After the Texans selected Virginia Tech outside linebacker Xavier Adibi in the fourth round (118th overall), the outside linebacker from Virginia Tech talked to the Houston media for the first time. Here is a transcript of the conference call.
LB Xavier Adibi
(on getting drafted by the Texans and joining college teammate T Duane Brown) "It's great. Getting the call from the Houston Texans and going over there with one of my good friends that I came to college with in Duane Brown. I'm just very excited and can't wait to go out there and show everyone what I can do."
(on how close he and T Duane Brown were in high school) "In high school, we weren't very close. I had heard about him because he lived in Richmond. He played in Richmond and I played in Hampton. I would always read about him and I heard about him on the news. But when we got to Virginia Tech, we came in together and we were suite mates, so we've grown real close throughout the years and it just feels good to have him over there with me."
(on if he is looking forward to playing on a team with LB DeMeco Ryans) "Oh yes. (LB) DeMeco Ryans is a heck of a linebacker. I used to watch him all the time when he played at Alabama. He is an excellent linebacker; one of the up and coming linebackers in the league, one of the best, in my opinion, in the league. I just can't wait to go out there and study under him and learn everything I can."
(on if he and T Duane Brown talked about where they would end up and if they would get drafted by the same team) "Everyone talks about where you could end up. I remember having one conversation with the Houston Texans, it kind of caught me off guard but I'm very excited to come to Houston."
(on how much of an adjustment it will be to move from inside linebacker to outside linebacker) "It won't be too much of an adjustment. At Virginia Tech, they called my position inside linebacker but it was more of an outside linebacker. I played a little bit of inside as well, but mostly outside. So it won't be too much of a big adjustment for me."
(on what he brings to the team) "I bring leadership and a winning mentality. You know, I'm a win a championship at every level of every sport type of guy. My work ethic; I'm willing to go that extra mile to be that excellent football player. I love to play the game and I love to make plays and have fun. That's the most part."
(on if he felt he got overshadowed by playing with CB Brandon Flowers and LB Vince Hall at Virginia Tech) "No, I mean, maybe at times. Hall and Flowers are two excellent, excellent football players. Just playing besides those guys just made my job easier. I was very blessed to have those two on my team, especially Duane Brown as well. I just can't wait to go over there and play."
(on what fans would be surprised to know about T Duane Brown) "Duane is a character. He's very funny once you get to know him. He's just a real cool guy to talk to."
(on his conversations with the Texans) "I had one conversation with the Texans at the Senior Bowl, I believe. So that was a long time ago. Like I said, it kind of caught me off guard. I wasn't really expecting it, but I'm very excited."
(on where he thought he would go in the draft) "I was thinking maybe like the second, maybe third. I went in the fourth and everything happens for a reason. I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't a little upset, but I just can't wait to go out there and show the coaches what I can do and just show everybody else why they drafted me."
