Chris Grier and Brian Flores – April 25, 2020
Saturday, April 25, 2020
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Brian Flores
Brian Flores:
(Opening statement) – “I just wanted to quickly just say a few words and really say thank you to the doctors, to the nurses, to the first responders, to the essential workers during this pandemic. I think the job they’ve done has been incredible. I think they’re the real heroes. This pandemic has hit close to home for me. I’ve actually lost two mentors that – they were mentors to me in New York, so I just kind of wanted to show a picture of them. That’s Mike Hankins. He’s a mentor to a lot of kids in Brooklyn. Obviously in this picture he’s a referee, but he was also a father figure to many. His son, Mike Hankins Jr. is a good friend. We lost him a few weeks ago to COVID-19. The next guy is Myles Coker. Myles and I were – I’m very, very close with his sons, Cliff and Kelvin, so that was a tough loss for them and obviously a tough loss for me. They’ve got an incredible family – Cliff, Kelvin, their mom Deborah – and I just wanted to send my thoughts and prayers out to Mike and his family – Cliff, Kelvin, Deborah and their family. I just implore everyone to stay safe, stay healthy – and stay healthy. It’s important. Thank you.”
Chris Grier:
(I wanted to ask you your thoughts on the trade for RB Matt Breida. Were you at all getting nervous as you saw so many running backs coming off the board and how do you see the tandem of Matt and RB Jordan Howard working out?) – “From our end, ‘nervous?’ No. Brian (Flores) and I and the scouts and the coaches, we had a plan for how we wanted to approach this draft. The one thing we do is we always look at options. Brian and the scouts do a good job of probing and trying to figure out ways to improve the roster, so the opportunity was there. As we worked through – even through these last few days and looking through stuff. For us, there was no panic on anything. It was just we stayed with our process and we feel good about the draft today. Brian can talk about the football side of it. (laughter)”
Brian Flores:
“I wanted to say Chris (Grier) and the scouting staff – there’s a lot of brainstorming that goes on about doing some things outside the box, and this was an example of that – this trade. As far as Matt (Breida) the player, this is a very explosive, young running back with good vision and can create a lot of big plays. But he’s also tough, he’s also smart, he also has a lot of the qualities that we’re looking for in our players. It was an exciting phone call to have with him and can’t want to get him out here.”
Chris Grier:
(You had 11 draft picks, you’ve signed 10 free agents, you brought in the veteran running back – a lot of fans are going to see all this talent coming the Dolphins’ way and will have sky-high expectations. Is that good? Is that right? What would you say to these fans?) – “For us – and Brian has always talked about it – it’s one day at a time. It’s building a process of building this team to get better every day. Expectations, people will have that and good or bad, and for us it’s just staying the course and doing a lot of the things that the coaching staff really believes and implements with the team.”
Brian Flores:
“Games aren’t won in March and April. I think there’s a lot of work that has to be done from now until the start of the season whether it’s virtual meetings to hopefully getting back together, getting on the field and getting 90 guys on the same page, 11 guys on the same page. It’s a team of teams, so the nickel group’s got to get on the same page. The dime group’s got to get on the same page. The 21-personnel offense has got to get on the same page and the 11-personnel’s got to get on the same page. There’s a lot that goes into it, so we’ve got a long, long way to go – a long, long way to go. I think it starts with the virtual meetings and then when the time comes when we come together and get to practice and get to walkthrough. A lot of hard work has to be done first to become a good team. It’s not easy, so I would say as far as expectations, let’s manage them and there’s a lot of work we have to do, and obviously we’re going to push the team to do that but the work has to be done by the players and coaches, the personnel staff. It’s going to be a collective team effort.”
Chris Grier:
(I wanted to ask you guys, today you added another offensive lineman. It seems like you guys are trying to find that big mauler mentality. Is that fair to say that’s what you want your o-line to be and are any of those offensive linemen closer to some ready to play than others?) – “I think as we sit down and we talk about stuff, we’re just looking for good football players. At the end of the day, we had the criteria of what we’re looking for, but they’ve got to be good players – smart, tough, competitive – all the things we talk about. At the end of the day, when they get on the field and how they do their classrooms and stuff, that will set whatever goals they reach from Year 1 going forward. I think from our perspective, it’s you have to go out every day, improve and get better each day like Coach (Flores) always talks about.”
Brian Flores:
“We want guys who compete. I think that’s going to – we’re trying to create a competitive environment and get as many guys in here to compete. We feel like when there’s competition, people get better. It really doesn’t matter what area of life it is. When there’s a little bit of competition, guys reach their maximum potential. These are competitive guys. That’s part of the criteria Chris (Grier) just talked about. Hopefully we can get them here and get started pretty soon.”
(What was it about G Solomon Kindley that appealed to you? I think there was a video shown of you, Brian, kind of blocking the air when his selection was made. What was it about his play or maybe what you heard about him that encouraged you get him?) – “I think there was a fly in my office. I don’t know if I was blocking the air. (laughter) Solomon, he’s a fun-loving kid. He’s full of energy, full of enthusiasm, loves to play the game and he’s a physical guy. To me ,I would say that’s the one thing that stands out. He’s a physical kid. He plays the game physically and looks like he enjoys (the game). When you watch him play, you get the feeling that he enjoys the physical part of the game. I’m sure he’s a – he better be a much better blocker than I am on air or wherever it is. (laughter) There’s a lot to like about him.”
