Patriots draft pick Jermaine Cunningham speaks to the New England Media via conference call on Friday April 23, 2010 .
Q: Are you excited to be coming to New England with a teammate of yours?
JC: I'm very excited. A couple of picks after I saw Brandon Spikes name go across the screen and my whole house, my whole family, everybody just started going crazy.
Q: Can you talk about that bond? Brandon mentioned you were roommates.
JC: Yes. We spent a semester together in the dorms our second year. [It's] just the simple fact that both of us came in the same class in 2006 and are coming out together and having an opportunity to play together with the Patriots.
Q: How aware were you of the connection between Urban Meyer and Bill Belichick when you were at Florida and how much did you see it?
JC: You could see it a lot. Every year, at least once a year, Coach Belichick would come down and talk to the team. And how much Coach Meyer would talk about Coach Belichick and what a great coach he is and how the Patriots (inaudible).
Q: Did the Patriots put you up on a board or have you do any video with them and have you explain some of your reads and things like that at Florida and tell you what your responsibilities would be here?
JC: Actually me and Brandon Spikes sat in the same meeting and we watched film and after that went through defenses and just see what we would do.
Q: From what they asked you and what you gathered from the conversation do you think you'll be more of a standup outside linebacker here?
JC: I'm not right now, but when it comes time for it we'll find out.
Q: What would you prefer?
JC: Either one. I'm a football player, so as long as I'm on the field I think everything's fine.
Q: Was that meeting in Gainesville?
JC: Yes, it was.
Q: Can you talk about your reaction when you were picked?
JC: It was just overwhelming, everybody jumping on me and just being excited.
Q: Was there anything different that stuck out to you about that meeting when you were sitting with Bill Belichick and Brandon that was different than any other meeting you had with coaches?
JC: I remember just a good vibe it had and just feeling good.
Q: How similar are the defenses, the one you played in Florida and the one you saw in looking at some Patriots film and studying that?
JC: It had very, very similar parts, but we didn't go into detail. We just went over basic defense. We didn't go in detail to the complex defenses. From what it was it seemed pretty similar.
Q: Do you think you are a better run stopper or a pass rusher?
JC: I'm going to tell people I'm a football player. Whatever it is I just go out there and play football.
Q: What happened with that bag of chips thing?
JC: That was in the past. I'm just so excited right now that I have the opportunity to play with the Patriots. I'm just so focused on that right now.
Q: Is there anything else to it?
JC: It wasn't anything too big. It was in the past. Like I said, I am just focused on the Patriots right now.
Q: How would you best describe your teammate Brandon Spikes and his style of play?
JC: Brandon Spikes is pretty much the middle of our defense like Tim Tebow was the center of our offense. He was the center of our defense. He goes out there, he's quick and he holds the defense together.
Q: Were you surprised at all to get taken in front of Carlos Dunlap?
JC: Not really because that's pretty much how the draft is. You never know. Stuff happens in your favor, stuff doesn't happen in your favor.
