Conference Call – 5th-Round Pick DT Letroy Guion
Q: Is this pretty much where you thought you would end up going in the fifth round here?
A: I didn’t think I was going to make it this far in the fifth round, but you know what, you’ve got to start somewhere. I’m thankful to be a Viking. I’m going to come in and work hard and do what I’m supposed to do to show everybody what I can do and just go out there and try to prove myself to the best of my abilities.
Q: Did you have any idea they might be interested?
A: I didn’t know they were interested like that. I’m glad they are and I’m glad I got picked by the Vikings. I’m surprised. I’m shaking right now. I don’t know what to do. I’m just happy that I made it.
Q: It was a little bit of surprise when you decided to enter the draft. What was your thinking behind that decision?
A: I’ve really got family issues. When we grew up, we didn’t have everything and now we struggle. That was the reason why I came out because I had family issues in my household that needed to be taken care of. I came out because I felt like my potential and everything would be good enough to play in the NFL coming up.
Q: So even if you would have had a better draft position if you waited a year, you felt like you needed to come out right away?
A: That probably is correct. If I would have stayed probably one more year, I probably would have came out a lot higher than what I came out with. I wouldn’t take it back for nothing. I got picked by the Minnesota Vikings and that’s the way I’m going to take it from right here and I’m not going to look back on it and I’m not going to regret nothing.
Q: They have a couple of Pro Bowl defensive tackles here. Do you know much about Kevin and Pat Williams?
A: I didn’t really watch the Vikings d-line much. I used to watch the Jaguars a lot because I’m right down the road from the Jags, about 25, 30 minutes. I always liked watching the Jags and Marcus Stroud and those big guys that play on the d-line, but I’m sure if they can start for the Vikings and they are in the Pro Bowl, I’m sure they are great d-tackles.
Q: Some of the scouts that look at you say that you have the kind of frame that can add 15 to 20 pounds. Is that something that people have told you that that is probably going to be happening when you come to the NFL?
A: Some teams told me that. Some teams told me I was fine just the way I am. But if I have to add 15 or 20 pounds, my body can take it. I’ve got a big frame, and I’m sure that it will develop out well.
Q: You were pretty highly recruited coming out of high school. Were you happy that you decided to go to Florida State?
A: Yeah, I was always a Florida State fan growing up. I’ve loved Florida State ever since I was an infant growing up. My dad, that’s all that he put in my head was Florida State and that was my team and that’s where I went and that’s where my heart was and I’m glad I chose Florida State.
Q: Last spring you won the Big Otis Award. Is that a testament to your hard work in the offseason?
A: Oh, yes sir. My hard work and dedication, I guess I’ve just been like that ever since I got with Budd Thacker. When he first came in, his freshman year, ever since I got with him, my hard work and dedication went up to a whole another level when I made friends with Budd, and it just continues now. I do it now. I work out constantly. I jog, run, keep my wind up. I do everything I need to do to keep in shape and stay fit.
Q: How many people do you have there celebrating?
A: The whole family and half of the church.
Q: Do you think your quad injury may have hurt your stock a little bit because you weren’t able to finish the conditioning drills?
A: Oh, definitely, because right after we warmed up, after we did the NFL Combine warmup and we started doing our warmup, I felt it. But I wasn’t going to…The Kansas City Chiefs coach, I think he was the one that was doing the weightlifting, and he told everybody, he was like, if you don’t show them what you can do now, then it really doesn’t matter what you do at your pro day. He said they want to see what you can do in front of everybody, but maybe all the teams aren’t going to be at your pro day, so I did what I had to do when I was at the combine. I ran the 40. I wasn’t going to back out of it. I didn’t do the vert and the three cone because that was kind of at the end and my quad had really tightened up by then.
Q: They call you Baloo. Where did they come up with that name?
A: Coach (Mickey) Andrews and Odell (Haggins) gave me that name because they say I’m big like a bear, and I remind them much like the bear on the Jungle Book, Baloo. I joke around and kid around and mess around with them a little bit. We have a lot of fun with that. I actually got that tattoo on my arm of Baloo. I would love to keep that name if it’s no problem with the Vikings.
Thank you. I’m glad to be a Viking!