(Fans have been able to see you celebrating with Miles and Maxwell in your office after some of the draft picks. What has this experience been like for you to share the draft with your sons and what do you think about fans seeing this side of you with your kids?) – “Well before I – I need to say thank you to my wife for dealing with having me home all the time. It’s definitely been an adjustment, but it’s been fun. It’s been a lot of fun, actually. I haven’t spent this much time with my family – my kids, my wife – in a long time and it’s been great to sit down and eat dinner, to help my kids with their homework. (laughter) I don’t know if anybody’s done some math, but that’s very interesting – not carrying the 1, not carrying numbers is very interesting to me. (laughter) But it’s been fun and it’s been a great experience, and having them spend time with me during the draft was a great experience. I’ve been able to (tell them), ‘if you don’t take a nap, you’re not going to get to the draft,’ so it’s been a lot of fun. It’s great to see it across the league. Families together, I think that’s just, it’s so important. When I think about being a coach, you want to help players become good players but good people, good husbands, good fathers, good sons; and I think we, as coaches, need to be good examples of that and hopefully the players saw that and hopefully the world saw that. I think that was evident. It was nice to see everyone’s families.”
(Can you talk about these two mentors? At what point in your life did you know them and is there anything that jumps out as far as a story about them or some impact that they had on you?) – “I’m not going to dive too far into either one. But Mike Hankins, he was just a figure in Brooklyn around my neighborhood as someone who was constantly trying to help other people succeed. It was a tough area, a place where you can go a lot of different ways and you can go down the wrong path. At every opportunity, he was someone who tried to help young people as much as he could. I was lucky to spend some time with him and his. He was a referee at games and whether it was football or basketball, he just enjoyed sports so much and it gave him so much joy. He just loved being around young people and helping them become better – better version of themselves. Myles Coker, I would say I spent more time with him. He’s got quite a story. It’s an incredible journey. His life has been an incredible journey. His sons – Cliff and Kelvin – I would say are two of my best friends in the world. For them to go through that adversity, I felt it myself. Myles was full of wisdom, I would say. Full of wisdom. He was someone you could seek out for counsel whenever you were going through something; but he had a joy and spirit about him that was also incredible. He had a smile that would light up a room and he was full of jokes, and his sons were the same way. It was a loss for everyone, but if you spent time with either guy – Mike Hankins or Myles Coker – I feel like I was better for it, certainly.”
Chris Grier:
(You talk about the experience of spending time with the family. How was the experience of running a draft in 50 different places? Was there a moment where there were technical glitches? We as consumers loved watching it. We loved the access that we got. Would it be something that you would be okay with doing again?) – “Our IT department did a fantastic job. Those guys were on the ball. The video department, everybody. It was smooth. They allowed us to have everything we needed. Anything we wanted it was set up. It couldn’t have happened without them. As far as doing it again, we will do whatever the league says. We’ll be ready to react. I love my wife too, like Brian. My kids are older. What’s Option B, would be mine. (laughter)”
Brian Flores:
“Yes, like Chris said, our IT department was really on point. If there were any glitches, they were very minor and I must have missed them. Things ran pretty smooth on our end, so they did a wonderful job. Again, it was great. I had a great experience this year. You go into it, you never know what it’s going to be like. I think there is a lot of apprehension or uncertainty about how things will go, but I thought it was great. Again, I thought it was great to see all of the families together. I thought that was really nice.”
Chris Grier:
(You guys have made a lot of moves this offseason via draft, via free agent signings, via trades. What are the one or two most important areas that you addressed?) – “I’d say everything, and that the great thing about Brian and the staff, and the coaches and these scouts is everything was done with a calculated plan and what we were looking to achieve in terms of roster building and looking long-term, as well. For me, we always talk about building blocks and I thought we did a great job of accomplishing that and hitting some areas of need.”
Brian Flores:
“Yes. I would agree with Chris. Every area counts. That’s something we talk about on a daily basis. Everything we do counts. Every evaluation, every measurement, everything we do from a personnel standpoint counts. I think Chris and the scouting staff did a great job. I think we tried to improve the team in every area. There wasn’t an area we felt like, ‘we’re good at this spot.’ No. It was ‘how can we get whatever we feel we’re good at better?’ That’s been something that’s been good and we’ll try to continue that.”
Chris Grier:
(I’m always curious at the end of the draft, how the board fell compared to your expectations and if you feel like you had good luck or not so good luck at times?) – “The board fell pretty much like we thought. We felt pretty good about things. You always have one or two things there where a team jumps up or we’d jump up. We had a couple moments there where we had a few smiles and laughs and we had a couple of table slams here and there. It went good and we got the players that we liked on the board at the end of the draft. It was good and the coaches and scouts, everyone did a good job.”
Brian Flores:
“There were definitely some moments, definitely some moments. You guys will never know about them but there were definitely some moments. I think that that is part of – there are some moments in every draft where something just doesn’t shake the right way. It’s never perfect, nothing ever is. But I think we worked together as an entire staff well and worked through those ebbs and flows of the draft. All and all, I think it was a good weekend ”
Chris Grier:
(With the two pass rushers that you added, DE Curtis Weaver, and DE Jason Strowbridge, what did you see in them that made them an ideal fit for this scheme?) – “First from the scouting perspective, in doing it and working it, we got to know the kids and they are good kids. They are competitive kids. They are productive players. You look at that. At the end of the day, it’s the toughness, the competitiveness, the smarts, the work ethic, how they fit in and so for us, it’s value for where we picked them. We thought they were good picks for us. We are excited to see what they can do. They have to come in and work and earn their spot like everyone else, but I thought it was good value.”
Brian Flores:
“Yes, Strowbridge is an outside, inside player. He lines up outside in some situations, inside in some other situations. Good strength, good quickness. There’s a lot to like about him. He played multiple positions, (is) versatile, tough. Weaver is a good pass rusher, or showed that over the course of his college career. Hopefully that translates. I think he has got to do a better job in a lot of areas, but so does Strowbridge and so does every one of these rookies. They all have to improve, they all have a long way to go. There’s definitely some things that we really liked out of Weaver from a pass rush standpoint. Hopefully we continue to develop those as well as every other part of his game. We like both guys. We like most of the guys we picked.”
