GREENSBORO - Former North Carolina A&T receiver Wallace Miles, the first player in school history to lead the football team in receiving four straight seasons, has signed a free agent contract with the NFL's Detroit Lions.

Miles participated in rookie minicamp May 11-13. He signed the contract on Sunday, a day after the rest of his fellow 2012 A&T graduates were participating in ceremonies at the Greensboro Coliseum. Miles will stay in Detroit until the start of Organized Team Activities, which starts on May 21. After minicamp June 12-14, Miles will reconvene with the team a month and a half later at Allen Park for the 2012 Detroit Lions training camp.

Miles said he worked out with Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson during the rookie minicamp.  "After the first couple of mistakes I made, I thought perhaps I wasn't good enough to be there," said Miles. "But I calmed down and I had a talk with myself.

'Go out there and do what you do,'" Miles told himself. "After I had that moment, I was okay."

The introspection led Miles to believe there was no one at the minicamp that should outwork him. He also realized there was more than one way to be recognized. Miles showed an eagerness to play on special teams in addition to working on seven-on-seven and one-on-one receiver drills.

"I think the way I played on special teams definitely played a part in me being signed," said Miles

Miles shares the Aggies all-time record in receptions with 172. He also owns the school's single-season record in receptions (70) and receiving yards (1,048). In 2011, he became the school's first single-season 1,000-yard receiver. He played in 43 games as an Aggie and collected 2,238 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Miles has a degree in electrical engineering.

"I haven't completely made it yet," said Miles. "But this shows that people from A&T can play, and we have the talent to be recognized by the NFL. All you can ask for his an opportunity to show what you've got."