COURTESY OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF
On joining the Cleveland Browns:
“It is a blessing. It was actually something that I was looking forward to. There is no controlling the draft, but that was the team that I wanted to go to from the start. I just thought that going to the Browns I can make a difference on their D line and contribute to the defense.”
On describing himself as a player:
“I consider myself a playmaker that disrupts the middle, a pocket pusher in the pass game and just a disciplined run stopper. That is what I consider myself to be.”
On the talent level in the SEC Conference compared to the Big 12:
“I’m not going to say it is a lot different. Just scheme wise, things are different so you get more opportunities in the SEC to make plays. The Big 12, it is a passing league but it has a lot of quick passes and a lot of screens. The SEC I feel is more of a pro-style type of league.”
On why he wanted to play for the Browns:
“Honestly, it was just a feeling that I had a long time ago, probably when I first met before the draft. It was just something about calling my name by the Browns. My family members would have dreams about me going to play for them. I just felt like it was something that was meant to happen.”
On what he learned from transferring and playing on the scout team for a year:
“Really just becoming a complete team player, doing it for my teammates and really falling in love with that process. That is something that being on the scout team and looking at the other D linemen, going against the [offensive line] that week and giving them the best looks, that was something that I fell in love with. It was like the competition for me. That was my gameday, every practice. Just trying to be better than the person that they are going to go against so it is easy for them on game day. I feel like that was the most valuable lesson I learned from that year.”
On when he had the first feeling he wanted to be with the Browns and the family members who were dreaming for him joining Cleveland:
“That was at the combine. It was my mom’s boyfriend. It was real random. I don’t even talk about the process with anybody so for him to have that dream, it kind of just let me know that is where I need to be.”
On if he feels like he is on the right track and is starting to come into his own and mature after last year at Missouri:
“Yeah, for sure. Maturity is a part of growing. It is a part of life. At this point, I feel like I’m at a stage in my life where I’m ready to just contribute and do it consistently.”
On losing 30 pounds:
“I cut out red meat and chicken. I only ate turkey and fish for a long time. Right now, I’m on a no-meat fast so I just eat vegetables and stuff. That is something that I did probably a year and a half ago. Just cut out the red meat and chicken, and then I just started losing weight, working out more and it all came together.”
On some scouting reports questioning his maturity and if he had to convince teams that he has matured since entering college:
“I feel like I didn’t really have to convince any teams. Just the coaches that I had, they will tell you straight up just where I came from, how far I have grown just from my freshman year at Texas I was blessed to have the same position coach. He has seen me grow over the years, and at this point in my life, maturity is not an issue at all. I’m just ready to work and ready to get to it. I don’t have any distractions in my life so I’m blessed and just ready to get to work.”
On verbally committing to multiple colleges during his recruiting process:
“That was part of that immaturity. That is not me anymore. When you wake up in the morning, you hope you are not the same person you were the day before. It is all about growth. That is just my mindset. That was just a small piece of the puzzle.”