Malcolm Perry – April 25, 2020
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Saturday, April 25, 2020
RB Malcolm Perry
(It looks like you might have the ability to play running back, wide receiver and quarterback. What have you heard about where you project on the Dolphins team?) – “I haven’t heard much. I’m just going in with an open mind, positive attitude and ready to play wherever they choose to throw me first.”
(What did they have you do at the Combine?) – “I played wide receiver at the combine. That was my main position. That’s what I’ve been training for the whole time, but the willingness and I think I have the ability to go other places if need be.”
(I believe you’re the eighth Navy player to be drafted and obviously the Department of Defense policy changed things for you to be able to play right away. What does that mean to you – the ability to play right away and how the service academy is providing that for you?) – “It means a lot. It means the world. As a kid growing up, this is a dream come true for sure, so just choosing that route and then everything unfolding in a very fortunate sequence for me with the rule being changed. It means a lot because I know a lot of guys that I played with in the past who didn’t get the opportunity, but definitely had the talent. It means a lot to be in this position and I’m very fortunate.”
(I wanted to ask you about attending the Naval Academy – why you attended there. Were there other choices for you and if I’m not mistaken, at least years ago, you had to get a politician, a senator or a representative to write a letter. How did that process go for you as well?) – “I didn’t have a lot of offers coming out of high school. I had the three service academies which were probably my best offers, so I kind of narrowed it down to those three and chose Navy after a good visit. It’s a pretty strenuous process to get into any one of the academies. You have to get several senators’ signatures and recommendations, and it’s a pretty long process. I ended up having to go to a prep school as well, so I spent a year there before I actually got on campus; but I enjoyed my time there for sure.”
(I wanted to ask, what’s probably the most exciting thing about having the ball in your hands as a playmaker?) – “Just the ability to help my team get some yards and hopefully get a touchdown. That’s the goal every time I touch the ball, so just giving the ability to help the team out and hopefully I’ll be able to do that.”
(I think you touched on this a bit before, but how is important is it for you to show the world the level of athletics there are in service academies and if you can make a mark on the NFL do you think it might change some opinions on the level of football at those colleges?) – “I don’t like to think about it a lot. I think me and my teammates just like to go out and play football, but moving on to the next level, just keeping that same attitude: just work hard, do whatever I can to help the team and get the ball rolling there.”
(I’m wondering when you started to think the NFL was a realistic option for you and I’m not trying to be negative here at all, but if you don’t make it in the NFL, would you stay in the service or have you even thought about a military career? What would happen there?) – “I’d say when I first starting thinking the NFL was a possibility was somewhere in my senior season – midseason. I kind of felt like I had the ability to do it, was having a good year and might get the shot; but if the NFL doesn’t work out, I’ll be a Marine Corps officer. I service the Marine Corps Ground. If the NFL wasn’t in the mix, I would be going to TBS (The Basic School) for six months and then getting my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) and getting my specific job in the Marine Corps, and I’d be an officer in the Marine Corps. After the NFL career, whatever it is, I still owe two years of active duty of service, so that’s still something that I have to do.”
(Why receiver? Why is that the ideal position in mind for you to have success?) – “Going into it, I think my skills kind of translate to that position pretty well. And it was where I was most uncomfortable as a player. I felt pretty natural at running back, if I needed to make that transition. I just wanted to be as good as I could at my weakest position transition that I thought. So, that’s what I’ve been training for, that’s what I was projected to play at the next level; but obviously, like I said, I’m open to anything. I just wanted to practice there and felt like my skills translated there the best.”
(Patriots Coach Bill Belichick has a lot of respect for the service academies. I’m just wondering which teams spent the most time with you, which coaches, which front offices? What were some teams you thought might be in one you?) – “The Patriots were definitely probably at the top. There’s a big tie with Navy and Coach Belichick. (I) talked to him quite a few times. They probably showed the most interest.”
(Quite often special teams help guys who are drafted on the third day. How much experience do you have and do you think if you don’t have much, could you learn it fairly quickly do you think?) – “I have a year or two with special teams experience. I did some kickoff returns at Navy, practiced punt return, never got to get it done in a game. I feel like that’s definitely going to be a big role for me, somewhere I’m going to have to shine to make it in this league. It’s definitely something I’ve been practicing and definitely need time to get better and get that ball rolling in that department.”
(Is there a history of service in your family? Is there a reason you were drawn to the armed forces?) – “Yes, sir. Both of my parents were in the Army. They both retired after 20-plus years of service. My grandpa was also an Army veteran, so there’s a lot of Army presence in my family, even in the town that I live in.”
(How was that conversation when you told them you were going to Annapolis?) – “It went pretty smooth. Not much problems there. Both of my parents and my family were pretty supportive. The only person that stills has a problem with that is probably my father. He tends to root for Army a little more than I’d like in some cases. (laughter)”
(I know that at the Naval Academy the academics are difficult and there’s a lot of challenges with managing time. Is there anything else you would tell someone who’s never been through, done that experience that is sort of unique or helps prepare you for any situation?) – “I’d say just handling the lack of time to do all the things you’re asked to do. Time management, I think that’s the biggest thing coming out of the Academy that down with the countless military obligations I have, playing football and then the academics and being able to mull that into one and be efficient at it. I’d say, coming out of the Academy, definitely being efficient with your time.”
Blake Ferguson – April 25, 2020
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Saturday, April 25, 2020
LS Blake Ferguson
(I know you obviously play a unique position. Were you expecting to get drafted, especially this high?) – “For me, I always had my sights set on being drafted, and so that was a goal from Day 1. Coming into today, I knew that there was an opportunity for me somewhere and I’m fired up to be in Miami and looking forward to the opportunity.”
