Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier – April 28, 2018
Download PDF version
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum and General Manager Chris Grier
Chris Grier:
(I’m just asking because the fans will be asking … No quarterback. How come?) – “I think for us, we weren’t going to reach for any player. Once you got through the first round with those five quarterbacks, we kind of thought there was a little bit of an order and as they started coming off the board, we were in positon to get a couple and as it always is in the draft, a couple guys went before we picked. We weren’t going to reach for anyone at that point in the draft. There were some players that we liked, but we ended up getting some good players that we think will help us now.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“Just to add to that, the two other players behind (Ryan) Tannehill are guys that are young, probably younger than they’re perceived to be. We think their best days … They still have plenty of time to get developed. They’re not older. So, that was also a factor.”
(So I guess the idea is you’re comfortable with QB Brock Osweiler or QB David Fales, if QB Ryan Tannehill goes down, taking over the season?) – “Obviously, we have confidence (in them). That’s why we signed them. Obviously, we’re sitting here, it’s the end of April and as we’ve seen in the past, there will be a lot of transactions between now and opening day. To answer your question, we do feel confident with the group.”
Chris Grier:
(No defensive tackle either. Does this say you’re very confident in the group that you already have?) – “Yes, we are. Like we said, we’ll keep exploring opportunities post-draft here. There’s opportunities to add players and there will be some pro free agents that will come open as well after June 1st as they always do. We’re very confident that we’ll keep adding depth at that position.”
(You hit some need positions in the first couple rounds and you were able to address some of those needs that you had coming in without sacrificing any of your future assets, future picks. How important was it to you to hold onto those as you’ve continued to try to shape the roster like you wanted to do?) – “You always like to make sure that you have ammunition next year; but if there was a move to be made that could benefit us, we have trader Mike (Tannenbaum) here to get us going. (laughter) We had to restrain him this year. It was hard for him. (laughter) Really, and it’s a credit to him, is that everyone that calls feels like Mike is trying to get something. They’re like worried about it, because Mike does such a great job working trades with people. For us, we got great value we think with the players that were there. For us, if there was a trade to be made, we would’ve done it. We tried to make a couple. They didn’t work out.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“Speaking of which, we look at this draft not only did we add eight players, but we feel like getting Robert Quinn with our fourth-round pick was good value and Stephone Anthony with our fifth. As a group, that’s 10 players that we feel like we’ve added to the roster.”
(How do you feel about as a whole now, since the beginning of free agency to now, you have done now to improve this football team?) – “I think it’s still like a work in progress. I think (Head Coach) Adam (Gase), Chris and I sat down with (Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner) Steve (Ross) after the season and talked about a lot of things. We feel like we’re heading in the right direction. We really like the group here as a whole; but as Chris already mentioned, I’m sure between now and opening day, there will be some other changes. There always are. That’s what our charge is. That’s really the fun part of the job now that this is over. Maybe the media spotlight isn’t as bright, but there will be opportunities to improve. We feel like we’re going in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
Chris Grier:
(What are the things that excite you about the running back Kalen Ballage?) – “He’s big, he’s fast and he’s (got) upside. Some guys come out with a lot of wear and tear on them. He hasn’t had a lot of wear and tear. I think Senior Bowl week, he went there determined to show people that he was undervalued in his mind. That’s the first thing he said when we called him to tell him he was going to be a Dolphin, he said, ‘I don’t think there’s 11 running backs better than me that went in front on me.’ He’s confident. He understands that he’s going to have to work and improve and earn a spot; but he’s very excited to be here with Kenyan (Drake) and Frank (Gore). For us, the value was important.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And the locker room is really important to us. We talked to our punter Matt Haack, who was a teammate of his, and he felt really good about him. That was an important piece to the puzzle just because again, the types of players that we’re adding on and off field is important to us. Having one of his teammates here was good.”
Chris Grier:
(Is there anybody that you got that you were very surprised by the value you were able to get at your location where you just didn’t expect that guy was going to be there that late?) – “I didn’t expect Minkah (Fitzpatrick) to be there, to be honest with you, for the first pick. For me, he was probably – however you put it – one of the top five or six players in this draft. As we got calls after the pick, other teams kept calling us telling us, ‘He was in our top five players in the draft.’ For us, the value at that point was surprising that he was there.”
