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January 31, 2006Kaleita drafted by Berlin ThunderKingsley grad set to play first game on March 18
Kaleita
The Kingsley High School and Eastern Michigan University graduate is officially a Berliner after being drafted by NFL Europe's Berlin Thunder. Kaleita went in the fifth round of the NFL Allocated Player Draft. The 6-foot-5½, 320-pound offensive tackle signed for the 2006 season with the Detroit Lions on Jan. 2. Kaleita reports to the Lions on Feb. 10 for a physical and leaves on Feb. 12 for NFL Europe training camp in Tampa, Fla. He's scheduled to fly overseas in early March. Berlin opens its season on March 18 at Amsterdam. Kaleita - who was cut by the Lions on the eve of training camp this summer - hasn't played in a game since Eastern faced Northern Illinois on Nov. 20, 2004. "I'm so excited," Kaleita said. "I can't wait to put the pads back on. It's been too long. "I've had a helmet on (at mini-camps) with the Lions, but I didn't get to hit anybody. I have a year and half of aggression built up that I'm trying to find an outlet for." After being selected by Berlin, Kaleita heard from Thunder offensive coordinator Don Eck. Eck told Kaleita he's excited to have him and Brandon Phillips from the New Orleans Saints. The Thunder picked Phillips in the 11th round. "He said we were the two tackles he wanted," Kaleita recalled. "And that he was excited about the offensive line. He said he's here to help me get to the next level and make some money on Sundays." Kaleita said he has his own aspirations for playing in Europe. "My goal is to make the all-Europe team," he said. "And raise my stock in the NFL." Kaleita also has a way to get information on playing overseas, and specifically in Germany. Kaleita and Chicago Bears defensive lineman Isreal Idonije share the same agent and worked out together in the summer of 2005. "He was a Berliner before I was, so that was kind of cool," Kaleita said. See related story:
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