ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 81
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It was on the court that Avril was most noticed.
"Even getting recruited to come to Purdue, none
of the coaches really made it to football games, they
came to my basketball games," he said. "Just seeing
how explosive I was, Coach Spack decided to bring me
up, give me a scholarship offer."
Avril accepted, in part, he says because he thought
he could play sooner at Purdue and couldn't
stomach the idea of redshirting and
spending an extra year away from home.
And Avril did play right away, starting four
games as a true freshman, then four again
as a sophomore.
But after starting the first four games at
linebacker as a junior in 2006, he was hit
with the move.
"But I wasn't hearing it," Avril said. "I
was truly mad about it. But a few weeks go
by and I'm playing well."
As a senior in 2007, the 6-foot-3,
260-pounder started every game at defen-
sive end, totaling 6.5 sacks and 15 tackles
for loss. After being the 92nd-overall pick
by the Lions, Avril endured some tough sea-
sons in Detroit, including 0-16 in 2008.
From the basement to the Super Bowl.
"For me it's like I don't ever want to expe-
rience that 0-16 part again," Avril said. "To
finish my whole career story, what would be
better than going from 0-16 to having two
championships or three or whatever the
case may be? … Getting to the next one,
that would definitely be awesome.
"I think about (my journey) every day. Being a kid
from Jacksonville, Fla., and coming way out here to
the Midwest and being productive, getting my de-
gree, making the NFL. Just making the NFL itself was
amazing and then to be able to make it through the
NFL last year and win the Super Bowl, it's been a heck
of a ride."
j
PLAYING ON SUNDAYS
The following is a look at former Boilermakers on NFL rosters.
Dallas Cowboys
#18 QB Kyle Orton
#— RG Uche Nwaneri
#93 LB Anthony
Spencer
Tennessee Titans
#31 SS Bernard Pollard
#58 LB Shaun Phillips
Carolina Panthers
#99 DT Kawann Short
Cleveland Browns
#38 DB Royce Adams
Green Bay Packers
#96 DE/LB Mike Neal
New England Patriots
#50 DE Rob Ninkovich
New Orleans Saints
#9 QB Drew Brees
New York Giants
#17 QB Curtis Painter
Oakland Raiders
#30 RB Kory Sheets
Philadelphia Eagles
#67 OL Dennis Kelly
San Diego Chargers
#61 C Nick Hardwick
Seattle Seahawks
#56 DE Cliff Avril
Washington Redskins
#91 LB Ryan Kerrigan
Free Agents
TE Kyle Adams
TE Dustin Keller
OT Mike Otto
