Robert Jones – May 15, 2021
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Saturday, May 15, 2021
G Robert Jones
(I know obviously your talent suggested that you could’ve gotten drafted. Were you disappointed that you weren’t and why did you pick the Dolphins over other teams that pursued you?) – “I wasn’t disappointed. At the end of the day, I just wanted an opportunity to get to this level and just play football and I was blessed with the opportunity to come here and compete. And I chose the Dolphins just because I just feel like the coaching staff, because I did work with them at the Senior Bowl, I just felt like that coaching staff wants the best out of every player, even if they were going to different teams or not. So I thought they had my best interests at heart.”
(I don’t want to get into your finances, but you got the most obscene amount of guaranteed money I’ve ever seen an undrafted rookie get – $130,000 of your contract is guaranteed. Obviously was that your biggest offer? And what was your thought process when the offers were stacking up?) – “You know, (laughter) man, it was just a blessing. When they started coming in, I was just – I couldn’t believe it. Because at the end of the day, I just wanted an opportunity. Even if they gave me $15,000 guaranteed, I was going to take it and run with it because I just wanted a place where I could go and compete.”
(I wanted to ask you about kind of a question I’m sure you get a lot in terms of competition at Middle Tennessee State and then you go to the Senior Bowl like you mentioned, now you’re here in Miami in the NFL. What has this offseason process like for you been, in terms of going up in competition? How do you think you’re acclimating to that?) – “My process is just keep developing as a player and keep getting mentally tough. When you go each level, you go up – because I started at JUCO – every level is all about a mental game and just really understanding what you’re doing. Getting here is all about me learning the playbook and just learning my fundamentals and learning how does this team want me to do certain things.”
(I wanted to ask you something you said when you worked out with the Dolphins coaches at the Senior Bowl. You thought they had their best interest in all the players overall. Just what was that experience like for you and when you came to the point where you decided “I want to pick the Dolphins, that I remember how they coached me up at the Senior Bowl??”) – “It was just, going out there – I just saw they pushed everyone no matter if they were going to play, or if they weren’t going to practice; they pushed everyone no matter what and they never singled anyone out and they always made sure they pushed everybody to their expectations. So when all the teams started coming, I just knew ‘Coach Lem’ (Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre), Coach Flores and everyone was just going to push me to my best.”
(I wanted to ask you about your start in football. It seemed like you had kind of a late start, maybe thinking about basketball when you were in high school. Tell me about what pushed you toward football and how glad you must be that you chose the right sport.) – “What really pushed was one of my coaches. His name is David Hampton. He played in the league some time ago, but he really just showed me. He told me, coming out of Chicago is rough, and he just talked to me and showed me that if I played football, I had an opportunity just to change my life and my family’s life forever. And not even going to the NFL, but really just getting a degree, because we didn’t have that many people around us – role models – who had that. So I just listened to him, he coached me up and I just followed through with the process. My other coach, Gary Griffin, got me until my JUCO, which gave me the opportunity to play at the collegiate level and that got me to Middle Tennessee.”
(Has Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre wanted you to focus on guard or is he cross-training you at both guard and tackle? I know you’ve obviously played both.) – “He really is focused on everything. The more I can do, the better chance I have to be out on the field.”
Jerome Johnson – May 15, 2021
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Saturday, May 15, 2021
DT Jerome Johnson
(You obviously had a good body of work in the Big 10, accomplished a lot of things. Were you surprised you weren’t drafted and why did you pick the Dolphins over the chances you might have had with some other teams?) – “Obviously I enjoyed my time at Indiana, but I’m here now. As far as getting drafted goes, I think it doesn’t really matter. I have this opportunity. I’m ready to learn and see what happens from here.”
(What do you think it’s going to be like? You’ve been up in the Midwest obviously – getting acclimated to this weather and practicing in it.) – “I’m originally from Mississippi. It’s about the same. I have family down here, so I’m kind of used to it. But obviously being in Indiana for that long, you have to get reacclimated and things like that. It will be fine.”
