Raekwon McMillan – April 28, 2017
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Friday, April 28, 2017
Linebacker Raekwon McMillan
(What’s your reaction to being chosen by Miami?) – “I’m just happy to be in the situation I’m in. I just want to say thank God for everything that he has done for me.”
(How much communication had you had with the Dolphins leading up to the draft?) – “I had a pre-draft visit with them at the Combine, and then everything leading up to the point (now), I hadn’t had much contact. Like I said, I just want to thank God.”
(Describe yourself as a player. What are your strengths?) – “I’m a leader on defense. I’ll do the best I can do.”
(What did the Dolphins tell you about how you’d be used?) – “Any position that they need. They said I can play any linebacker position. Wherever they need me to play, I can play it.”
(What’s the scene like there? It seems pretty emotional.) – “I got my family here. It’s a blessing to have everybody here at this special moment.”
(What’s this like to know that you have achieved a lifelong dream?) – “It’s amazing. All this hard work is finally coming to light. It’s time to get back to work.”
(Where had you thought you might go? Is this about the range where you thought you might be drafted?) – “Yes, sir. I thought a little bit higher for myself … But I’m happy with my situation.”
(You might have an opportunity to come in here and start right away. Is that something the Dolphins said when they talked to you?) – “Yes, sir. Any way possible that I can get on the field and contribute to the organization, I will do it.”
(You’re obviously very emotional right now. What are the thoughts that are going through your head that are making you feel this way?) – “It’s just a blessing. I’ve been through a lot in my life. It’s my dream.”
(Are you thinking about your family?) – “I have my family here. It’s just a blessing to be able to change all our lives.”
(Was there ever a time you doubted this moment would come?) – “No. I always knew that I would out-work anybody and I would be in the situation that I’m in today.”
Chris Grier – April 27, 2017
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Thursday, April 27, 2017
General Manager Chris Grier
(Opening statement) – “Good evening. Today we added Charles Harris from Missouri. He is a player that we had targeted. We love the pass rush that he can give us. It is a position that you can never have enough guys in the league, the way this game is played. We like the kid’s attitude, his competitiveness. I think from your conference call, you kind of figured out what kind of kid he is. This guy loves football. It is very important to him. When you talk to people around the program and do your work on him, you hear all of the same things. This guy is a gym rat. He loves football; it is very important to him. He is passionate. So being around the kid a little bit, we tried not to … We tried to stay away from him purposely. Again, I know everyone looks for how everyone is doing things and trying to figure out who is coming where and stuff. This is a player that we really, really liked, and are excited to have him.”
(How do you envision using him as a rookie?) – “He will be in the rotation. We envision him being in the top four and that is obviously why we picked him where we did. For us, his traits of quickness, speed and explosiveness off the edge, the ability to rush … He also rushes inside. I know he is 255 pounds. On third down, you will see him go inside because he has that explosive first step and quickness. He can be a disruptive player and so for us, it is important to keep adding depth to that position. You can never have enough rushers.”
(How comfortable are you guys with him as an edge-setter?) – “We are. Remember we talked in the pre-draft press conference we had, it was about things we are going to (do to) tweak the defense and doing things to help. So in the Wide 9, you can have players like this that can be good run-defenders. With his athletic ability and the stuff he can do – he is a tough kid. He can be better and he will be. We are very excited for his future.”
(He made a couple of references to the meeting you all had – I think it was at the combine – and how well it went. What do you remember from that meeting and what were your impressions?) – “The love for football oozes out of him. When you watch film, when you talk to the kid and ask questions as you try to get to know him as a person – to see if it matches with everything you are told as the schools and it does. He loves talking football and that is what he wants to do. For us, again, those are the traits we are looking for – those guys that love ball and it is the end-all, be-all for him, and that is truly what it is for this kid.”
