Barkevious Mingo has said that "attention to detail" has been crucial ahead of his first season in the NFL.
The Cleveland Browns linebacker, who was the sixth overall pick in this year's draft, has been practicing as an outside linebacker, having also played as a defensive end in college.
The 22-year-old told the team's official website: "I know there have been some setbacks, but just making sure I'm in the books, listening to the older guys, listening to the coaches, I been doing that and everything's been coming a little bit easier. That's been helping, and I've been playing a little bit better.
"The attention to detail that's required, you can't just show up. You've got to put the time in. You've got to watch your opponent because they're definitely watching you. The offensive linemen here, they rarely make mistakes, so it's minimizing my mistakes, knowing my assignments, alignments and techniques.
"You've got to read and react to what you see and make decisions on the run. The more you know, the more it slows down, and you play faster. Until you get a good grasp on the material, it's kind of fast. You've got to know so it will slow down for you."
Mingo made 38 tackles and 4.5 sacks during his final college season for LSU Tigers.
Sian Cowper
