Some highlights from Brian Orakpo's just-completed press conference at Redskins Park:

Jim Zorn's introduction: "Saturday before the draft I had the chance, this was the second year in a row, flew to, by helicopter, our stadium with our coordinators and was received very boisterously by a large crowd, a large crowd of fans. And they had come out pre-draft to encourage us as coaches as to who to take. And what transpired, I yelled out 'Who should we pick in the first round?' And simultaneously the shout from the crowd, and there were several thousand people right in that close area where the stage was, 'Orakpo, Orakpo.' And they just continued over and over and started chanting Orakpo.

"As the draft goes I know that in those first early picks we thought that Brian would be taken and gone. And then as the picks started coming down and Brian was still there we all started kind of sweating to think if we might have had the opportunity - well our hands were sweating, anyway, could we actually get Brian Orakpo. And as we began to talk to other clubs to even try to move up to get him he just kept ticking down. Much to our surprise and much to our elation we had the chance at the 13th pick to choose Brian Orakpo as our 2009 first-round draft choice."

On getting the call from the Redskins: "[Vinny Cerrato] was the first guy to call me and when he called me he was like, 'Are you ready for your second dinner?' 'Cause the first time I came, I had a great steak and he was like 'Are you ready for your second dinner? Your second steak because we'd love to have you as a Washington Redskin.' So that was awesome. "

On playing for the Redskins in high school: "It's so ironic because I was an official Redskin in high school, we modeled the Washington Redskins and now I went from a Redskin to a Longhorn back to a Redskin. And my high school coach told me once you're a Redskins you're always a Redskin, so that was a great honor. I'm looking forward to playing in front of 90-plus thousand in a huge stadium that you guys have, it'd be wonderful and a great opportunity to be productive in front of a huge crowd on Sundays."

On joining the defense here: "Like I said joining a great defense with outstanding teammates: Albert Haynesworth, London Fletcher, LaRon Landry, I mean I can name them all. And just to have my name amongst those guys is just a huge honor and a huge accomplishment. These are guys I used to watch every Sunday when the Redskins would play and I'm just so excited, so ecstatic to be here. Once again, obviously, they finished fourth in the National Football League in defense and I just want to bring my skills and what I can do to help. First of all I have to compete and earn my job, earn my position on the team and also earn my respect."

On what position/role he'll play: "It's still up in the air right now. [There is] some linebacker talk, obviously some defensive end talk, it's still up in the air. We're not sure right now. But anything I can do to be productive, that's the most important thing. ...

"Oh, yes, I've played linebacker. Since last year had a great defensive coordinator in [Will] Muschamp and he taught me, when we went to any linebacker situation I'd be that linebacker position. It's in my blood but obviously I can rush the passer as well. ...

"It's something that I've done before. I've covered backs, I've covered No. 2 slot receivers inside, I've covered tight ends. It's just the nature of the game and the nature of the formations that they give us so I'm pretty familiar and all I can do is get better.