(I know your brother obviously plays for the Bills. You’re in the same division now. Are you looking forward to those twice-a-year battles?) – “(laughter) We were just talking about that. From the beginning we talked about, ‘oh, what if I end up in your same division and we get to play each other twice a year?’ And here we are. So I’m fired up and I’m certainly going to be doing my fair share of trash talking to him.”
(What was the draft experience like for a player like yourself?) – “It’s pretty stressful and it’s stressful for everybody; but for me, I was fortunate to have my family around. I was sitting there watching the picks just like everybody else was, and then my phone started buzzing. It’s been a cool experience, and I’ve been forward to this day for a long time.”
(What were your conversations like with the Dolphins just now? And I guess you’ve probably spoken with Danny Crossman, the special teams coach? What was the relationship like there?) – “It’s an awesome organization and I spoke with a couple of folks just now. They’re fired up to have me there and I’m fired up to be coming. I know Crossman well. He coached my brother in Buffalo for a couple of years, and I think he probably trusts our bloodline. He knows the Fergusons are a good group of snappers.”
(You’re the latest in what has been a real heavy LSU class of draftees. You guys are one away I think of breaking the record. How much have you guys talked about that and how does it feel that you’re part of the group that can help make that happen?) – “It’s going to be so cool when a couple more cards fall and the LSU Tigers – the 2019 Tigers – break the record because this year we knew we’d have a special opportunity, and this has been an incredible draft class, starting with Joe (Burrow) all the way from top to bottom. I love those guys and I’m fired up to see where the rest of them go.”
(Why long snapping and how does this become the family trade?) – “(My brother) Reid actually started doing it before I did. He was in, I believe eighth or ninth grade, and he started doing it because the guy that they have on the team that was doing it had gotten hurt. So he tried it out and said, ‘hey, I’m not really playing a whole lot at tight end, so I’m going to test out what I’ve got at long snapper.’ He went to some camps, had some success, and then I kind of fell in line with him because I knew that I wasn’t going to have the genetic makeup to a world-class tight end or world-class linebacker. (laughter) I wanted to play at the next level, which was college, and then ultimately play in the pros. So that was an opportunity where I could see the field and I could contribute to the team.”
(I wanted to ask you about the LSU-Alabama game. First of all, how much trash are you going to talk to DT Raekwon Davis and QB Tua Tagovailoa? And second, how impressed were with you by what Tua did that day so shortly after undergoing surgery?) – “That game is one that we mark on our calendars every year. It’s no secret that LSU-Alabama is one of the most highly competitive games in all of football, and so that’s one that I look forward to every year. I grew up with half of my family being Alabama fans, so that’s one that I’ll be able to look back on this past season and I’ll certainly talk some trash to Tua as well. (laughter)”
(I wanted to ask you about the LSU vs. Alabama game. First of all how much trash are you going to talk to DT Raekwon Davis and AB Tua Tagovailao? Second, how impressed were you about what you did Tua did that day after undergoing surgery?) – “That game is one game we mark on our calendar every year. It’s no secret that LSU vs. Alabama is one of the most highly competitive games in all of football. That’s one that I look forward to every year. I grew up with half of my family being Bama fans. That’s one I’ll be able to look back on this past season, I’ll certainly talk some trash to Tua as well.”
(I wanted to ask you about the family connection of long snapper. You takeover for your brother at LSU and now I guess you get to see him twice a year because he is up in Buffalo. How special was it for you to take over for him at LSU, and how special could it be to see him at the NFL level?) – “It’s going to be awesome. It’s been a fun journey the last couple of years. I was fortunate enough to be at LSU with him for one season. I got to redshirt under him, then after that I was able to takeover and leave my mark on LSU. Like I said earlier, this is one we’ve been looking forward to for a long time. To be in the same division as him is going to be very special.”
(What’s the pre-draft process been like? I know it has probably been different than different years for a long snapper with the coronavirus is going on. How do show your skills in a situation like this?) – “I was fortunate to be able to go into the Senior Bowl and to the Combine. A lot of guys this year didn’t get to have their Pro Days. I didn’t get to have a Pro Day, so I was really banking on the film that they got from the Senior Bowl and from the Combine. For me, I sent out a Pro Day video. I recorded a Pro Day video where I was doing long snaps and short snaps so they can see the progress that I have made from the Senior Bowl, to the Combine to my Pro Day. That was really all we could do. We weren’t able to have personal workouts, the individual workouts with teams. That’s really all I could do.”
(I know you said in good fun trash talking your brother, and trash talking QB Tua Tagovailoa, so I ask this question in good fun too. Is it normal for long snappers to trash talk?) – “No. I try to keep my mouth shut as much as I can because of the position that I play; but I pick and choose my battles.”
(I think I’d be remiss if I didn’t you for your best Ed Orgeron impression. A lot of NFL reporters love asking LSU players that. Give it to us if you can.) – “I don’t do a great ‘Coach O’ impression. Everybody kind of has their own impression of him, but for me I always think it’s funny because you can’t really do a ‘Coach O’ impression without yelling. It’s like as loud as you can be. I guess I’ll give you a ‘ONE TEAM, ONE HEARTBEAT!’”
(I hope to not get super serious here, but I saw that you are a diabetic and have done something for the American Diabetes Association. With the COVID-19 situation, have you taken extra steps, and have you thought about how you could integrate yourself with this team when it’s time to report?) – “It’s one that I certainly have to be careful of, having a preexisting condition. But I spoke with my doctors and I spoke with some people from a couple of different foundations that I work with that are medical doctors. They reassured me that if your blood sugars are healthy and stable, you’re going to be at a much lower risk of contracting the virus as opposed to if your blood sugar was high or really spiking up and down. I do a really good job of keeping my blood sugar within range and tracking pretty steady. I feel like I’m at a lower risk as (far as) being a diabetic, but I’m certainly taking the precautions necessary to stay safe. I’ve been staying home and quarantining myself with a couple of members of my family. I’m really trying to stay safe just like everybody else.”
