Jahlani Tavai didn't read it, the negative reaction to the Lions drafting him in the second round, the widespread criticism that it was a reach. His mom did. So did his five brothers, one of whom recently played for the Titans.
So Tavai already has.
"I really don’t care. Like, not worried about anything," Tavai said on Tuesday after the Lions' second practice of OTAs. "I think there was a quote, 'Lions don’t listen to the opinions of goats or whatever.' So I’m just going to have that mindset and focus on what I can control."
That's when Tavai's mom came to him with that old saying.
"I think my mom was listening to it or reading up on everything and just told me stay focused and don’t listen to the outside noise. Her and my brothers, they all preached it the same. Just worry about what you can control, so I just gotta live by that motto," he said.
Right now, that means pouring himself into the defensive playbook, learning all he can from the vets around him and keeping his body in good shape. Tavai will eventually have a chance to prove the critics wrong, but only if he takes care of business this summer. The rest should take care of itself.
So far, Tavai likes where he landed.
"This is a great environment. I love how the coaches have a standard on just being successful. I want to engrave that in my mindset and come out here every day and just be a Lion," he said.
Over a four-year career at Hawaii, which has a history of producing NFL linebackers, Tavai finished second all-time in tackles. He might have finished first if not for a shoulder injury that cut short his senior season in October.
He chuckled Tuesday when asked about a game last year versus Army in which he racked up a career-high 15 tackles and, as one reporter said, seemed to lose his mind.
"Everything I do, I put the team first. That's what I’m going to try and do out here," Tavai said. "Just have to put your body on the line for your team."
His name is on the line, too. Most critics had never heard of Jahlani Tavai when he was called in the second round of the draft.
"I mean, it’s hard if you’re from Hawaii," he said.
Now that he's in the NFL he has a chance to change that, like fellow Hawaii linebackers Jeff Ulbrich and Pisa Tinoisamoa did before him.
But first things first.
"Everybody makes (their own) name for themselves," Tavai said. "Right now, I’m new here and I just want to make sure I take each day seriously and show the coaches that they can trust me and that I’ll be responsible."