The first time it happened, Cliff Avril's heart pounded.
Here he was at the Lions' rookie minicamp Friday, just five days after being drafted in the third round, and here came coach Rod Marinelli to work with him, one-on-one, while more than 50 other players went through drills in groups.
"I knew he was a D-line guy," Avril said. "I knew he'd be down there. But I didn't know he actually pulled guys aside and ran drills. It was kind of nerve-racking having the head man telling you what to do, but it's all good."
By Sunday, the last day of camp, Avril was more comfortable. Marinelli had pulled him aside for individual instruction during at least three of the five practices.
"It's cool," Avril said. "You get a lot of attention. It's a good thing. He wants to get you better, and he obviously knows what he's talking about. ... I'm picking up on stuff, and it's a lot of good stuff."
Avril, a 6-foot-3, 252-pounder, played linebacker and defensive end at Purdue. He was projected to play either position in the NFL, depending on the scheme. The Lions are looking for a pass rusher and see Avril as a defensive end.
"If he earns it," Marinelli said, "there's a role for him on third down."
That would be fine by Avril.
"I feel like I'm athletic enough to play linebacker," Avril said. "But I'm a D-end here, and I love getting after the quarterback. I mean, I'd rather get after the quarterback any day."
The Lions love Avril's speed. He ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.
Marinelli often has pointed out that some rushers win battles in college purely on speed, simply running around a slower offensive tackle, and that rarely works in the NFL.
But Marinelli also liked the instincts Avril showed, sensing when to make an inside move. Now he wants to hone his technique.
"It's a lot of the same stuff we did at Purdue," Avril said. "Now guys are a lot faster and a lot smarter, so it's all about reading what they give you and it's all about getting off the ball. I'm just trying to make that happen."
Before coming to Detroit, Marinelli spent 10 years coaching the defensive line at Tampa Bay. He often has showed film of his former Buccaneers and worked with his Lions pupils one-on-one.
Marinelli wanted Avril to see how a rusher can set up his moves while running full-speed. So during Avril's pre-draft visit and the rookie minicamp, Marinelli showed a lot of film of former Bucs defensive end Simeon Rice.
"That's exactly who he looks at me as," Avril said. "He pictures me as someone like him. He definitely just tries to teach me some of the moves that he used or whatnot and just how he is as a football player."
Does Avril think he can be like Rice?
"I definitely do," Avril said. "I mean, with his coaching and him being over me all the time, I definitely do. I definitely feel I can produce like him."