Curtis Weaver – April 25, 2020
Saturday, April 25, 2020
DE Curtis Weaver
(What was this process like and what was it like to wait until day three to be selected?) – “It was stressful just waiting for your name to be called just like everybody else in the draft. But I’m glad that Miami called me and I’m just happy at the moment right now.”
(The Dolphins are building a lot of competition at different spots on the roster. Edge rusher/defensive end is one of them. I’m wondering how many times in your life have you had to compete? In high school, did you have to compete or were you the best? At Boise State, did you have to compete for a starting job? And what was that experience like for you if you have had to compete?) – “Every level I’ve played in, I’ve had to compete. I think that’s just the game of football. Competition is where you excel, I feel like. I’m coming in here to compete with other guys on the team.”
(I know you probably expected to go a little higher. I know some people were questioning what your true position was. What do you think your best fit is in a defense and where do you feel like you are the most successful?) – “Wherever the coach needs me to go. As of right now, with the Dolphins, I know the coaches are going to put me in a great position for me to make plays and I’m just behind that 100 percent.”
(I think I read somewhere that you were the all-time Mountain West leader in sacks, is that correct?) – “Yes sir.”
(How did that happen?) – “Working hard, effort. The second you’re on the field (you have to give) everything you’ve got. (It’s) God’s gift.”
(I wanted to ask you what goes through your mind every time you get past an offensive lineman to get a sack. What does it mean to you every single time that you get one? What is that feeling like?) – “Winning that competition, wining that rep, that’s a big thing for me. Going through a football game, just winning that play.”
(How comfortable do you feel dropping back in coverage because this defense requires you guys to do multiple things and play different schemes?) – “I feel comfortable. I did it in college. I’m not new to it. A lot of my friends that were DBs helped me pave the way. They helped me know my coverages and know routes and things like that, so I’m comfortable.”
(Entering the draft, where were you hearing you might be drafted? What round were you most likely to go?) – “I believed my projection was like one to three.”
(What was your thought process when you entered the draft? Did you just feel like it was time to begin a professional career?) – “Yeah, I felt like winning championships at Boise State were at the top of my task, and we did that. And then after leaving, I was getting my body right and things like that. Getting ready for the next level, I was ready for it.”
(What does this all mean to you, to finally have your name called, to finally have one of your dreams realized, and where do you want to go from here?) – “I’m just blessed. It’s another opportunity for me to grab. God gives us opportunities in life and it’s what are you going to do with it to take it? That’s the big thing for me. I’m just ready to come in and work hard.”
(Through this whole experience because we’ve got this coronavirus scare and we have to shelter in place, I’m wondering how these interviews have gone for you with teams. Have you had any funny experiences, has your computer cut out, has an executive’s dog jumped on his lap as he was talking to you? Anything funny happen?) – “Nothing crazy, just great conversations, great internet connections so none of them failed. Just talking. Just regular talking and it all went well.”
Jason Strowbridge – April 25, 2020
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Saturday, April 25, 2020
DE Jason Strowbridge
(For a local kid, I can imagine what this means to you to be picked by the Miami Dolphins. I also wanted to ask you about the Deerfield Beach High School connection you guys have going on here. So many other players have been drafted, too. You guys have really been able to have been a powerhouse down here in South Florida and now in the NFL.) – “Yeah, it’s in the DNA. It’s in the bloodline down here in South Florida. It’s football-centric, so this is big-time.”
(Did you have a chance to get with the Dolphins before the coronavirus hit? Did they have you in for a visit or was it basically just Combine and during the season?) – “Basically just Combine and I’ve just – for interviews I wasn’t able to get out to the Dolphins facility. But I had a Zoom call with them and it went good.”
(I’m wondering which side is your best side? Do you have much experience playing on the inside and do you have much experience in both the 4-3 and the 3-4 schemes?) – “To answer your first question, either side. I’ve played d-end and d-tackle, so I’m just as comfortable inside as I am outside. I’m just ready to – wherever they need me to go, whatever position they need me at, then that’s what I’m going to focus on. I pride myself on being able to move around on the line and that’s kind of what I did in my career in college.”
(What does this mean to you? How are you feeling after the draft pick? What was the call like from the coaches and the GM?) – “I was excited. Just seeing everyone’s name get called, seeing other guys that I knew; just watching, it was all-around just a good experience and then to get the call to say that I’m staying home, it’s everything just to be able to have all my family watch me play at the Dolphins’ stadium. Just coming back again, it’s a great feeling.”
(If you were to pick one word to describe your style of play what would it be?) – “Definitely versatile. Definitely versatile.”
(I’m wondering how this whole scouting, draft experience has been for you considering the coronavirus. You went to the combine, you’re I guess FaceTiming and Zooming with teams. Take me through this and how has it been for you?) – “It’s nothing anyone ever expected, definitely not. We’re able to get in calls. They all went good. It’s the weirdest feeling, but I’m just glad it’s here. I’m just ready to put on pads and go to work.”
(What do you know about QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Great player, great leader. Just seeing him play in all the big-time games coming out on top. He’s a good leader. I’m excited to join the team.”
(I‘m sure you kind of picked up on some of the things the Dolphins have been doing here, picking yourself, DT Raekwon Davis, CB Byron Jones, having CB Xavien Howard, the other DBs that were picked in this draft. What do you think about this defense that’s being built here in Miami?) – “I don’t know too much about it, but I’m just ready to get in the playbook, go to work, wherever I need to be, be in whatever position I need to be at. I’m just ready to get to work and get in the playbook.”
(Did you have an idea what range in which you’d be drafted? Did you think Miami would be your destination? Did you think you’d be a fifth-round pick? I’m curious.) – “It was kind of all over the place for me, but I didn’t care. As long as my name was called, whether it was free agency or first, second (round), whatever it may be. I was just ready to get to work.”