(I read that in college, you were known as a guy who was not a morning person at all. Given that the training camp practices start at 8 a.m., are you going to be loading up on the caffeine or where are you with that?) – “I’m fine now. (laughter) You learn, you grow, you do what you’ve got to do.”
(Was there anything about the Dolphins in terms of their player development that appealed to you signing here? They’ve had several undrafted rookies who have come in and won jobs and played well. WR Preston Williams is among one of the more recent ones. DT Benito Jones from you home state, last year played some defensive snaps. Did that factor into your thinking in signing here?) – “I think coming here, after overall looking at everything, I just think it was a good choice. It was a great opportunity for me to learn and get acclimated into the system and see what I can do.”
(What’s your favorite thing about being a d-lineman? Is it getting the sack, is it pushing one of the offensive linemen down, is it getting into the backfield? What’s your favorite thing about playing the position that you do?) – “I think it’s just fun. The opportunity to be on the field and get to play with the guys beside me.”
(There is one clip I saw that mentions a play where you apparently caught RB Saquon Barkley from behind. Is that accurate, and if so, what happened?) – “That was a couple of years ago, I honestly don’t remember what really happened. (laughter)”
(You’ve got a lot of guys in here this weekend that’s never met each other before. What’s the collective mood and the environment like for everybody, and this learning experience?) – “I think it’s a good environment. The guys came in. They were ready to learn. Everyone got acquainted and are building relationships, as we should, in the time being.”
Jaelan Phillips – May 15, 2021
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Saturday, May 15, 2021
LB Jaelan Phillips
(I wanted to ask you about a clip we saw on social today where you were hitting the bag from your knees. I was just wondering from a media perspective, what does that do for your game, and what are we looking for in that drill?) – “That’s the six-point drill. That’s just kind of like the perennial d-line drill. That’s explosion out of your hips and really focusing on quick hands and hands where you’re looking. And like I said, just getting explosive. That’s just kind of the base of every movement when you’re a d-lineman.”
(Have you had a chance to meet with former Dolphin Jason Taylor yet, and if so, what was that conversation like?) – “I haven’t met Jason Taylor yet, but I’d definitely love to because he’s a legend. I’d definitely love to pick his brain and get some advice from him whenever I can meet him.”
(Are you old enough to remember watching Jason Taylor play?) – “Yeah. I was born in 1999. I’m not that young. (laughter) I definitely remember growing up watching him play. That would be pretty amazing to meet him for sure.”
(When the Dolphins roster came out, I noticed that you were listed as a linebacker. I wasn’t sure if they were going to put linebacker or defensive end. I know it’s not that important and you’re going to do both. How’d did you find out that they chose LB and how do you feel about that?) – “I found out obviously when I got here and started doing meetings and everything like that. But honestly, I’m working a bunch of stuff right now. Obviously the starting phases of practice is really just technique, fundamentals and that really transitions over no matter what you’re playing. Right now, I’m just trying to learn the playbook and fit in where I can get in.”
(Obviously you played a little bit of linebacker at UCLA, I believe. How much does that transition help you in this process?) – “It’s definitely helping a little bit, just having a fundamental knowledge of it. Obviously I haven’t done it in a year. Like in Miami, I was obviously a lot more four-down, hand in the dirt; but honestly it’s nice because I feel like I’m more versatile having experienced both. It’s a whole new system though, so a lot of this stuff translates but a lot of it is new verbiage, new techniques and everything like that. I’m just learning the new playbook and trying to do whatever I can.”
(Given the road that you took to get here, did you take a moment when you stepped on the practice field for the first time to reflect on your path, and what did it feel like for you for it to become real?) – “Honestly there is no time to reflect right now. My head is full of the playbook and what’s going on next. I’m just trying to be where my feet are. This journey has been incredible and I’m so blessed to even be in this position. Now is definitely far from the time to rest. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, so that’s what I’m doing. Just every day trying to get better and being where my feet are.”
