Josh Uche didn't have that big of a role at Michigan as he was more of a role player, but clearly the Patriots saw something drafting him in the second round last April.
With a number of linebackers departing this offseason and Dont'a Hightower opting out, Uche could have an even bigger role than expected as a rookie. Based on what we've seen in a week of training camp sessions, that appears to be the case.
"Right now I'm just doing whatever is needed of me, whatever the coaches are asking me," he said via video conference Monday. "Each and every day, just improving slowly and surely, brick by brick. I put pressure on myself every day. That's the way my dad raised me so whatever the coaches tell me to do, I'm trying to I'm doing my best to get that done."
Uche added: "I'm just keeping my head down and working, whatever God has in store whenever whatever falls in place, doing my best to make sure I'm ready. But just working each and every day, brick by brick."
The Michigan product was primarily an on the line linebacker during his college days, but he seems to be embracing potentially playing off the line in the NFL.
"I mean, look it's football at the end of the day, and whatever's needed of me is what I'm going to do at the end of the day," Uche said. "Football is football, so I'm here to do a job they brought me in to do a job and I'm working hard every day to get what's asked of me done."
Uche has benefited from having a college teammate -- Chase Winovich -- around to help him get up to speed.
"I mean, it's great you know to have a familiar face around the facility," he said. "He's just been a really good mentor and just trying to compete with him. He sets the bar very high. It's very great. It's a blessing and what a terrific coincidence that we ended up on the same team."
Bill Belichick has noted all rookies have plenty of catching up to do, so Uche is just taking things one day at a time and not trying to look ahead too much.
"It's the NFL. Everything is new to me. It's all new," he said. "Just, this is the highest level possible for this game and, each and every day I'm learning something new that I'd never knew before. Just learning how to be professional and just soaking it all in."