(Are you comfortable playing the 5 technique position up front?) – “Absolutely.”
(Very quickly, I believe you had a pretty good performance in the victory against the University of Miami. Tell me about that game, what it meant to you. Did you block a kick or something like that right?) – “Yeah, I did. Just being the hometown team, I had a little bit more of a chip on my shoulder just going into the game … It was a good game.”
Solomon Kindley – April 25, 2020
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Saturday, April 25, 2020
G Solomon Kindley
(Tell me a little bit about your position versatility. What positions can you play? What’s your best position and have you talked to the Dolphins about a specific position?) – “No, sir. I haven’t talked to the Dolphins about a specific position. To be honest, I could play each side of the guard. To be honest, I could play anywhere the coaches need me. I’m going to be a player to come in and wherever the coach needs me to go play at, that’s where I’m going to go play at.”
(What do you know you can do best?) – “I know I can play football. I know I can play football. That’s all I can say. Like I said, wherever the coaches need me to play at, I’m going to be one of the players that does anything to make the team win. If coach needs me to go play here, I’m going to play it. If I haven’t played it before, I’m just going to try my hardest to play and do the best I can.”
(We heard a little bit of your family being excited when you first got picked. What does it mean – I know you’re from Jacksonville – to be down here in Miami not too far from where you grew up?) – “It means a lot. To be honest, I’m originally from Jacksonville, Florida; but I stayed in Miami because I have an auntie (there). As a matter of fact, my whole dad’s side of the family lives in Miami, so I just really go down there and I hang out with them. So you might as well say I’m 50/50 – half Jacksonville, half Miami anyway.”
(What do you think about the prospect of blocking for QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “It’s going to be a tremendous – I’m going to do whatever I can to protect him and help him. I’m ready to work with him. He’s a great quarterback and I’m ready to work with him.”
(I wanted to ask you about that national championship game. What are your memories of what QB Tua Tagovailoa did in that game?) – “Everybody knows what he did in that game. He was tremendous. I hear about some other offensive linemen at the Combine – other offensive linemen that I know – I hear that he’s a tremendous person. I hear that he works very hard, all that type of stuff. He’s a very good player and everything that everybody has told me, it shows on the field. I can already tell the type of personality he’s got and the type of person the he is in the locker room, so I’m just blessed for the opportunity to play with him.”
(We heard on the broadcast that you’re a lifeguard. Can you tell me about that background and how that happened for you?) – ”Growing up, I was just really at a younger age and I really couldn’t play football because of my size I was and all that type of stuff, so it had to be anything else. I played basketball and I also swam, so that was the only thing that was open for me at the time, so all I did was went out there and swim and somehow I came to be good. Then I saw my brothers and my cousins and all of that type of stuff had an opportunity – like they were getting paid for after they got on the swim team after they got to a certain age, so I was like, ‘well, they’re getting for paid for it. I know how to swim very good. I know how to swim very fast. Why shouldn’t I?’ So from the age of like 15 all the way up through the end of high school, I was a lifeguard.”
(The Dolphins are having a lot of competition on their offensive line. Quite often guys at your level, you haven’t had to compete. You’ve been the best and the job has been yours. I want to know, have you had to compete for a starting job in your life whether it’s high school or college and what was that like mentally? Did it make you sharper or what did it do for you?) – “To be honest, I had to compete my whole life. I had to compete to get here and that’s what drives me right now. At Georgia, I had to compete. In high school, I had to compete. I feel like if there’s nobody competing with you or pushing you, you aren’t going to bring out the best in you, so competition is what everybody needs on every team at any position or in any aspect of life, to be honest.”
(I want to go back to the lifeguard stint for just a second. Did you ever rescue anybody? Tell us about your most memorable day on the job.) – “Yes, one time I had to rescue a kid during swim lessons. I was teaching them swim lessons and stuff and then he accidentally slipped off the bottom of the pool and I had to pretty much save him. That was the one time only that I had to save a kid. Other than that, I never really had to save anybody.”
(I heard you mention all the family you have in Miami. Were the Dolphins your favorite team? Who was your favorite team and player when you were young?) – “Oh yeah, I liked the Dolphins as well; but like I said, I’m a home native from Jacksonville, Florida and there isn’t no way that my family here and friends around here would not let me cheer for the Jacksonville Jaguars. So yeah growing up, I’m from Florida so Miami and the Jacksonville Jaguars were the two teams that I looked at a lot.”
(Did you say you were a lifeguard because you couldn’t play football because of your size and are you saying you were too big for Pee Wee? How big were you when you were little?) – “To be honest, I remember the time my mom told me as I grew up, she was like, the age I was, I had to play up with the big kids and all that type of stuff. My mom was like, ‘no I’m not letting my son go out there and do that. He’s not (going to) hurt himself.’ But to be honest, at that age I really could’ve played with those guys. But that was like my very first time playing football so my mom was like, ‘I don’t know what this is going to do to him’ and everything like that. I always begged her and asked her, ‘can I do it?’ But the type of person I am and my family is, we’re always going to be supportive against everybody, so once my brothers and them got to playing football, I always went out there and supported them, and then my time came for me to swim and play basketball.”
(What were your meetings like with Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier and any other Dolphins assistant coach you have met during the draft process?) – “It was really a brief conversation. They told me they liked what I did and then they told me a lot of things I need to work on to prevent from doing this and doing that and so on. I really felt the camaraderie in the room and the coaches. They want you to be better and we’re trying to change the organization at Miami.”