(Going back to the linebacker, defensive end question. Whatever position you’re playing, you’re on the football a lot, and I’ve noticed you have a lot of reps where you have a hand in the dirt, in a three-point stance, and sometimes you’re up in a two-point stance. What is the difference for an edge player in those two stances?) – “It’s really like sometimes when you’re standing up, it’s more advantageous being able to see everything and take a snapshot of what’s going on. When you’re in a three-point (stance), obviously you have more leverage because you’re coming low to high. Having played both, I’m definitely comfortable doing whatever I need to do. That’s just kind of the basics of football 101.”
(Has the coaching staff told you a weight they want you at, at linebacker? Do you feel like you’re the right weight for that position?) – “Yeah. For me, they haven’t told me a specific weight they need me at yet. I think we’ll probably get into that as we do more body composition stuff and everything like that; but for me, it’s going to be the weight I feel most comfortable with, obviously being as heavy and as sturdy as I can, but also as fast as I can. I’m definitely comfortable where I’m at right now. I’m just trying to lean out and get stronger.”
(I wanted to ask you about your diet. I read that you were up to like 250 grams of protein at one point when you first came to UM. Where are you now in your diet? Should Davie restaurants stock up on food to take care all that you are eating? Where are you on that?) – “We kind of have a saying here, it’s that ‘athletes don’t diet and exercise, we train and eat. Or train and fuel, really.’ I try to eat well and keep my figure up. Obviously everything I’m putting in my body is so I can perform the best on the field. All the restaurants everywhere should stack up whenever I’m there, because I’ve got to come in and chow down. (laughter) We have a great facility here. They’ve been giving me some fire food. I’ve been having plenty at my disposal, so it’s all good.”
Jevon Holland – May 15, 2021
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Saturday, May 15, 2021
S Jevon Holland
(I was wondering if Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer wants you to learn both safety and corner. Obviously you’ve had success at both at Oregon. Or are you focusing on free safety for now?) – “I’m trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible, really and wherever Coach (Boyer) wants me, I’m just trying to help the team win.”
(I saw your family posted a really heartfelt message to you when you were getting into the airport last week or this week. Just wanted to get – what did that message kind of mean to you when you looked back on it on your way over here?) – “It meant a lot. My family – they are a big part of my support system and so that was near and dear to my heart, and I appreciated that from my father, of course. Thank you.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores doesn’t praise incoming rookies or rookies too often. He makes you guys show something first. But one thing he said after you were drafted caught my attention. He said that Jevon, he believes, has the ability to quarterback a defense and that you’re a good communicator. Can you tell me about what you think goes into doing that well – quarterbacking the defense?) – “I think learning as much as possible about the defense and then having a team mentality is definitely what goes into that, and that’s what I’m trying to do right now, of course. Just trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible and then at the end of the day, be able to help my teammates in any way possible.”
(I wanted to ask you about a drill we saw on social today – our social team posted it to Twitter where you were working the hand drills and the bags and stuff, and I’m wondering how important it is to have active and physical good hands for a defensive back and just what you can take away from that drill?) – “I think it’s important to be as well-rounded as possible and absorb as much knowledge as possible – like I’ve previously said in the previous questions, of course. I’m just trying to get as wide a perspective as possible as a player. I’m new to the team. I’m trying to find my role, so really trying to absorb everything, like I’ve said previously, and really just help the team in any way.”
(I know you opted out last season. What was it like being in an organized practice today? Did you feel like you were training enough during your year off or do you feel like you have a little ways to go?) – “I feel like I am in the rookie class and progressing and getting a lot of knowledge thrown at me and trying to absorb it all. So I feel fine, thanks.”