(What was the approach in terms of doubling down on tight ends, getting one that’s a good in-line guy and one that was an athletic, seam-threat type?) – “We wanted to create competition at that spot. The big thing for us is we spent a lot of time with all of these guys. With Durham (Smythe), we had a really good interview with him. We liked what we saw on film. We saw him play down here versus Miami. For us, adding another guy who can block, another body to the roster to compete with those guys. Having variety and being able to have Adam (Gase) have different chess pieces – whether 12, 21, whatever, 13 personnel – so it just gives you more opportunities and creates competition, which will make all those guys better.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“If you go back to last year, we added (AJ) Derby during the season from Denver and (Gavin) Escobar last week. So, that was a position that we really wanted to add a lot of, as Chris said competition, but depth. We feel really good about that position now and that’s taken a couple of years that we’re now comfortable … Those are really hard players to acquire and they do fall into two different groups. It wasn’t just over the last 48 hours. It’s been several months in the making and trying to get that group to look like the way it does today.”
Chris Grier:
(What was it about K Jason Sanders that made him stand out above the other kickers?) – “(Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren) Rizzi and (Assistant Special Teams Coach) Marwan (Maalouf) did a great job spending a lot of time getting to know the kid. He’s got a powerful leg and that’s the one they like. Getting to know him and spending time, they went and worked him out in the spring. To their credit, it’s really driven a lot by them. Our scouts have seen him. They spend a lot of time on the background getting to know the kid. We brought him in on a 30-visit, so he was here in the building, so we got to know him. He was the player that the coaches and scouts identified and they did a great job. We’re happy to have him.”
(Was there a specific point where you thought a quarterback was going to be in your range and went off the board? It seemed like every time, three or four picks before you, a quarterback went. Was there one of those guys you thought might end up in Miami?) – “Not really. We were in the mix with certain guys every time, so it was never where one quarterback was completely there. It was always quarterback and another guy, then the quarterback would go and we were very happy with who was there.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(You drafted players from a lot of heavyweight programs. Is there a philosophy behind that?) – “Well, we know that the Ohio State players better be really good. (laughter)”
Chris Grier:
“No. (laughter) And really, we took Southern Mississippi today, Ohio University (and) New Mexico. For us, it’s getting to know these kids and if they fit with what we do and they’re productive players in college. For us, we’re just taking the best value for us at any point in the draft.”
(What was it about CB Cornell Armstrong that stood out to you guys?) – “We brought him here on a 30-visit and got to know him. It was his speed. He’s fast. He’s athletic. We think he has great upside. When you get to that point in the draft, we were very excited to add that because we think his potential to develop down the road is good. (He’s a) great kid (and has a) tremendous story to him. We just got to spend a lot of time (with him) and liked him. We liked his film and we just think, for him, he’ll be a good player, or has a chance to be a good player for us in the future.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(How comfortable do you feel in your offensive line since you didn’t draft a guy there? What are your thoughts on that?) – “We’ve put a lot of time and effort into that, going back to the end of the season. Getting Josh Sitton, we felt that was a great opportunity for us (and) trading for (Daniel) Kilgore, then being able to keep Ja’Wuan (James) on his fifth year option. That was really important to us and some of these other guys, it was a little bit like the tight end position. We feel better about the depth and having Ted Larsen come back and Jake Brendel and Jesse Davis. Eric Smith, we’re excited about him. Zach Sterup played meaningful snaps last year in the Buffalo game (in Week 17). Those guys have played a lot. (Offensive Line Coach) Jeremiah Washburn and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) Chris Kuper do a good job. We feel better about the depth of that position.”
(How many of your players did you talk to about the other players? You mentioned P Matt Haack with RB Kalen Ballage. I guess with LB Jerome Baker, you talked to Browns CB Denzel Ward and…) – “Well, Raekwon (McMillan).”
(LB Raekwon McMillan, right. How many other players? With S Minkah Fitzpatrick, did you go to RB Kenyan Drake or anything like that?) – “We just kind of do that organically. I know that’s important to (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) and (General Manager) Chris (Grier), as well. It’s just a great information source and the guys that are here, we say it’s a very fundamental question, ‘Do you want to go to work every day with these guys?’ They’re very authentic. It’s confidential. It’s a really important data point, and again, I think that’s something that Adam and Chris feel strongly about, as well. So sure, if Drake has played with Fitzpatrick, that’s important to know. If Raekwon (McMillan) has played with (Jerome) Baker, especially in the same position room, that’s always good information.”