Chris Grier and Brian Flores – April 24, 2020
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Friday, April 24, 2020
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Brian Flores
Chris Grier:
(It seemed like you guys focused on improving the trenches in the second day. Was that a priority for you guys or was that just sort of how the board fell?) – “Brian (Flores) and I got together and started talking about – when we first hired him – we always talked about building from the ground up and a big part for us was just finding the right types of guys to fit what Brian and the coaching staff want. For us, we always talked about … and that’s how you win in this league – with o-lines and d-lines – so we saw great value. We got players that we were excited to have and we feel really good about the picks.”
Brian Flores:
“I agree with Chris (Grier). We just felt good about Robert (Hunt), Raekwon (Davis), Brandon (Jones) – all three picks. All are tough, physical players, fundamentally sound; but like all rookies, (they have) got a long way to go, a lot of improvements to make, and hopefully we can them as soon as possible.”
Chris Grier:
(Did you guys try to move up for RB J.K. Dobbins? I know he went one spot before you picked. Was there any conversation about moving up for Dobbins at all and also have there been any conversations with the Jaguars about RB Leonard Fournette?) – “No, we have not had any conversations with anyone, and for us with the board, we’re calling teams all the time up and down, (but we weren’t) specifically moving up to go after any real specific player.”
Brian Flores:
(How much better do you think you’ve gotten on the offensive line in the last two days?) – “I think there’s a lot – we don’t have the players (in the building). When guys don’t play for a long time, it’s hard to say, ‘you’re better at this or better at that.’ We’ve got to get them here. We’ve got to get them the terminology. We’ve got to work together as a group, as a unit. I think we feel good about the players we’ve selected, but at the same time there’s a long road ahead. We’ll start by getting them here, which with all that’s going on, obviously that’s an obstacle and we’re going to have to find a way to get them the information – the terminology, the information – through obviously these types of platforms. On the offensive line or the defensive line, it’s a team game. We’ve got to get to know each other, trust each other and build communication; so we’ve got a long way to go.”
Brian Flores:
(I wanted to know how close you are after two drafts and free agency to getting the types of players that you want. I know you want tough players. You want versatile players. How close are you to having a team full of the guys that you want right now?) – “I think there’s a lot of guys like that in our building. Prior to the draft and every year, every team brings in new players whether it’s through free agency – every team is picking new players during the draft, so every year is a little bit different. Building a team and building that camaraderie, communication; it’s different every year. As far as specific players, we’ve targeted guys who fit the Miami Dolphin criteria: guys who are tough, guys are smart, guys who love to play and compete. I think we had a lot of guys like that on our team a year ago as well. Chris (Grier), myself, the personnel staff, the coaching staff – we’ll always try to get those kind of guys in our building in all areas – coaching, scouting, playing. Anyone who enters the building – you guys have heard me say that and I don’t think that will change. The more guys we get who fit that bill, then hopefully we’ll improve; but again, we’ve got to get out there. We’ve got a long way to go. We’ve got to practice. We’ve got to get into meetings, get into walkthroughs. We’re a long way off from that given what’s going on. Hopefully we get that going at some point. I’m hopeful that we’ll get back to practicing, but obviously there’s a lot more pressing issues out there, so when the time is right, we’ll hopefully build a team that communicates, works well together and is improving daily.”
Chris Grier:
(I see Robert Hunt listed as a tackle. Did you guys draft him first and foremost as a tackle? And then also if you could talk about what you think his best traits are.) – “Robert can play right tackle, he can play right guard. So for us, he’s going to come in and compete for a job. Brian’s talked about it. It’s a competition. That’s one of the things we liked about him – position flexibility to play those things, but the thing we loved about him was his competitiveness. He’s a tough, physical player. He plays with an attitude. He’s got good football intelligence. It’s important to him. A lot of those criteria and qualities the coaching staff is looking for, this kid has them so we’re very excited. After we took him, Brian and I got multiple texts from people on other teams saying that was their guy, so we were happy to get him and think he will be a good fit. (We are) looking forward to having him – when he gets here – to work and get on the field and compete for a job.”
(With DT Raekwon Davis, there was so much production his sophomore season and then his play kind of tailed off. When you guys did the evaluation, where did you feel like he was in terms of the reasoning for that limited production?) – “I think when people talk production, they want to talk sacks. Brian has mentioned it before, this kid has created a lot of opportunities. He’s had plays where he’s been blowing up stuff. The one thing he is: he’s big, physical, tough, he stops the run and I think as a kid, he’s matured over the years. We were really happy to get him. We didn’t have any qualms about him and I know Brian and the coaching staff and the scouting staff were really excited. We all had him rated as a high-rated player for us.”
Brian Flores:
“I’ll piggyback on what Chris just said. I’ve always told players that you can play a great game and have no stats. If you set the edge every time, if you’re in your gap, if you make every tackle, if you force the ball wherever we want to force it, if you make your block, you can literally have nothing on the stat sheet but play a great game. I’m on record saying that to players dating back to as long as I have been coaching. I truly believe that. So when people say statistics – when I see Raekwon, I see a guy who is defeating blocks, taking two blocks and creating plays for his teammates. There are a lot of hidden statistics that I look at personally. I think he does a good job at maybe some of those hidden stats.”
Chris Grier:
(With S Brandon Jones, how much of special teams was some of the appeal to you guys?) – “It’s his whole game. He’s a good football player. He’s smart, he tackles, he covers, he can play on (special) teams. We met him at the Senior Bowl and the coaching staff and Brian (Flores) felt really good about him. The more that we got to spend time – they showed that thing about him watching every team’s (defensive plays). He’s a really good football player and an all-around football player … this coaching staff is always looking for.”
(You have nine picks tomorrow. Do you intend on using them all or are you going to thing about moving them a little bit?) – “Like I said, we’ll always look for every opportunity we can to improve and do what’s best for the roster and the organization. We may move it around, we may pick them all. Who knows how the day unfolds. The third day of the draft is always … so we’ll see how it unfolds.”