(One of your teammates is CB Xavien Howard and he’s one of the best pass interceptors in the NFL, if not the best, and I always like asking him about the things that go in with interceptions. Interceptions don’t just happen. It’s film study, etc. You had a bunch of picks in your first two years in college, so can you kind of tell me what you think are some of the keys that go into recording an interception on game day?) – “I think in college, it’s a completely different beast than the NFL and so these are high-caliber quarterbacks – these are really great quarterbacks – so I have no knowledge of how to get an interception in the NFL. And that’s really what I’m trying to (do). I’m trying to absorb all the knowledge that’s possible, so when Xavien (Howard) gets here, I hope to pick his brain and get as much knowledge as he’ll give to me so I can go out there and perform and help my team win.”
(Going back to the communication part of your game, a lot of times with pro athletes, you hear about their really good communication skills, but you also learn that when they were younger they were super silent and had to come out of their shell. Have you always been a vocal leader, that kind of player, or did it take a transition for you?) – “I think my personality here has always been somebody who likes to speak up, but in terms of football, I think knowing what you’re supposed to do and having the confidence while playing is exactly what goes into communicating. So yeah, I think there’s truth in that.”
(You’ve had a couple of days now on the field and in the classroom with your rookie teammates. I’m just wondering what your first impression of the class is and is there maybe like one theme that kind you recognize in all these guys down here together now?) – “Everybody’s a hard worker, and everybody understands that they’re coming in here trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible and just find a role. That’s really the common goal here, is find a role and produce and help the team.”
(I wanted to ask you about the process of rookie camp. Obviously last year they didn’t even have a rookie camp. This year you guys don’t necessarily have a full complete team, but you have enough to practice. What’s the day like for you? What’s the routine?) – “Really, I have no idea, any recollection of last year or the previous year of how rookie camp should be. I only know that this year we’re going out there and competing every team period or periods that we have, and then supporting each other, make sure we’re communicating and bringing all the meetings and the information that we get from the meetings and the one-on-one talks with our coaches and put them onto the field.”
(I do have one more football question, but I’m curious – a few of us here even though we live in South Florida are hockey fans. I’m just curious as a Canadian-born kid, do you watch hockey? Do you have a favorite team or player?) – “I don’t watch hockey as much as I would like to, but I will say go Canucks because that’s the home team, so always got to shoutout to the home team.”
(When you’re playing center field – when that’s your role on a particular play when you’re in deep safety, deep center field – what advantages can that provide for a defensive back?) – “The advantages come from understanding and knowing the plays and the defensive scheme and that comes from the meetings, and so really that also comes from absorbing as much knowledge as possible, so that I can go out there and help my team in any way, shape or form.”
(I was just going to ask you was it fun to participate in your first practice in 16 or 17 months these last couple days and are you proud of how you kept yourself in shape even while not playing college football season last year?) – “I will say it’s very fun being out there. I’m having a great time. This is everything I’ve looked forward to, so I’m just excited to help my team really.”
(And your shape? You obviously stayed in great shape. Was that a challenge? Are you pleased with where you are from a conditioning standpoint?) – “Like many of you know, Miami is abnormally hot and I’ve been on the West Coast my entire life. I’ve never been to Florida, so it is a different type of heat. I tried to stay in shape as much as possible, but adapting to the weather is definitely something that we really try to do and that I’m trying to do. So really it’s adapt or die, so you got to adapt.”
Liam Eichenberg – May 15, 2021
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Saturday, May 15, 2021
T Liam Eichenberg
(Correct me if I’m wrong here, but did we get a new haircut?) – “Yeah, I shaved my head.”
(Is that in response to the heat maybe?) – “No, that’s just a football thing for me. I always shave it when I practice.”
(I guess my question will be how is it going so far? A couple of days on the field and in the classroom now – how are you adjusting to rookie minicamp and what have you noticed about your teammates and the people here?) – “It’s been awesome. Kind of what you asked about, the people here are great. They care about you, they want you to excel and it’s about the team. It’s not about individuals. Practice has been going well. Lifting, the strength coach is great. They put is in a position to excel. Everything is going great down here.”
