COURTESY OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF
Opening statement:
“Excited to be a Cleveland Brown. It is a dream come true getting picked in the NFL Draft. Nothing but excited to get to work.”
On how exciting is it to land with a team that looks ready to win:
“I am very excited. I know those guys want the same exact thing I do. It is going to do nothing but make us stronger if we all have the same goal in mind, which is to win. I am going to do everything I can to put us in that position.”
On how he can mesh with QB Baker Mayfield and their passion when playing the game:
“He plays with great determination, and I do the same exact thing. I know that he is a great quarterback and he is somebody that is striving to put the team in a great position to be like a championship team. With us coming together, I feel like it is going to help make us better.”
On how he fits a wide zone blocking scheme and his view on switching to LT:
“I think I fit in perfectly fine with the wide zone scheme. At Alabama, we ran multiple different types. I did just about everything, and wide zone was in our packages. I feel like I am going to adapt easy, just learn the plays and get to work. As far as switching to left side, I think it is something that is going to be in the best interest for the team. I predict it is coming very soon. It is going to be something I will need to work and learn that position.”
On if he is left-handed or right-handed and the draft process in recent weeks during a non-traditional pre-draft time:
“To start off, I am right-handed. I am not ambidextrous, I am strictly right-handed. During this process, I have been working out at home with a trainer from high school, here located in town. I have been able to get into the gym every day and do what I can do. As far as the whole coronavirus, it really did not change my routine too much because all I did was work out, football and go home. Just been trying to stay out of the way.”
On if most NFL teams envisioned him converting to LT:
“Even when I first declared for the draft, it was something that was questioned from almost every team. Only the Chargers and the Buccaneers were two teams that told me I would play strictly right tackle. I know the Browns just signed somebody (T Jack Conklin) who also plays right tackle, but I thought that I would be end up moving to left.”
On what is he doing to prepare for the transition to LT during a different offseason:
“The No. 1 thing is learning the plays and getting the playbook down because without that, I would not be able to actually play so that process and then just really practicing left tackle. (Former Browns T) Joe Thomas reached out to me and kind of knew that I would be going to that position right away. As soon as I can start that position as fast as possible and kind of send him some videos, get some pointers and clips from his direction, I feel like I will be in good hands.”
On if he also played RT in high school:
“Correct.”
On how much he is looking forward to transitioning to LT and the challenges it presents:
“I am very excited. Football is full of challenges. Whenever I can get to it, I am ready.”
On if Thomas contacted him before or after the draft:
“Before and after. He had just hit me up on Twitter DM and just told me that he had a talk with (Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager) Andrew Berry. He told me that he really likes my game. Just now, he gave his number and was like, ‘Call me sometime if you every need any pointers.’ He knew I was going to be playing left tackle and if I need any pointers on tips and videos or things like that, he will just be there to help me out.”
On if he will take advantage of Thomas’ assistance:
“Most definitely. He is a Hall of Fame player.”
On what it means to know he was the Browns’ top choice:
“It means a lot. That was something that I preached on because I firmly that I was. With them believing in me and kind of expressing their feelings about that, it makes me feel good and it makes me feel welcomed. I am going to prove them right.”
On what he learned most from Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban:
“He really just taught me how to be a professional. Came day in and day out to work. I knew if I was not going to do that then I was not going to play. I knew I had to carry myself in a different manner.”
On if he has been in touch with Mayfield and if he knew Mayfield before tonight;
“Before [tonight], no. I never really talked to him. He hit me up as soon as I got drafted. He shot me a text and just gave me his info. Same thing, he let him know that I was going to be there and he was going to be there for me and if I need anything just to reach out.”
On his celebration with family tonight:
“Just a pre-celebration get together – eat and what not. Of course, you get drafted and celebrate. Now, just kind of enjoy the moment.”
On how many people were with him:
“The CDC guidelines were 10.”
On if he is in Lexington:
“Correct.”
On how influential his parents and family have been:
“Very influential. Brought me up my whole entire life and been there for me through whatever and whatever I needed. They just kind of created me, taught me right from wrong and so on and so forth.”
On his parents being former college athletes and that being an influence on him:
“Yeah, I have been around sports my whole entire life. I started at a young age.”
On if his dad took him to games when he was young:
“That and he also used to coach me for a couple of years. When I got little older, he moved onto middle school and high school ball.”
On what he remembers from meeting the Browns and offensive line Coach Bill Callahan at the combine:
“At the combine, it was more of them just getting to know me for a couple of minutes and then straight into film and playbook work just trying to see how my mind processes and what I know. That type of stuff. The Zoom interview meeting was just me and Andrew Berry. He just kind of connected with me and getting to know me. Very little talk about position and playing actual football but more on the other side.”
On Callahan’s involvement in Cowboys T Tyron Smith’s transition to LT after playing RT in college and if Smith provides a model for the switch:
“Most definitely. I know it is going to be a tough transition, but I have full faith in him getting me to that point.”
On what he knows about Cleveland and what he wants the city and fans to know about him:
“It is close to home. I think I have only been there a couple of times when I was younger for tournaments and what not. I’m not too familiar with the culture, but I just want them to know that they picked somebody that was going to work with what they can do to be a leader in the community and I need them to teach me the culture there in Cleveland.”
