The Broncos used the 67th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft to select linebacker Nate Irving from North Carolina State. Irving took the time to speak with members of the media after being selected:
On which linebacker spot he prefers to play
"I don't really have a preference. I am just ready go get started, play some football, and I will compete for a spot."
On his style of play
"For those people who don't know me, I'm just a physical linebacker who likes to impose my will and punish the ball carrier or get a blocker out of my way to get to the ball carrier."
On where he thinks he will play
"I talked to the coaches, and they like me in the middle."
On the transition from outside to middle linebacker
"It was really not a big transition because of the way our defense was set up; the ‘Will' and the ‘Mike' were both stacked linebackers inside the box. The only thing I had to adjust was my vision. As a ‘Will,' I see lot of things coming towards me from the sideline, but in the middle, they come from a lot of different angles."
On whether he thought being drafted was a possibility after his accident
"I never did. I put everything up in the hands of God, and I just did what I was supposed to do."
On playing with LB Von Miller
"I was looking at the earlier pick, and I saw Von Miller, and I'm just looking forward to getting out there and playing alongside him. With me in the middle and him on the edge, we could wreak some havoc on every offensive team in the league."