Wake Forest's Aaron Curry holds up a jersey with NFL commissioner Roger Godell, at Radio City Music Hall, on Saturday in New York.<BR><I>AP Photo</I>

RENTON, Wash. – Aaron Curry entered college wanting to go to law school and become a judge.

That goal changed two years ago. He came home to Fayetteville, N.C., the summer following his sophomore year at Wake Forest and found his mother evicted from her home.

His routine football workouts became fiendish. And life-changing.

“I worked until I could put myself in position to provide my mom a house to stay in,” Curry said.

He’s there now. The Seattle Seahawks selected the top-rated linebacker in the NFL draft fourth overall on Saturday to fill their most immediate need – and fulfill Curry’s dream of a more lucrative career, one that secures his family financially for life.

Seattle’s highest pick in a dozen years will replace the traded Julian Peterson. Franchise player Leroy Hill, the Seahawks’ other starting outside linebacker, also could be gone next year as a free agent.

“It’s a perfect fit,” said the 23-year-old Curry, who never made a pre-draft visit to Seattle but said he knew the Seahawks had “just let go of Mr. Peterson.”

Curry’s head was bowed when his name was announced inside Radio City Music Hall in New York. He then hugged his mother, Chris, and wiped away tears.

“I was thinking just, ‘Thank you, Mom, for everything you’ve done for me,”‘ Curry said.