Ben Heeney 'pissed off' during NFL Draft, but 'excited' by selection

The uncertainty and anxiety that brewed up in Ben Heeney as he watched live coverage of the NFL Draft at his parents' house in Overland Park, Kans., nearly pushed him to his boiling point.

"I was starting to get pissed off," Heeney told KU Sports, "and I was just sitting there waiting."

Heeney was projected to be a mid-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, but wasn't selected until the Oakland Raiders scooped him up in the fifth round.

"Everything works out, everything happens for a reason," he said. "I'm headed to the Raiders, so I’m excited."

The former Kansas linebacker will be exposed to plenty of novelty in Oakland. Not only has the 6-foot, 230-pound tackling machine never been to California before, but he might also be poised for a position change from inside linebacker to weak-side linebacker in the NFL.

"I'm the kind of guy who's just gonna go in there and work my ass off," Heeney said, "and we'll see what happens when the season comes. … I think I can play anywhere. So, anywhere they want me to play, I'm comfortable."

(h/t KU Sports)