Chris Grier:
(A few of the guys that you selected have sort of freakish measurables in terms of how they jump and how fast they run compared to their speed. Can you describe how you assimilate that into your decision making?) – “Well, at the end of the day, the film will tell us what kind of player he is. Again, we can fall in love with numbers and measurables and you can get in trouble with that. When you get to certain points in the draft, you have to take chances on traits and things you like; but if you’re comfortable with the kid, what kind of makeup he has, if he loves football, that stuff all plays into it. It was just fortunate that a lot of these guys that we liked and spent time with also just happened to have really good measurables in terms of workout numbers. Again, it’s the film that’s going to tell you what type of player they are.”
(With K Jason Sanders, he’s missed a substantial amount of field goals. He’s 25-of-35 in his career. Was that something where it’s a distance issue that you take in as a factor?) – “A lot of it is, again, we really trust (Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren) Rizzi and (Assistant Special Teams Coach) Marwan (Maalouf), because I’ll be honest with you, (evaluating) kickers is one of the hardest things. You see, every year, guys are drafted and it’s the free agents that make it and the draft guys bounce around a couple of different teams before they make it. In terms of mechanics and all of that stuff, we spent a lot of time talking with Rizzi and Marwan about it. Those guys, as you know covering us for years, they’ve earned it. They do a great job and they’ve found guys every year. This was a player that they really believed in and we really liked the kid when we spent time with him.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“They went out and worked him out and, not to put words in their mouth, but obviously, they felt very comfortable with him and spent a lot of time on him. Obviously, the numbers are part of the story but it is not the only part.
(Do you expect to bring another kicker in to compete with K Jason Sanders?) – “Yes. Typically we’ll go to camp with two kickers, so we have some work to do.”
Quentin Poling – April 28, 2018
Download PDF version
Saturday, April 28, 2018
LB Quentin Poling
(How would you describe your style as a player?) – “Fast, smart, intelligent and speedy.”
(It seems to us that the Dolphins have really gone to address team speed this offseason, especially this draft. Do you feel that you add to that re-casting of the defense?) – “Absolutely. Speed is kind of where the progression of the game today is going. It’s going in that direction, which I think is a good move by them and I think I fit well in the grand scheme of things.”
(When you’re talking about speed, what are you talking about?) – “It’s everything in terms of on-the-field speed, being able to get the call, process it quickly, being able to look at the offensive formation, being able to process the instincts reading and reacting to plays. Speed is a lot more than just a 40-time. The 40-time plays a part; but when it comes down to it, you have to be a football player. And you have to have that football IQ also.”
(What was your time, if you don’t mind me ask?) – “My 40-time? I timed anywhere from a 4.52 to a 4.58 on my Pro Day.”
(Where did you mostly play at Ohio and do you have a preference at the linebacker position?) – “At Ohio, I was always a Mike linebacker playing in the middle, making the calls and leading the defense. I enjoyed that responsibility and such, but as a preference, I don’t really have one. As long as I’m getting to play linebacker, whether it’s in the box or out of the box … I have played both in high school and college and I’ve enjoyed both. I’m just happy for the opportunity.”
(Do you have experience on special teams?) – “I played sparingly. I was a four-year starter at Ohio, so I played a lot of games and a lot of reps each game at linebacker. They really limited my role on special teams, just to keep my health and keep my endurance and things throughout the game and season.”
(What player would you say you modeled your game after?) – “I really like Luke Kuechl. Who doesn’t? (laughter) He’s a good guy. He plays smart, plays fast, plays tough. I’m just trying to be like him as best as possible.”
(At what point did you start to think that the NFL could be a reality for you?) – “I would say after my redshirt sophomore season, maybe in my redshirt sophomore season. Things started to come along and you start to get that buzz around you. I’d say right in there.”
(How was the buzz? What was the buzz around you saying? Was it praising your speed, or your instincts? Why were you regarded in that way?) – “The speed, the instincts, the playmaking. I started off that season … I had a knee injury in the middle of the season and missed a couple of games; but I started the season off … I think after the third or fourth game I was fifth in the nation in solo tackles. I was pretty high. I had a lot of tackles and impact plays that I made the first couple of games. I missed a couple of games with a minor knee injury and came back at the end of the season and finished it out pretty well. I got a lot of good vibes generated at the end of that junior year.”
(As far as your athletic background, did you play any other sports in high school or did you have family members who were athletic?) – “I wrestled, I played basketball and I was a four-year track and field guy. I always did the shot put and the 400 (meters) and throughout the years I also did the discus, the 200 (meters), 300-meter hurdles and things like that. I was a pretty versatile track athlete. They moved me around a little bit here and there, depending on what scored best for the team at the meet, depending on what other teams were there and things like that.”
