I loved running with the ball. I liked to see the look on the people trying to tackle me. Then I'd kill them." (HA)


Happy that Reagan Mauia was drafted by Miami, JJ said:
"Mauia is a very good football player. And I think Miami is the perfect place for him." (HSB)

"It's going to be so much fun to watch him learn to play football in the National Football League. He'll be something else." (HA)


About having 5 players drafted, JJ said:
"It's pretty exciting for all our players to get this opportunity after all the hard work they've put in. I don't know if the number is amazing, because when you have had the success we've had, the number of kids we've had make it in the NFL the last few years, people are going to take notice." (HSB)

HSB Note: "During Jones' eight seasons at UH, 16 Warriors have been drafted and, counting yesterday, another 25 have signed as free agents. Hawaii's previous draft record was three, set in 1985 and matched in 2003."


About how only Texas, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio State, and Florida had more players drafted than Hawaii, JJ said:
"That's amazing." (HA)


About having 2 RBs drafted this year, JJ laughed and said:
"Who knew we were a running back school?" (HA)


About the potential for Warrior vs. Warrior matchups every NFL weekend, Mel Purcell said:
"I'd love to see that happen. The number of our guys just keeps growing every year, as our program keeps building every year." (HSB)


About the draft, Nate Ilaoa said:
"All it takes is one team to like you. I'm not surprised about Reagan. I knew he was on the board for Miami. They saw him at Pro Day and we knew they liked what they saw." (HSB)

"I was sitting there, waking everybody up with the TV blasting." (HA)


About how Pitsburgh called him during the 6th round saying that they would take him in the 7th round, but took a WR instead, Nate said:
"I was getting worried. Then Philadelphia called. They wanted to put coach (Andy) Reid on the phone. That's when I knew." (HA)


About wearing an eagles beanie yesterday afternoon, Nate said:
"We have all kinds of gear to match our shoes and outfits. I've never worn this," said Ilaoa, pointing to the beanie. "I guess it was sitting there for three years waiting for this day." (HA)


About choosing to sign with Miami as a free agent, Tala Esera said:
"I'm looking forward to going up with Sam and Reagan. I had 11-12 teams contacting me yesterday after the draft. It was kind of crazy and I ended up with the team I wanted to go to. They're rebuilding down there and hopefully we'll have a chance to build something special." (HSB)


Tala Esera's agent Max Hanneman said about teams wooing Tala:
"It was crazy. Talk about being aggressive. I thought agents were aggressive. It's nice when you don't have to call any team. The teams are calling you." (HA)

HA Note: "Hannemann said Esera insisted on accepting the Miami offer."


About choosing to sign with the Jets, who told Leonard Peters they would not draft a safety if he would sign with them, Peters said:
"It was the best decision for me. There were other teams interested, like the Steelers and Bears. But they already have safeties they drafted. The Jets are the best option for me." (HA)


About how the Jets only had 4 draft picks this year, Peters' agent Joe Palumbo said:
"They said (Peters) was really their fifth draft pick." (HA)

HA Notes: Esera, Uperesa, and Patton signed 3-year contracts, but like almost all NFL contracts only their signing bonuses are guaranteed.


About getting a free agent contract with Oakland, Kenny Patton (who had an awesome workout during UH's pro day) said:
"It's all fun after this. When I hurt my collarbone, I thought I was done. I'm going to do my best." (HA)


About how having so many players drafted helps their recruiting, Rich Miano (6th round pick in 1985) said:
"Every young person dreams of playing in the NFL, whether it is realistic or not, and they look at your school to see how many you put there. And this (year's draft) helps us out in so many ways." (HA)


Frustrated when the NFL would draft so few of his UH players, Dick Tomey said in the 1980s that NFL scouts:
"... just don't do their homework." An "indictment of the scouts in pro football." (HA)

Note: In the Tomey glory years, UH would get just 1 or 2 players drafted each year, sometimes none, when the draft was 12 rounds. Now, the draft is just 7 rounds and UH gets so many more people...having former NFL coaches on the staff with all of their NFL contacts sure seems to help.

Ferd summarized things nicely at the end of his HA article:
"While this draft was foremost a tribute to the players, it is also a sign the coaches are doing a lot right. Not only in coaching fundamentals but in evaluating and developing talent. While Nate Ilaoa was heavily recruited, Purcell and Satele were only lightly so, Mauia hardly at all and Alama-Francis was a walk-on from basketball. Years later, however, they have put quite the exclamation point on the UH football program." (HA)