(On the field, S Brandon Jones checks a lot of boxes playing safety, special teams. But I wanted to ask about his request to get all of your defensive tape from last season through that draft process. How much does that type of knowledge and preparation help bump a player’s grade on your board?) – “Just like I said earlier. I’ll speak for me, I won’t speak for Brian. But we talked to the people at Texas (about him). A three-year starter and had all of the qualities and intangibles …”
Brian Flores:
“I’d say first and foremost, he’s a good player. I don’t want guys to feel like if they just show up and show us that they watch a lot of tape, that we are going to draft them. That’s certainly not the case. This is a guy who is a guy who is smart and he communicates, and that’s obviously an important part of the game. He can run, he tackles, he does a lot of good things physically. While that was impressive, what we saw on the field was the lion share of the evaluation we made.”
Brandon Jones – April 24, 2020
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Friday, April 24, 2020
S Brandon Jones
(When they talked about you on the broadcast, they talked about you requesting all of these film clips from all of these NFL teams. Tell us why you did that, and when you watched the Dolphins defense, what stuck out for you?) – “I knew I wanted to grow my game mentally. That’s something that’s going to keep you in the league for the longest time. I was very determined to get as much film as I could from my agent. I requested that from my agent to see as much film (as I could). I really wanted to dissect the defense of each NFL team and get a different sense of how teams scheme up different teams and what’s teams’ main coverages and why they run this versus that. I just took a lot of questions with me and I don’t know. It was a really fun experience and it took a lot of time – probably about 8 weeks to finish the whole thing. It was definitely worth it at the end of the day.”
(I imagine the studying probably paid off, especially when meeting with Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier. What were some of your conversations like with them in regards to the defense that they play with a safety on the back end and usually a lot of nickel and dime?) – “Their big thing obviously is they liked how versatile I was and how I’m able to kind of move around and not have one specific position. Just kind of be very coachable and do whatever I’m told to do at the end of the day. It was awesome. It was an awesome experience. I just kind of had a very good vibe when I sat down and met with them. It was kind of like a connection at first sight, especially when I went and sat down with them and talked to them. I had a really good feeling about it honestly, and it kind of went up from there.”
(I read a few stories that talked about how you have played through injuries in your career. You played through or tried to play through ankle and shoulder injuries. Can you talk about the mindset that went into that?) – “Yeah, I’m the type of player that honestly, just how competitive I am, I don’t like anything to get in my way, to be honest. I’m kind of firm and stubborn when it comes to injuries. I know they are definitely a part of the game. It’s a physical sport, so there are a ton … which kind of sucks; but it is what it is at the end of the day. I’m going to give it my all until I can’t anymore. That’s the biggest – that’s how I kind of live and that’s how I’ve always thought of myself as a person and a player. Being able to go full speed, to go 100 percent as much as I can, as fast as I can and as hard as I can was my biggest goal going into it. I don’t really like injuries to get in the way and determine the type of player that I am because injuries don’t stop me. They happen, like I said; but at the end of the day, I think they kind of humble you. They make you really appreciate things once you get back. I don’t know. I just rarely let anything stop me or anything get in my way.”
(Talk to me about the ability to play strong safety or being down in the box and being the deep safety, as far as mentality. I’m thinking as the last line of defense, you have to take a wider angle when you’re the last guy. Maybe up in the box you can be more aggressive. What are the differences in those safety positions and which do you prefer?) – “Yeah, so being in the box, it’s nasty. It gets nasty down there taking on running backs if you blitz – one-on-ones with them. You have to take on pullers for counters. You have to take on tight ends. I’ve always embraced it. I think I’m a pretty aggressive, an aggressive safety. I love the challenges, to be honest. Honestly I’m not the biggest dude out there; but kind of in my mindset, I’m going to get back into this backfield and do whatever I can to be great and be successful. I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned is just the vision. It’s kind of weird going from the high safety and being able to see everything and then once you get down in the box, you start playing man coverage or when you roll down and be that roll down safety, your vision kind of shrinks. So you have to adjust that and kind of get used to that. That’s definitely the biggest difference.”
(You talked about your versatility. I know that you played a lot of special teams. You had a couple of blocked punts and returning ability. What is it about special teams that gets you going?) – “It’s really just anytime I touch the field, to be honest. Like I’m always looking for a chance to be great and kind of prove myself, whether it’s on defense or on special teams. Special teams has always been fun to me because you can make plays, you can be nasty and you can do some really fun stuff. Returning – I really, really enjoyed. Returning from that standpoint – I love running down on kickoff, I love blocking punts. I just love being on the field at the end of the day.”
(How is the shoulder doing? Typically with safeties, the shoulder injuries happen a lot because you’re diving into the running backs, tight ends. I guess how do you kind of see yourself not fearing to do that thing and trusting your shoulder and trusting your body after this?) – “My shoulder feels really good. Obviously, I’m staying the course, trusting the process, taking it one day at a time; but it’s definitely – after an injury, the biggest thing is just getting your confidence back. I think once you get your confidence back, you can be the type of player that you want to be. I think over this, with the rehab and everything I’ve been able to do, I’m able to do mostly everything now. I’ve been running for a number of weeks. I’ve been lifting weights. I was super excited to do pushups again. I never realized how fun pushups were. It’s definitely just a step-by-step and day-to-day process at the end of the day. But the shoulder is doing really good. I’m just enjoying and like I said, just taking it day-by-day.”
(How do you see yourself fitting into Coach Flores’ system and what do you add to the defense?) – “I just really see me being kind of like a Swiss army knife, a guy that can come in and do whatever I need to do. Obviously, just me being as versatile as I am, if a coach needs me to play in the box, I’ll do it. If he needs me to play high safety, I’ll do it. If he needs me to play some reps at corner, I’ll do it. The biggest thing to me is just getting on the field and helping the team out at the end of the day.”