(What’s this day like for you? Did you sit, watching the television to see the draft and did you expect to have your name called today?) – “I did expect to get drafted today; but today was probably as stressful of a day as I’ve ever had. Just sitting around, going back and forth with my agent and calling teams and preparing a list if things weren’t to go as planned and I would be undrafted. Just having a list of teams that I knew I could make a confident decision right away, with who would give me the best opportunity to make an active roster.”
(So you were prepared to go undrafted?) – “Yes. I mean you hope for the best but plan for the worst, right?”
Jason Sanders – April 28, 2018
Download PDF version
Saturday, April 28, 2018
K Jason Sanders
(Did you have any inkling before coming into today that the Dolphins would be selecting you?) – “I knew there was interest. I went on one of the 30-visits. They called me five minutes before you see my name on TV, so that was about it.”
(Who did you meet with when you had the visit?) – “I met with the whole staff – the General Manager (Chris Grier), the (Executive) Vice President (of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum and Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Darren Rizzi.”
(What did you think about Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi?) – “Coach Rizzi is a good guy. I’m excited to go and hear what he has to say and do what he asks.”
(If you were going to give us a scouting report on yourself, what would it be?) – “Confident. I think confidence is what makes a young kicker a good kicker. I guess you would say confidence.”
(How do you feel about the opportunity considering, right now, you’re pretty much the only kicker?) – “Like I said earlier, I’m excited to be the only kicker coming into Miami. I’m excited to come in and work with (Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren) Rizzi and come and see what he has to say and then we go from there.”
(How many other teams showed interest and how many others brought you in for a 30-visit?) – “The Dolphins were the only one to bring me on a 30 (visit), but the (New York) Jets seemed really interested. The Jets and Dolphins I figured it would come down to.”
(When the Dolphins brought you in, did that peak your curiosity or get you really excited about the prospect of coming here?) – “Yes, I know going on a 30-visit as a kicker is a pretty big deal, so when I got there I was pretty excited, just walking in and soaking it all in. I felt good when I was there. I met a lot of people and had some good conversations with a lot of people and I felt pretty good.”
(What did they tell you about why they opted to bring you in?) – “They didn’t say much. All I know is that I was the only kicker they brought in on a 30 (visit), so I walked away feeling pretty good about that.”
(What is the range that you feel comfortable with?) – “I’ve always believed that anything under 50 (yards) should be 100 percent; but anything above 50, I think, at this level, should be a good chance of making it.”
Cornell Armstrong – April 28, 2018
Download PDF version
Saturday, April 28, 2018
CB Cornell Armstrong
(Did you have any idea that the Dolphins were interested in you?) – “Yes, sir. I knew they had interest in me. I took a pre-draft visit down there. Just the love I got and how I answered the questions, they got to know the inside of me and how I am, who I am as a person. I believe that just won them over, me just being myself and being a baller.”
(How would you describe your game as a defensive back?) – “I’m just a physical competitive guy – hard working. (I’m) just an underdog looking to get to the top. I’m always hungry out there on that island, competing-wise, and always just staying ready.”
(Are you a boundary corner or do you also play slot?) – “I rotate field and boundary. The way we had it here at Southern Mississippi, I just played one side and the other corner stayed on the other side, unless we’d go to nickel, then I’d go to the best receiver.”
(Who was the best receiver you covered this season or in your career?) – “I would say that we had the best receiver on our team – Korey Robertson. Korey Robertson from Southern Mississippi, number 18. We competed every day at practice and just got each other better. I think by the time it rolled over to game time, we knew that we just gave it all we had in practice and then by game time we were ready.”
(Do you have special teams experience?) – “Yes sir, I do. I actually played, my freshman and sophomore years, heavily on special teams – kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return. Then when (Southern Mississippi Head) Coach (Jay) Hopson came in my junior year, they came and took me off of special teams to keep me out there on the field more.”
(Tell us a little bit about yourself, something that might surprise us that’s in your background.) – “I’m just a small kid born in Inglewood, California. I moved to Bassfield, Mississippi, decided to go to Southern Mississippi that was 30 minutes down the road. My uncle went to school there – Eric Booth. It was just close to home. They believed in me earlier than any other colleges and I just wanted to stay close to home, to where my family could come out to my games and I could just have that experience.”