(Who was the scout that first got to know him and how did that relationship go with him as a player? Because obviously you didn’t bring him in with a personal visit, how did you get to know him as a player?) – “Chris Buford, our area scout there, does a really good job. Chris is a very personable kid. He’s a younger scout, but he also … He played football at Baylor. He was a d-lineman at Baylor. This is a player that he really liked and as he dug into the background … He knew a lot of people in the program there that dealt with the kid from the high school level and college. As Chris got to know him and really started selling the kid – he really didn’t have to sell the kid because we watched the film and we liked a lot of stuff we saw on film – but Chris did a great job in presenting him to us.”
(How early did you think to yourself ‘that’s my guy?’) – “He was a player we had … We had two players targeted at 22 and he is one of the two.”
(So how early was that?) – “That was probably about a month ago.”
(A month ago? That is early, right?) – “Yes. That is how much we liked the player.”
(Was that other player off the board already at 22?) – “I am not going to say.”
(You said you stayed away from DE Charles Harris purposely. What was your intent?) – “Everyone is tracking visits and all this stuff. Last year, we selected a bunch of players that we had here in for ’30-visits.’ Teams track that stuff and I know it is your job to do that and that is fine. It’s just there are some players that we purposely try and stay away from once we are comfortable with the player, his character and what type of kid we are getting. We just do not feel the need to spend any more time with them.”
(Were you guys fielding a lot of calls or was it a fairly straightforward pick?) – “No. We had two calls for the pick. Two teams wanted to come up from behind us and move into the pick.”
(You just could not pass on DE Charles Harris?) – “No, and honestly we really did not talk much about what they were offering because this was a player that everybody in the building – from personnel to coaches – if you see the video of the room, everyone is going crazy.”
Charles Harris – April 27, 2017
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Thursday, April 27, 2017
Defensive End Charles Harris
(What’s this experience like for you right now to be a first-round draft pick?) – “I’m literally not functioning right now. (laughter) It’s a blessing; it’s an honor. It (doesn’t) mean a thing, because I still know what I’ve got to do. I’ve got to take advantage of this – being a first-round pick. No matter when I would’ve got drafted, I’m going to come into the league and I’m going to dominate. I don’t have the same mindset as everybody else. I’m not trying to just make it there, I’m trying to get there, stay there, dominate, feed my family – everything, for real.”
(Did you have any idea the Dolphins were going to pick you, and if so, did you have any conversations with them throughout the draft process?) – “I had a lot of conversations. Actually, I had a trip scheduled for them and the trip got cancelled for whatever reason. I was like, ‘Man, that’s messed up.’ Of course, I didn’t take it to heart, but I kind of had a feeling. I kind of had a feeling. Why? I don’t know why.”
(What strengths do you think you bring to an NFL team? What are the strengths of your game?) – “The strengths of my game, you obviously see it on film. I get to the quarterback. I’m going to cause pressure, without a doubt. I’m going to get to the quarterback. That’s the thing about it. Pass rushing isn’t like other positions like DBs, receivers and quarterbacks where you have to learn shifts and other stuff. At the end of the day, it’s about what you’ve got in your heart. That’s what I’ve got. I’ve got heart. I’ve got a drive that’s nasty. I’m just trying to ball at the end of the day. I’m going to get to the quarterback without a doubt.”
(How do you envision yourself best utilized? Is it a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end? Is it outside linebacker?) – “Either or. It’s really either or. It does not matter at all. At the end of the day, I know the coaches and everyone are going to put me in the right position to be used best. I’m just going to ball.”
(When did you initially meet with the Dolphins and how many times have you spoken with them?) – “I spoke with the leader of player development. I didn’t pay them a visit. I didn’t have a workout. At the combine, the meeting at the combine went great, and that was that. The meeting at the combine was natural. It was fluid; it was perfect. That was amazing. I just appreciate the opportunity. That’s all I need. That’s all I need. (The Dolphins are) taking a chance on me. That’s all I need. (The Dolphins) are taking a chance on me, so I’ll make it pay off.”
