25 : NFL Pro Interview : Cliff Avril
Check out Cliff Avril’s website at http://avril92.com
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Strauss : So Cliff, why do you make it extremely important to connect to the fans?
Avril : I do tweet a lot because I feel like I’m just like the next person just blessed to make it from where I am and I am grateful to have people wanting to follow me.
Strauss : When did you see your first live NFL game?
Avril : I think my first live game was a Jacksonville Jaguar game and I’m not sure who they played or who won.
Strauss : If you could meet anyone, who would it be?
Avril : Martin Luther King because he was such a great leader and I would just like to pick his brain.
Strauss : What is your favorite song to listen to before a game?
Avril : I don’t have a particular song but I listen to slow music before games.
Strauss : What is your favorite movie of all time?
Avril : Bad Boys 1 & 2
Strauss : What is your favorite snack food?
Avril : Not really a snacker, I don’t really eat sweets.
Strauss : What is your favorite TV-Show?
Avril : Martin and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Strauss : What is your favorite video game?
Avril : Never really been a gamer either.
Strauss : What is the one thing you can’t leave your house without?
Avril : My keys, my wallet, and my phone.
Strauss : Why did you choose the number 32 at the Purdue?
Avril : It was my high school number in every sport I played.
Strauss : What was your favorite NFL team growing up?
Avril : The Dallas Cowboys.
Strauss : How long have you played football?
Avril : I started playing football in tenth grade but really played until eleventh, since I didn’t see any action as a tenth grader.
Strauss : Did you play any other sports in high school?
Avril : I played basketball, threw shot put and disc, and did weightlifting competition in high school.
Strauss : What is your favorite sport to play other than football?
Avril : Basketball is definitely my favorite sport other than football, I still play even to this day, to stay in shape for football.
Strauss : When did you realize that you were going to play football in college and in the NFL?
Avril : I knew I had a chance to go to college after my 11th grade year in high school, and only until my junior year in college did I realize I had a chance to play in the NFL.
Strauss : What impact did your high school coach have on your football career?
Avril : The fact that he actually put a tape together for me and sent it out was huge.
Strauss : Describe the hardest change from high school to college.
Avril : The playbook.
Strauss : What is your favorite memory from Purdue?
Avril : My favorite memory at Purdue was probably just the entire college experience, as for it teaches you time management and other life skills.
Strauss : What impact did your college coach have on your pro career?
Avril : I still talk to him now for advice, but also just being someone I can talk to about life.
Strauss : What was it like to train for the combine?
Avril : It was crazy because you felt like your life depended on how well you did.
Strauss : When were you expecting to get drafted? What was your draft day experience like?
Avril : I thought I would have been drafted in the second round, but everything happens for a reason and I didn’t enjoy the draft process because of that.
Strauss : What was going through your mind when you were drafted by the Lions?
Avril : I was excited because not too many kids get to hear their name that day. Blessed.
Strauss : Why did you change to 92 in the NFL with the Lions? Did it have to do with you being drafted 92nd overall?
Avril : Well, since you can’t have #32 as a defensive linemen, I got #92 because it was my draft number.
Strauss : Could you have predicted how far football was going to carry you?
Avril : Not at all, it’s all in God’s hands on how far you’ll make it.
Strauss : What was it like to be on the all-rookie team your first year in the NFL?
Avril : It was a great thing to accomplish.
Strauss : What do you expect from playing in the NFL?
Avril : I expect to become one of the best defensive ends to play.
Strauss : As you’ve grown as a player, how important has film been to your development?
Avril : It’s huge, it is more important than pretty much everything.
Strauss : Who do you compare your game to? Why?
Avril : I don’t compare it to anyone, I think it’s just a mixture of people I try to get moves from.
Strauss : What is your favorite quote?
Avril : “Life’s ups and down come and go, enjoy the ups and make it through the downs, and you’ll be alright.”
Strauss : For someone aspiring to play football in the NFL, do you have any advice for them?
Avril : Play the game because YOU love it and not for anyone else and enjoy it no matter what!
Strauss : Thank you for your time.
Avril : No problem, thank you.