(What about moving from Inglewood to Mississippi? Seems like a bit of a culture change there.) – “Oh yes, that was a bit of a culture change. We actually moved out because my grandfather got sick and my mom wanted to move closer to home to take care of him.”
(How did you like living in Mississippi?) – “I love it. They turned me into a country boy down here. I love it. I can’t complain. (laughter)”
(When did you know that the NFL was a possibility for you?) – “I actually believed in myself when I was younger. Actually, my family was telling me like, ‘You’ve got a chance to be in the NFL.’ Honestly, at the time, I just didn’t see it. Then I started putting in the work and putting in the time and I saw things pay off my way and work out my way to get it. I just instilled it in my brain that I just wanted to go get it.”
(Who do you model your game after?) – “I would say (Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB) Brent Grimes.”
(Why is that?) – “Just (CB Brent Grime’s) style of play, picking up routes, playing aggressive. (He’s) not too big and just a feisty guy.”
Kalen Ballage – April 28, 2018
Saturday, April 28, 2018
RB Kalen Ballage
(What’s this experience like for you knowing that you’re finally in the NFL and going to get the opportunity to show what you can do?) – “I’m really excited about the opportunity. Watching the draft this whole time … In my opinion, I don’t believe there are 130 guys that are better than me and definitely not 11 other running backs. It’s fuel to the fire and motivation for me and I’m just excited about the opportunity.”
(What was your expectation about where you would be drafted in the pre-draft process?) – “I really wasn’t even thinking about it too much. I felt like I put the hard work in and did what I had to do, and the rest was up to God. It’s a surprise to me, just as much to my family and everybody else.”
(Under Head Coach Adam Gase, the Dolphins like running backs that are three down running backs who can pass protect, catch the ball and run. Do you fit that mold and what is the strength of your game?) – “Absolutely. I don’t think they would’ve picked me if I didn’t fit that mold. I think that I have many strengths to my game. I feel like I’m kind of a player that is raw and has a lot of talent and ability. With the right coaching and everything, I’ll be able to make a lot happen.”
(What do you know about the Dolphins running backs Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore?) – “I watched Kenyan Drake when he was in college. He’s a great running back, a three-down running back that can do a little bit of everything. He’s going to be great to learn from. Frank Gore, in my opinion, is one of the best running backs ever. He’s so consistent and he’s always doing everything right. It’s really cool to be able to learn from him.”
(Can you explain why you described yourself as raw?) – “In college, I had four running back coaches and three different offensive coordinators. For me, I think I’m at the floor of what my talent is right now. I think that I’m a guy that’s going to continue to grow and be special in the future.”
(How crazy was that game in 2016 when you scored eight touchdowns?) – “It was a crazy game and everybody always asks me about it; but honestly, I’m just glad we won the game. It was kind of a shootout – us and (Texas Tech QB) Patrick Mahomes. It was a wild game and I’ll probably remember it for the rest of my life; but I’m more happy we got the win than anything.”
(Why do you think those other running backs were taken ahead of you? Did they have more opportunity in college and a better system? Or did they test better?) – “I tested very well. I had a great Pro Day and had a good Combine. I do think that maybe they probably had more opportunities than me. Maybe they had a lot more carries. I only had 400-some carries in my college career. Whatever it was, obviously this was God’s plan for me. I can’t really be worried about too much else.”
(How much kickoff return and how much special teams have you done? How good do you think you are at those things?) – “I played special teams all four years in college. I was a kick returner for four years and I was on every special team.”
(Do you enjoy returning kicks?) – “Yes, I love it. It’s one of my favorite things to do.”
(What about returning kicks makes it so appealing?) – “I think just the fact that you get to be creative when you’re on kick return. There is a set blocking scheme and stuff like that; but at the end of the day, you have to show your abilities to play with the ball in your hands and make stuff happen.”
(What NFL running back would you say your style resembles?) – “I would say (Arizona Cardinals RB) David Johnson.”
(Because?) – “(We’re) bigger running backs, catch the ball out of the back field well, great receivers, intelligent football players and I kind of think that we resemble each other.”
(Did you run the 40-yard dash at the Combine and at your Pro Day?) – “Yes, I did.”
(Could you share with us your 40-yard dash time?) – “I ran 4.46 at the Combine. I ran 4.35 and 4.37 at the Pro Day.”
(Did you meet with Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase at any point?) – “Yes, I met with just about everybody, so I had the opportunity to speak with those guys.”