(Rookie minicamp, this is your first taste of Miami Dolphins and the playbook and so forth. Eventually, do you see yourself as a guy that is going to be competing for playing time, competing for a starting position?) – “Right now, it’s about being consistent. I’ve only had two days of practice. I just want to improve. It’s not about starting right now; it’s about improving every single day from being on the field and then also in the meeting rooms, understanding the offense. There’s a lot going on with offense. First off, I need to get that down.”
(But eventually, I’m talking about.) – “I mean eventually. But right now it’s about just improving.”
(San Francisco T Mike McGlinchey is a guy that I’ve met a couple of times. I met him at Notre Dame and in the playoffs actually. I think he was down for the Super Bowl down here. Yeah, he was in the Super Bowl. I’m wondering if you guys are tight and have you been able to talk to him a little bit about the transition from college to the pros?) – “Yeah, I talked to a bunch of my former teammates – Mike McGlinchey, Quenton Nelson – and then the guys who are undrafted free agents like Sam Mustipher, Alex Bars – so I keep in contact with those guys a lot. I could call them at any time and they’d answer unless they were at practice or in meetings. They’re great guys and we stay in contact.”
(McGlinchey is a guy who played left tackle and right tackle at Notre Dame and now has become a strong player at right tackle in the NFL. What are your observations about him and being able to handle both sides. He could play guard, he could play left tackle, right tackle. What are your observations about how he’s been able to prepare himself to do that?) – “I would say it’s about being available – being able to play wherever the team needs you. At the end of the day, you want to put your five best offensive linemen out there and you want to win. Mike was a guy who was able to slide into guard. He was able to play left tackle, right tackle. Just having that versatility. On top of that, it’s also about being consistent. Mike was also a great leader who set a good example for myself and other guys.”
(We weren’t able to watch practice this week so I’m kind of going in here blind. Did you guys do one-on-ones against defensive linemen or was that not part of the work this week?) – “It was just focused on fundamentals and improving. We did a lot of individual drills, had the opportunity to work with ‘Coach Lem’ (Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre) and understand the Miami Dolphins technique and fundamentals. Practice went well. It was good. It’s nice being down in Florida for the first time practicing. I’m up from up north. It was awesome.”
(The reason I ask is we got to speak with LB Jaelan Phillips earlier today. I’m curious, when you get to go one-on-one against him, that seems to be like a matchup we’d certainly all love to watch.) – “I mean yeah, it just goes back to fundamentals and technique. Every rep is important – not just one-on-ones.”
(You mentioned something that coaches always preach. You want the best five linemen out there. For you, how would you feel if it wasn’t maybe your best position or most favorite, but you were out there? How would you feel about a circumstance like that?) – “I mean any position that helps this team win and helps this offensive line excel and succeed. It doesn’t matter if I’m playing guard, tackle or center – I’ll figure it out. I’ll get to the point where I feel comfortable and I’m able to help this team win.”
(Tell me more about this head shaving. Do you do it on a regular basis? Straight razor? Do you have some buzz cuts? And why before football practice?) – “It’s just kind of a reset. It’s kind of a blank slate. I’m also balding, as you guys can tell. (laughter) Last year and the year before, I would always shave my head and grow my beard out. It’s just kind of something I do for football. It puts me in the mindset.”
(So are we working on the beard or did that give a shave too?) – “(laughter) I’m working on it. I was clean shaven for all of these meetings for these past couple of months.”
(So you felt like you had to clean up your image for these individual teams?) – “Yeah, definitely. Yep.”
(And now we’re going to get to rough offensive line look?) – “Definitely. Yep.”
(You mentioned working out with Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre back in the run-up to the draft and now you get a chance to work with him here on the field. I’m curious, what’s the difference in the way that coaching goes between the run-up to the draft and now that you’re here with the logo and the Aqua and Orange. What’s that difference with coach like?) – “He’s a very consistent coach. Everything he preached at Pro Day, he preaches now. It’s not like he showed up at Pro Day and did something different. It’s about getting your hands inside, setting to your position, being in a good position and kind of using his technique to win every single rep.”
