ROOKIE MINICAMP MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Friday, May 10, 2019
(On how the first day was for him) “The first day was good. I got to go back on the field, do football drills, get back to football shape, compete; things that I love to do. I’m just glad to be back.”
(On what they had him working on during the first practice) “Just learning how to get back in a three-point stance and making that your main position. I have to get back familiar with that, but I’m a quick learner, so I’ll pick it up quick.”
(On if he’ll play more defensive end or linebacker) “I just do whatever they want me to do, to be honest with you. You know, they brought me here to play multiple positions, and if so, that’s what they’ll use me as. If they want me just to rush the passer, then I’ll rush the passer. I just do my job, do what they tell me to do, and try to be great at that. I wish [Telvin Smith Sr.] nothing but the best.”
(On why he previously thought about quitting sports when he was a kid) “Because I wasn’t good, and I sucked. I was getting hit all the time. I was a basketball player, for real, and I wasn’t really a football player because I kept getting hit. ‘This ain’t for me. I’m just going to play basketball.’ My uncle kept talking to me, and when I got to year two, I started to become the one hitting people. I started to get better.”
(On where he was working today) “I was just with the d-line today. They really don’t want me to move positions; they want me to learn something first. Then, if they want me to play another position, then I would. Right now, I’m just trying to learn defensive end: rush-end and big-end. I’m trying to learn all those positions now and then once I get going, get familiar with the schemes, then I can move to different positions.”
(On if he feels like a leader) “Every guy out here is trying to work, we’re all trying to make a team. That’s the mentality. My role, they brought me here to do a job, so I want to lead as best I can. I’m trying to motivate my teammates and get everyone to keep going with me. So far, everyone is stepping up and everyone is being their own leader, leading themselves, so I’m going to set the bar high. I’m going to be the first one in line. I’m going to go hard every play. That’s just my role and that’s contagious. I feel like doing that consistently, play-in and play-out, I feel like that can bring a lot of people along.”