(Do you have any sense about Head Coach Adam Gase and how he may want to utilize you?) – “I think I kind of already have an idea with how they use Kenyan Drake. I think they kind of want to just add me in there and have a trio of running backs to be able keep guys fresh and play ball.”
(I know you said you’re looking forward to learning from the guys in that room, but how much are you looking forward to competing with them for playing time?) – “I’m competitive in everything I do, no matter what it is, so I’m excited about the opportunity. I think that competition breeds greatness. I feel like being around those guys that have had quite a bit of success, I think it’s going to up my game.”
Durham Smythe – April 28, 2018
Download PDF version
Saturday, April 28, 2018
TE Durham Smythe
(It appears that you would be classified as a blocking tight end. Is that a correct characterization and does that offend you in any way?) – “I guess first and foremost, blocking as a tight end, that’s a part of my game that I definitely take pride in. Coming from Notre Dame in the offense that we ran the last few years, I was asked to be at the point of attack on a pretty consistent basis. So I definitely take pride in that part of my game, but I don’t consider myself a blocking tight end. I’ve played a lot of in-line tight end, so I’m out of the ‘Y’ stance a lot. In terms of how I try to characterize myself, I try to characterize myself as more of a guy who, like I said, takes pride in blocking but can do a little bit of everything in every facet of the game. ”
(What type of player are the Dolphins getting with you?) – “Like I said, a guy who can do a little bit of everything. (I’m) a guy who can go in on early downs and be competitive in blocking defensive ends, and such. Hopefully (I’m) a guy who doesn’t have to be taken off the field on later downs, third-and-long, and such.”
(Can you envision yourself in two tight end sets with TE Mike Gesicki?) – “Definitely. He was actually on my team at the Senior Bowl. There were definitely times in practice where we’d be in a wing set or both on the field at the same time, so it’s something that we’ve already done. I could definitely see it happening in the future.”
(What were your impressions of TE Mike Gesicki?) – “Awesome guy. Like I said, he was on my team so I got to know him a little bit through this whole process, starting at the Senior Bowl, at the Combine and everything. I’ve gotten to know him a little bit. He seems like a great dude, a guy that loves football and a guy that’s going to come in and work.”
(It appears, so far, the Dolphins’ trend in draftees has been speed and athleticism. Do you fit that mold and, if so, can you give me specifics on how?) – “Sure, I would say so. In terms of speed, I wasn’t the fastest 40-yard guy at the Combine, but I was pretty happy with some of my short movement times and things like that, so I think that athleticism is definitely part of my game. Yes, you’re right, (the Dolphins) have. It seems like it has been trending that way in this draft. You can never have too much speed and athleticism on a football team.”
(What do you know about the former Notre Dame and Dolphins TE Anthony Fasano?) – “Funny that you ask. Actually, that’s one of the guys who … Obviously being from Notre Dame we have film from past years readily at hand and Anthony Fasano is a guy that I watched a lot over the last four years, back in his time at Notre Dame and as he’s gone on through the pros. He’s a guy who I’ve watched a lot, a guy that I respect because he, like I said how I try to characterize myself, does a little bit of everything. He’s definitely a great player and someone who I’ve watched a lot of.”
(Anything specific that TE Anthony Fasano does that you would like to try to emulate?) – “Yes, although this is kind of a blanket statement, he does a little bit of everything. He’s not a guy that’s going to go in and just be a big receiver. He’s going to be a guy who is competitive blocking on one rep and then he has to split out and do something on a different rep. That combination is just something I’ve tried to emulate over the years.”
(What’s a part of your game that you’re looking to improve at the next level?) – “I think, specifically, it’s my route running. I think that kind of stems from a lack of total volume of what I’ve done over the last couple of years, because like I said earlier, we ran the ball a lot at Notre Dame. Obviously in practice and such, I was running routes on a pretty consistent basis; but I think taking a step up in that is one area that I’ve really tried to improve over the last few months.”
(Did you meet Head Coach Adam Gase on the road or happen to visit here in Davie or anything?) – “I met with Coach Gase at the Combine and with the rest of the staff. I had an interview with them. I thought it went really well. Obviously, I have a lot of respect for him, so that was the most contact I had.”
(Do you remember anything that Head Coach Adam Gase or anyone else brought up at that meeting that stuck with you?) – “Specifics, no. I just remember it going really well. That’s a point, a focal process, where the evaluation is so high, so they’re taking notes and such; but in terms of just how it went and the feeling that I had leaving it, it was great.”
