By Terrelle Pryor on Being Converted to Wide Receiver or Tight End: “Yeah, that’s not on my radar screen.”
August 24, 2011 – 6:00 am by Steven Cuce
The newest member of the Oakland Raiders, Terrelle Pryor, was 30-4 as a starting quarterback at Ohio State, with a perfect 3-0 record against Michigan that even the most disappointed Buckeyes fans will one day appreciate. Despite all the scrutiny and negative press he and the Ohio State program have received, Pryor, taken in the third round of Monday’s Supplemental Draft, sure sounds like he has the right attitude now that he’s officially joining the NFL and past his drawn out and highly publicized fall from grace in Columbus.
The Oakland Raiders have been a team that has been well known to be enticed by players with all the size and speed measurables you can think of, so I know I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t surprised to see the Raiders mortgage a part of the future in order to acquire Pryor. According to Pryor, the Miami Dolphins were the team who showed the most interest in him prior to the supplemental draft. We all knew Miami was desperate at quarterback, but if the interest in Pryor was as heavy as he suggests, it really showcases the organization’s uncertainty about the QB situation in not just 2011, but in the proceeding years as well.
Terrelle Pryor, feeling fortunate to even be joining the revered ranks of the NFL, has no problem with the five-game suspension Roger Goodell handed down recently. He has no plans to appeal the suspension unless asked to by his new employer, the Raiders. For now, he’s ready to focus on the fresh start and future he has in the Bay Area.
Terrelle Pryor joined ProFootballTalk Live with Mike Florio to talk about joining a storied franchise like the the Oakland Raiders, whether the Raiders plan to develop him at quarterback or transition him to another position, his confidence in his ability to prove himself at QB and never allow the conversation about his potential at WR to even materialize, where he felt he was going in Monday’s Supplemental Draft, which team he thought might pick him, his conversations with the Miami Dolphins prior to the Draft, the five-game suspension he faces at the outset of his NFL career, how he plans to do whatever the Raiders ask of him, how he just hopes that his situation won’t in any way detract focus and attention from the team itself, and his thoughts on Roger Goodell and how the commissioner has handled his particular situation.
How does it feel to be a member of the Oakland Raiders and a storied franchise?
“It has great tradition and I know it. It is a great opportunity to play for Mr.Al Davis and Coach Jackson. I look forward to the opportunity and I’m just very happy.”
Have the Oakland Raiders given you any indications on you being a quarterback or possibly playing other positions?
“No. They said they are bringing me in just like a young quarterback. They said they wanted to draft me because they had enough…they have great wide receivers and they said they are looking at me as a quarterback. They are looking at me as a young one and they are bringing me in like a young quarterback. I look forward to it. I just can’t wait to get my playbook and hurry up and try to learn the offense as fast as I can to try to get some reps in and show what I can do.”
Where did you think you were going to go in the Supplemental Draft? What were the teams that reached out to you?
“I thought Miami or maybe the Redskins. Initially I talked to Miami a bunch of times. That’s where I thought I was going to end up going, but I am happy where I am at right now. I couldn’t be happier. I definitely appreciate the opportunity to play for the Oakland Raiders.”
I know you are locked into playing quarterback. Have you given any thought of what it would entail to play wide receiver or tight end? Is that just not on your radar screen until it happens?
“Yeah that’s not on my radar screen. It’s almost like when you go somewhere to do something I am not going to know what is going to happen until happens or anything, whether you go to a game to watch a game you do not know what is going to happen until it happens, so I’m just taking that step. I gotta make sure I make myself and fortify myself as a quarterback and show them exactly what I can do. I feel highly once they see what I can do and I can get the ball out on time and I can get it together and be a great leader I don’t think the receiver thing will even be in the question.”
On this five game suspension: I got the impression that you don’t want to make make any further waves. You want to just serve the suspension and be done with it. Is that your opinion?
“Yes. Yes sir. Also some of the coaches I met with…some of the scouts they were saying and asking me if they would want me to go try to appeal it would I do it? Obviously I have to do what the organization feels they want me to do and I’ll do it, but the only reason I am not doing is because because they are other great players on the field and I don’t want to be selfish and have the attention on me when it doesn’t need to be. It needs to be on the team. That’s the only way and the only reason I kind of don’t want to appeal it because it’s not about me. It’s about the team I am on. It’s about the Oakland Raiders. It’s not all about Terrelle Pryor. I don’t want any news on me saying the Oakland Raiders and Pryor appealing. That doesn’t need to be that story it needs to be the Oakland Raiders are going to play such-and-such and they are looking very good. It doesn’t need to be my name on ESPN about appealing. That’s one thing I don’t want to happen.”
Are you concerned that maybe the NFL is using your suspension as a stepping stone to help enforce NCAA suspensions?
“Yeah I am not sure how Mr.Goodell handled it, but he let me in. I didn’t have to…I don’t know if you heard…I didn’t have to be in this draft. It could of went one way or the other. It’s kind of like you count your blessings. I could have been sitting out a full year waiting for next year and not having no defensive lineman at my feet and watching blitzes and reading defenses. That could have just killed my career. Now I have a chance to get in fresh just leaving from Ohio State and having a chance. I am thankful for that. I’m not going to argue it. I have opinions obviously, but it doesn’t need to change. I am thankful that Mr.Goodell is allowing me in the NFL. I appreciate it.”
Listen to Terrelle Pryor on ProFootballTalk Live with Mike Florio here
Tags: 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft, NFL, Oakland Raiders, ProFootballTalk Live, ProFootballTalk Live with Mike Florio, Terrelle Pryor
4 Trackback(s)
Aug 24, 2011: Raiders’ Campbell returns; Terrelle Pryor a no-show – USA Today | Genesistic
Aug 24, 2011: Ex-Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor expects to join Raiders soon – AHN | All Headline News | Genesistic
Aug 24, 2011: Jason Campbells faces questions after Oakland Raiders draft Terrelle Pryor – Washington Post (blog) | Genesistic
Aug 24, 2011: Terrelle Pryor made right call to not appeal – ESPN (blog) | Genesistic
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