Jaytlin Askew – May 14, 2021
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Friday, May 14, 2021
CB Jaytlin Askew
(We know about your special teams prowess at Georgia Tech. Is that something that when you talk to either Head Coach Brian Flores, General Manager Chris Grier or Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman, they mentioned to you was important here that they were looking for people who could excel on special teams? And which one of those people had you talked to, if any, before you signed?) – “Special teams is a big importance here in Miami. The biggest thing is that everybody competes and everybody continues to work hard, that way we can have the best people out there when it’s time to have special teams on the field.”
(How was your first NFL team meeting and what was the message from Head Coach Brian Flores?) – “It was a great meeting. Just learning, getting in my playbook, meeting all of the guys, getting used to the environment – it’s an great environment here – and just enjoying the process of being down here.”
(As a special teams player, the Dolphins last year had two special teams plays that really didn’t go their way, and probably could’ve changed their season if they did go their way. How hard is it to stay in-tune with the details of special teams and knowing that it means a lot more, even though it does seem kind of routine in the kind of plays that you do, just running down the field and thumping and all of that. How do you keep focus with that, knowing that they could be big plays in the end?) – “I just take it one day at a time, just continue to stack days, continue to learn, be in my playbook, learn from the great coaches here, and take everything one day at a time and enjoy the process while I’m competing every day.”
(We saw a great draft call between Head Coach Brian Flores and Jevon Holland, your teammate, where he talked about being a safeties coach by trade and how he’s going to be on him. Now you’ve got Coach Flores, and Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer who both got their real bread and butter in the defensive backfield in the secondary. I’m wondering have you heard any of that from ‘Coach Flo’ or Coach Boyer in terms of them riding you a little bit harder?) – “They coach me the best they can. My job is to come out, be prepared and continue to give 100 percent effort every day at practice.”
(What’s your favorite thing about playing gunner? It’s such a unique position. You’re basically running down trying to cause disruption. What’s your favorite part about the hustle at that gunner position?) – “My favorite part about it is being able to compete against the best people, continuing to hone my craft and get better every day, become an important part of the team and be able to help everybody out on the team as well.”
(It doesn’t take anybody obvious to kind of know that you’re the third Jalen that we’ve kind of encountered so far here. What’s it like kind of – have you been on a team with so many people as the same name as you before? What’s it kind of like when they say Jalen and everybody kind of looks up with the three of you?) – “My name actually has a T in it. It’s Jaytlin. But I’m cool with people calling me Jalen. I’m sure after a while they will differentiate it, call me by my last name or something. I’m used to a lot of Jalens on the team. It’s a pretty common name.”
Hunter Long – May 14, 2021
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Friday, May 14, 2021
TE Hunter Long
(I guess you won’t know this for sure until you are practicing with NFL veterans, but how NFL-ready do you feel? How prepared do you think you are for professional football that you got from Boston College coaches? Obviously you’re very intelligent. Do you feel NFL-ready?) – “BC helped me progress a lot and helped me to get to where I’m at now, but I’m just here ready to work and improve and do my best to get better.”
(I want to delve into how many offenses you learned at Boston College and how that helped you prepare for what you’re facing now.) – “The first offense I was in was a super run-heavy offense where we ran the ball 70 times a game, and then this past year obviously was a much more pro-style and we threw the ball 70-plus times a game. I honestly like to say I got the best of both worlds at BC and got to learn from both systems and help my game in both aspects of the position.”
(Couple of questions for you. First, I wanted to ask did you get rid of all the hoodies out of your closet and then second, kind of on that same theme there, talking about learning the playbook and stuff, you’ve been in the classroom setting here for a couple of days now and watching film I’m sure and all that stuff – how different is that from what the expectation was in terms of the classroom time in college to the NFL?) – “To answer your first question, I did not learn honestly. (laughter) Traveling down here it was like 45 degrees when I left Boston and I didn’t learn. I started sweating instantly. And then to answer your second question, I’m just trying to put in as much time as I can into the playbook and take in as much information as I can and kind of catch up to the older guys as best as possible. So just as much time as possible I can put into the playbook, I’m going to do.”