(What were your expectations for this draft? Where did you feel like you were going to go?) – “It’s tough. It is such a crazy process. You have some people telling you you’ll be a third- or fourth-round guy, then you’ve got other people saying you’re going to go in the sixth, seventh, late, whatever. It’s tough to exactly pinpoint it. Obviously, I had a good feeling about a few teams just because I had gone through meetings with them, and such. When it all comes down to it, when you get in these middle rounds here, it’s tough to know exactly what’s going to happen.”
(What was it like in the locker room for you at Notre Dame? Would you consider yourself one of the leaders of that room?) – “I would say so. I’ve always considered myself more of a lead by example type of guy. I’m not the most rah-rah guy who’s going to be yelling at people, and such; but I think I demanded respect by the way I went to work every day. If you do that on a consistent basis over a number of years, you start to gain that respect. I think in my last few years at Notre Dame, people realized that, and I think that’s why I characterize myself as that.”
Chris Grier – April 27, 2018 (Round 3)
Download PDF version
Friday, April 27, 2018
GM Chris Grier
(following LB Jerome Baker selection in Round 3)
(Opening Statement) – “We selected Jerome Baker, a linebacker from Ohio State. It was a guy that we spent a lot of time with. (Linebackers) Coach (Frank) Bush really got to know the kid through the draft process and for us, he had speed. We want to get faster on defense, so adding him and Minkah (Fitzpatrick) these first two days … It was a big priority on that side to get faster, and this kid has that. He is a tough kid. He’s sideline to sideline, the prototypical new-age type of linebacker. We have some insider trading info obviously with Raekwon (McMillan) being on the roster. Raekwon spoke very highly and as well as when we had Denzel Ward in for a visit. He kind of raved about the kid, talked about what kind of a player he was and teammate. For us, getting to know the kid, we were excited. We needed to add speed and it’ll be a competitive group now, to add some more, and we’ll see what happens the rest of the weekend.”
(Do you envision LB Jerome Baker as an outside linebacker?) – “I’ll leave that for the coaches. There (at Ohio State), he was the Will (linebacker). He blitzed a little bit off the outside; but he was covered up, running and chasing. That’s how (we) envision (it); but wherever he lines up with the coaches, we’ll put him.”
(You mentioned the importance of improving speed, but it seems like versatility is also the name of this draft as well – getting more versatile pieces. Is that something that you looked at in LB Jerome Baker’s game and why you were kind of drawn to him?) – “Yes. Like we talked about with the (Mike) Gesicki pick, it’s a matchup league and coaches now are … It’s a lot of matchups and scheming. So for us, it’s finding players that can do more and add the speed and athleticism for this game. We’ve struggled at times on defense here. We’ve played well at times. We’re just trying to get players that add more speed and get more consistent on defense, so we’re excited to add him.”
(Watching him in coverage, what do you think are some traits that allowed him to be successful at Ohio State in coverage, as well?) – “He’s just very athletic, first of all. He can turn his hips, he can run and he gains depth. Then it’s the speed. You go there and (Ohio State Assistant Athletic Director, Football Sport Performance) Mickey Marotti, one of the top strength coaches in the nation talked about, ‘This guy is as fast as Ryan Shazier.’ And they were shocked he ran, running 4.53 (40-time) at the combine. They’re like, ‘This guy is much faster than that,’ and you see that on film – whether he was tired that day or whatever. They just constantly raved about how fast this player was, so we were happy to add him.”
(You mentioned new-aged linebackers. Do you even worry about the prototypical Sam linebacker at this point? Do you need a 253-pound outside linebacker or no?) – “Some of those are like the way of the dinosaur, those Sams now, depending on what you scheme is. I’m just being honest. We’re fortunate to have Raekwon as a middle linebacker. That’s a bigger linebacker coming out nowadays. So for us … Kiko (Alonso) is 240-plus pounds. Now he came back at 240-plus and now adding this. So we have two big linebackers that can run and now we’re adding more speed; and then Stephone Anthony as well is a big guy that is a 4.50 (40-time) guy. We’re just adding more speed and athleticism to the group.”
