The San Francisco 49ers rookie class will keep fans updated on the 2013 season in a "Rookie Report" series on 49ers.com. The NFL newcomers will share insight on their rookie seasons and their experiences on and off the field. First up, second-round selection Garrett Celek reports on his rookie camp debut, his introduction to 49ers veterans this week at 49ers "Football School" and his off-the-field hobbies.
ROOKIE CAMP INTRO
Let's just say I didn't get a whole lot of sleep the night before. Getting in here, the biggest thing is the learning curve. You've got so much information being thrown at you and concepts – where to be – it's like speaking a whole new language. Of course, I was nervous about that, but I was pretty confident, keeping in the back of my head that I had to stay relaxed.
At the same time, you can't freak out when all that information is handed to you. You have to handle it and take it day-by-day, play-by-play. I thought I did that well during the camp. You never arrive – you always have work to do. But just like everyone else, I was so nervous. It's good to have rookie camp behind us and move forward.
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WORKING WITH THE VETERANS**
You can always expect or guess what it's going to be like with the veterans. With them here, it was about seeing how they move and the coaching tips they can throw at you. They know this offense like the back of their hands. Some of the guys have been doing it for a few years and some of the guys are new. Even still, they've been doing it longer than we have. It's been good to see the footwork and technique they use in each drill. It's a great learning tool, that's for sure.
COMPETING WITH REID
Eric Reid and I trained together for the draft down at IMG Academy in Florida. This past weekend wasn't the first time we've met. We were there training for the combine, so we had a good back and forth and we competed on the fields down there in Florida, too. We know how each other plays and I know how Eric is in terms of an athlete. He's a special player. It was fun to have competition like that on the field against him at rookie camp. That's what the coaches love and that's what the players love, too, so it's fun to see that.
PIANO PASSION
I picked up the piano when I was 7 or 8 and I hated my dad for it, too, but he made me go. It's something he told me I'd appreciate later and now I definitely do. As far as playing it and style-wise, I'll just play anything. If there's a tune I hear on a TV show and I like the way it sounds, I'll go to the piano and try to pick it up. I definitely appreciate that now. I thank my dad for getting me into that when I was little.
MOVING TO THE BAY AREA
I was excited about moving out to the Bay Area. Anytime I get to go fishing, I'm definitely going to pick that back up, too. I'm excited to see what kind of fish they have out here. That's pretty much what I'm into off the field, just being outdoors. I communicate with fans on Twitter/Facebook, so I'm a fan of any San Francisco fan. I had a fan tweet me and tell me I need to change my names because I'm now No. 89, not 88. I changed that two nights ago, so I'm good to go.
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