(You’re going to play alongside DE Cameron Wake, and if all goes well eventually be his successor. What do you know about Cam and what does that mean to you to take over one of the pass rushers in football?) – “It means everything, to be able to come in and learn from him. I’m just coming in with a humble attitude, willing to work, willing to take coaching from any and everybody. It’s everything. He’s a great player, and I’m going to learn. At the end of the day, I’m hungry for knowledge. I’m hungry for … I’m hungry to get better at the end of the day.”
(Are you at home right now, and if so, what is the scene at the house?) – “Yes, I’m at home right now. Everyone else is going crazy. I haven’t even let it sink it. I’m still thinking about the fact that my phone just rang. But everybody else is just going crazy. I’m just still in shock.”
(When you got the call from the Dolphins, who was it from and what did they say?) – “I cannot remember right now. They asked me a whole bunch of questions – is everything good, am I healthy and stuff like that. I haven’t had (any) off-the-field issues. I’m going to keep my head down, stay on my grind and be ready to go.”
(Where is your house? What city?) – “I’m in Raytown right now. Raytown, Missouri.”
(Have you ever been to Miami? What are your impressions, if so?) – “I’ve never been to Miami, but I’ll make that move. (laughter) I haven’t been to Miami, but look, I’ll take it. I love it. Let’s do it.”
(Did you have a feeling that Miami might be the place you would end up?) – “I didn’t, because I didn’t have a visit – like I said – or a workout or anything like that. It was just … The meeting at the Combine was the only thing I really had. The meeting at the Combine, that meeting had to be one of my favorites. It had to be.”
(What was it about the meeting that made it your favorite?) – “I’ve never been so genuine and willing to tell everybody my story about how I got here and how far I want to go. I think that was the first meeting that I was really just calm, just cool and not on edge, and just really telling the coaches how I feel. They were really receptive. That’s one thing, they were very receptive to everything I was saying and actually paid attention. Everybody in the room paid attention. There wasn’t a single person in there on their phone or writing down … Everybody was (paying attention) to me with their ears and their eyes. That’s what made it a great meeting at the end of the day.”
(Was that meeting with Head Coach Adam Gase, or was he not part of that?) – “Yes.”
(What’s your impression of Head Coach Adam Gase?) – “Amazing man.”
(Can you tell me about your high school football career? I thought I read you didn’t play until your junior year?) – “Yes, I didn’t play until my junior year.”
(Why didn’t you play football until your junior year of high school?) – “I could put (Lincoln Prep High School Head) Coach Lee (Allen) on the phone right now. I just didn’t play. I was so basketball-driven and so focused that I just didn’t want to play football. But then I got embarrassed and my mind said … The way I am, I’m not going to let that happen, because I don’t want anybody to think I’m weak or I’m soft, so I’m going to pick football.”
(So you basically started playing football because you didn’t want people to think you were weak or soft?) – “Yes. Same thing to this day. A lot of people doubted me, and I love that.”
(Who are you with right now?) – “I’m with my whole family. I’m with my girl, my mom, everybody is here.”
(What NFL player would you say your style kind of resembles?) – “My style … I’d probably say my utilization is probably like Michael Bennett. Outside, inside – just any and everything. I can play any technique – nine, five, three. I can play anything. I can be in a four-man rush package. I can be in a 3-4 and drop. I can do any and everything a coach wants me to do. I doesn’t matter. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I will do it at the end of the day.”
(DE Cameron Wake wears No. 91, so what is your second favorite jersey number?) – “I don’t care. Just give me a jersey, a helmet and some pads and some cleats. I can get my own cleats, but I probably have to wear (the team’s) cleats. Just give me some cleats, and I’m ready to go. I don’t care what the number is. I’ll make the name shine.”
(You weren’t very high in a lot of these mock drafts that were put out there at first. How did that make you feel? And secondly for this result, what do you think of it?) – “It makes me feel amazing. But like I said, I was a zero star in high school. I was a zero star in high school. I didn’t really care about no rankings, no nothing to this day. The mock drafts and stuff like that, that’s cool and all, but at the end of the day, I’m going to ball. I know I am. I’m going to work hard, and I’m going to ball.”