(In the NBA, they’re doing something called position-less basketball where you just get basketball players out there. Are you guys doing that in the back seven of the defense or is that a mischaracterization? Just getting athletes and not specific positions.) – “You’ve heard … We’ve talked about the big thing for us is guys that love the game and are smart. If you get those guys that are athletic, fast and then you add guys that are smart and love football, I just think it gives you the ability to do more things. The smarter your team is, the more versatile – as you say – you can be. You always have to adjust to what league trends are. So for us, this was a good pick for us and we’re happy to have him.”
(What’s your sense for where LB Jerome Baker is in his development and how ready or not he is to contribute quickly?) – “I think each player is different. There are some players that come in the league and you’re like, ‘Oh, this guy is definitely ready,’ and then you get him in an NFL camp and he struggles a little bit and it takes him a little while to adjust. Again, Baker comes from a great program at Ohio State and coached by Urban Meyer, so he’s been coached hard and coached well. So for us, I don’t think the stage will be too big for him; but it’ll be up to him really and how he picks up our scheme and learns as we go through the spring and summer.”
(There have only been [five] quarterbacks taken in the draft thus far, so how much did you consider that position being that you could get one of the top second-tier guys at pick No. 73?) – “It was a consideration, but for us, (Jerome) Baker was a guy at that spot that was just too good for us to pass up.”
(How does LB Jerome Baker fit into the culture change you guys are trying to implement?) – “I think you guys have heard me over the last couple of years. The types of players we’ve added, and I know a couple of you guys, just in passing, we’ve talked about what kind of kids these guys are. They’re smart. They love football. They’re good kids. Some of them have been captains on teams, some of them not; but they’ve been team leaders. For us, again, it’s adding good kids with good character; but the guys that have traits that you like that you think will translate into production at the NFL level.”
(How busy have you guys been on the phone? I know you’re always taking calls, but have you been very busy? Have you thought much about trying to get back into the third round?) – “Yes, a little bit. Everyone in the league right now is calling up and down. Even before the third round started, we had people calling from below trying to trade up, so it’s an active time for everyone trying to get up in each draft, when you get to the end of the third round and position yourself in the top of the fourth.”
(How do you feel about having added a tight end and a linebacker from a positional-need standpoint today?) – “Those are positions we needed to create some more competition at. These are players we had spent a lot of time with, so for us, we feel fortunate to have them because we feel good about them. Now it is up to the players to go out and perform. We think they will and time will tell.”
Jerome Baker – April 27, 2018
Download PDF version
Friday, April 27, 2018
LB Jerome Baker
(Any idea that you were going to end up in Miami? What are your thoughts on landing here?) – “I’m truly blessed. I love the city … I’m happy to get to work.”
(Can you describe yourself as a player?) – “Versatile, tough, fast. I’m just a dynamic player. I’m the whole package, for sure.”
(Do you have any idea where you would be best suited in the Dolphins defense? Do you have a preference – weak side or strong side or anything?) – “It doesn’t matter. I’m a player that can play anywhere. I make plays, so it doesn’t really matter where you put me at. You’re going to feel my impact.”
(When you say you can make plays, give me an example. Are you talking passing game or run game or with your speed? How do you make plays?) – “First, it starts with my intelligence – my football IQ. I can dissect the plays before sometimes they even happen. We’ll start with that. I can play fast and I can also run fast. I can pretty much do it all. I can cover any tight end, any receiver. I can also run down any back.”
(Have you heard from LB Raekwon McMillan yet tonight?) – “No, not yet.”
(What are your thoughts on being reunited with LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “It feels good. It’s definitely going to feel good. I’m going to get down to Miami, get back on that field and get to work.”
(How did you and LB Raekwon McMillan work together back when you were playing in college?) – “He taught me a lot. He taught me how to carry myself to be a pro. He taught me to be a student of the game even more. I’m definitely excited to get back next to him on the same side. It’s definitely going to be fun.”
(You sound pretty confident in your abilities. Do you expect to come in here and start from scrimmage or start in the nickel package? How are you looking at your rookie season?) – “I expect to come in and make an impact. I don’t care what that is. I’m just going to make my impact. You’re definitely going to see a dynamic player on that field.”
(How much do you weigh right now and what is your ideal playing weight in the NFL?) – “I’m weighing about 232 right now. I’m going to play at 230. That’s what I’m going to play at, for sure.”
(How would you describe yourself in the locker room? Would you say that you are a leader type?) – “I’m a different type of leader. I don’t lead just vocally. I don’t lead just on the field. I lead all the way around, so I can definitely lead in all aspects.”
(Do you have any special teams experience?) – “Yes, I’ve played pretty much every special team there is, honestly.”