(Sorry to tell you we consider this in South Florida a cool day.) – “I know, that’s what they were saying. (laughter)”
(I wanted to ask you a little bit – there’s been some attention given to your prowess with a Rubik’s cube and we know how you build computers and all, but I’m wondering if any of that translates to what you’re trying to do now. Does it help you in terms of learning concepts of a playbook and as you’re learning concepts in this playbook are you the type of guy who has to know the “why” of every single thing so that you put it all together in your head and you want to know what all the other guys on the team are doing on a given play?) – “I don’t know if it carries over much, but maybe it does. I don’t know the answer to that, but in terms of – yeah, of course. To play your best, you’ve got to be able to know kind of the big picture of the offense and each play and kind of what the guys around you are doing. So yeah, I’m going to try to learn as much information as possible for the plays, so I can go out and obviously perform as best as possible.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores talks about winning the practice, doing the best that you can that day. What was the best thing that you did today to win the practice?) – “Just tried to go out and give my best effort. It’s what I’m going to give this program and hopefully show that every day. I just want to improve at something every day and that’s going to be my goal coming in here. I have a lot to learn and a lot to do on the field and a lot of work to put in and I’m just ready to get started. Today was a cool first step.”
(And what was the most impressive thing you saw from anyone else?) – “I’m not going to answer that. Honestly, the coolest thing for me was just putting on the helmet for the first time. I have so much work to do and I know that, and that’s what I’m going to do leading up to the season; but it was a cool small first step of my NFL career today, putting on the uniform and helmet for the first time, even though it was just a practice.”
(I wanted to ask about two guys that just early first interactions – what’s it like meeting and interacting with Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey? He’s got a lot of familiarity with tight ends and obviously that’s your specific position, if you could answer that for me.) – “Meeting all the coaches has been phenomenal. Obviously they know so much and I’m just trying to be a sponge, so to say, and just take in as much information as possible from all of them. They all have great tidbits to help my game and that’s obviously what I’m here to do – get better as much as possible. They’ve all been fantastic.”
(And obviously a lot of us have looked up your film ever since the draft, but where would you say your blocking is at? It seems like you’re a pretty willing blocker. How do you self-assess that portion of your game?) – “I’m here to improve all parts of my game and honestly, I’m going to do whatever they ask me to do. I don’t know if I can answer that directly, but I’m willing to do whatever they ask me to do; and whatever they want me to work on, I’ll continue to work on.”
(Do you plan to study tape of 2020 Dolphins games to see how they use tight ends, how Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey did last year? And have you been in touch at all with TE Mike Gesicki, TE Durham Smythe or TE Adam Shaheen?) – “Yeah, I’m definitely going to watch a little tape and see what – obviously I’ve seen the Dolphins a little bit, being up in Patriot country – but yeah, obviously I’ll go back and take in as much film as possible. Then I haven’t yet, but I’m excited to meet the guys in the room and just do whatever I can to help.”
(The theory in the NFL is that tight end is one of those positions to take a while to learn for young players because they have to learn so many different facets of the game – pass protection, the run blocking, the running of the routes. Why do you think that transition in the NFL is different than college?) – “At the end of the day, it’s just more to take in and it’s a lot of information at one time; but I’m just going to take it day-by-day and one install and one play at a time. Like I said earlier, I’m just going to try to take in as much information as possible to catch up as fast as I can.”
(So there are a lot of guys in the tight end room in Miami world; and so the one thing I wanted to ask is have you had a chance to talk to some of your new tight end teammates, kind of got an idea of any insight that they can offer on what’s expected of the tight ends this year?) – “I haven’t yet, but I’ve obviously talked to the coaches a bunch. I’m excited to join the room, I’m excited to get to know everybody and honestly just excited to do whatever they ask me to do and fill in wherever they need me. I’m definitely excited to meet everybody and get to know everybody and just do what I can to help the tight end room here.”
Carl Tucker – May 14, 2021
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Friday, May 14, 2021
FB Carl Tucker
(What was the discussion like last year when you went to Alabama, with either Head Coach Nick Saban or the coordinator, about what role you served? I know obviously you were versatile with tight end and fullback. Did they say you’d be more valuable doing multiple things for them?) – “They told me exactly what I was going to do. I had planned on being their extra blocker, their extra fullback. I took that chance because I knew that would better my opportunity and that would bring growth to my versatility.”
(Can I ask you real quick, just because you’ve been around WR Jaylen Waddle for a year, what’s the most incredible thing you saw from him last year before he got hurt in practice or in a game, that made you think ‘my goodness this guy is special?’) – “The obvious answer is his speed. I remember one of the first practices we had at ‘Bama, I had to be his lead blocker and he just zoomed past me. I was trying so hard to stay in front of him and he just coasted right by me.”
(You mentioned that going to Alabama and being in that versatile position to increase your opportunity to get to this level and now here you are. I’m wondering, watching some of your tape, there are some really fun take-downs where you really insert your will on guys. Is that something that you’ve always had or did it kind of come along later where you tried to increase your opportunity? Can you just talk about your mindset when it comes to playing that position?) – “It absolutely grew on me. Starting off at Chapel Hill, I came in as a receiver. I played receiver in high school, but I came in playing tight end. At that point, I had never played tight end in my life. I was coached by one of the hardest coaches probably at the time – Seth Littrell. He was a fullback at Oklahoma. He was a hard-nosed heavy hitting guy. He would definitely get on your ass if you weren’t doing what you were supposed to do. If you weren’t physical enough, he’d definitely call you out in front of everybody. I remember the day that changed, he just got on me the whole meeting. So I just told myself, I’d never be soft ever again. (laughter)”
(What you do is typically done in pads, at full speed and that’s when you can kind of show what you are able to accomplish with the physicality. Talk about having to kind of hold back in a practice, especially a minicamp practice, where you can’t really go all out, you can’t be as physical as you normally are and you don’t really want to jack up any teammates?) – “I think that’s the best part because people a lot of times just see that I block very well and they see or believe that’s all that I can do. But I personally believe that one of my strong suits as well is that I have good speed for my size, I have great hands, I feel like I run solid routes. So it’s definitely a perfect opportunity for me to of course be smart and take care of teammates and everything, but also at the same time, get better at the other things that don’t include heavy physicality, like with route-running and stuff like that.”
(As you were talking about making that transition and learning the tight end position, I couldn’t help but think about TE Jibri Blount, a teammate of yours now, who is coming over and trying to learn tight end after being a basketball player. What do you suppose that must be like for him, coming from basketball to tight end?) – “I can only imagine it’s a crazy transition, playing basketball and then making the switch in the league. I know he has a great head on his shoulders, he has a great mentality and I know he’s ready to attack it.”
(Last year, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey referred to the tight ends room as the muscle club. I’m just wondering how you fit into a group called the muscle club?) – “(laughter) I think I fit in pretty well. I wouldn’t say I’m heavy set, but I’m a pretty buff guy. That’s pretty funny. (laughter) I like that a lot. I think I fit pretty well into that.”
(It’s not necessarily a benefit, but does it help I guess having WR Jaylen Waddle, a former teammate? You don’t have to go through this rookie camp necessarily by yourself, but you have a familiar guy that you can double check or just have a conversation with, that you are with Jaylen because you obviously spent this past year with him?) – “Absolutely. It’s maybe not like a huge kind of thing because I only got to know him for a year; but it definitely helps knowing that somebody that I went through the trenches with is here with me. It definitely contributes to me getting a little bit more comfortable than I would be if I was – I wouldn’t say by myself, but getting to know everybody. Just having at least one person you already know.”
