Skylar Thompson – April 30, 2022
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Saturday, April 30, 2022
QB Skylar Thompson
(I know it’s probably a long wait for you to get this call and I was just curious as the final picks come down, what was that feeling like getting that call from Miami and did you think that this might be a team that would call your name?) – “It was an unbelievable feeling. Truly a dream come true. A moment that I’ve dreamed about and worked for my entire life and for it to happen with a great organization like Miami, I’m so excited. I’m so excited for the opportunity that they’ve given me and honestly I wasn’t expecting – it kind of caught me by surprise that this is where I ended up. I’ve talked to Coach (Darrell) Bevell at the Combine and talked to him at the beginning of the week a little bit this week, but I haven’t talked to him – they definitely weren’t the team that I talked to the most. I’m super excited for this opportunity and I think it’s a great fit, so I’m so excited.”
(My question to you is you had a quarterback coach Justin Hoover. He helped you prepare I think for the last six years. Could you explain what he’s meant to you in your development as a quarterback?) – ”Yeah, Coach Hoover has been a big part of my development. I met him at the Elite 11 out of high school and worked with him throughout college and he’s been a big part of my progression and my development over the years. Him being in Kansas City where I’m from, it’s only two hours away from K-State, so it’s been very easy access to get back and get to work with him. He was a big part of my pre-draft process and he just really developed me a ton. It’s not ever been re-inventing the wheel or doing a whole bunch of new stuff. It’s just really finetuning every little detail of being a quarterback and there’s really trying to make a very complicated position be very simple and he’s a been a big part of my progression as a player, as a person; and he means a lot to me so I appreciate him a lot.”
(So obviously in this draft process, teams reach out to you. Who did you think was feeling you the most?) – “Yeah, I had the most interest I thought from the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions, the Patriots, 49ers. There were quite a few teams that I had talked to quite a bit and met with at the Combine and stuff. So yeah, Miami – I had no idea, honestly. It’s a great surprise. I’m very excited for this opportunity.”
(What do you think about your opportunity to come in here and compete for a roster spot? What’s the biggest challenge that you see for yourself?) – “Yeah, well first and foremost, I’ve got to get my foot in the door and start learning the playbook and just be a great teammate. That’s what I’m here – I’m here to win and whatever that may look like, whatever my role is on the team, I’m going to own my role and I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the Miami Dolphins win. That’s what I’m – I’m so excited. I’m so excited to get into the room, to get down in the building down in Miami and get to work. Ultimately I’m – like I said – I’m coming to win and whatever that may look like, that’s what I’m focused on. I’m focused on winning, being the best teammate and leader I possibly can be and making an impact on my teammates and making those around me better. That’s what I’m mainly focused on.”
(I’m wondering if you could sort of give us a self-scouting report on where your game is right now. What are you hearing from teams on what you do really well and what you need to work on?) – “Yeah, I feel like first and foremost, I’m a gamer. Just being able to make plays off-schedule, on-time, with my legs, with my arm. I feel like that’s a summarization of who I am as a player and I’m a guy that wants the ball in his hands when the team needs a big play, when they rely on me to make a play and whether if it’s on fourth down, going into the end zone, red zone, whatever the case may be, I want the ball in my hands in those situations. And on top of that being a servant leader. I feel like I make those around me better. I’m going to serve my teammates at all times and put my team before myself and ultimately that’s what leads to success because it leads to wins and that’s what drives me and my play every single day that I get the opportunity to play football. And as far as moving forward, as far as areas that I think I could get better at or improve is always – first and foremost is my footwork. I feel like I have good feet, but there’s always room for improvement and just being more consistent with my feet and really tightening up my stride on some throws, really getting my turn – my hips open to my left and throwing outbreaking routes. And then just my posture. Sometimes I stand up tall a little bit on my throws and kind of cause the ball to sail, but those are all things that I’ve been working on this offseason and feel really good about going into rookie minicamp here in a couple weeks.”
(You’re going to turn 25 in June which is a little bit older than your typical rookie. How do you look at that in terms of do you feel like maybe more of a sense of urgency for your career to develop because you’re 25? On the other hand, do you feel it helps you because maybe you’re more mature than prospects who come in at 21 or 22?) – “I definitely don’t feel any pressure as far as me being older that my career has to accelerate quicker or whatever the case may be. I think my age is a benefit to me. I’ve played in a lot of football games. I’ve experienced a lot of different situations in football. You name it, I’ve experienced it. And every type of adversity you can think of that a quarterback could experience, I’ve experienced it. I’ve fought through and I’ve overcome and I’m still standing strong. That’s the biggest asset for me. I think I bring a level of leadership that can’t be replicated at all spots just because I’ve been around so many locker rooms, I’ve had so many different encounters with players from all over the place and developed great relationships. I’ve been a four-year team captain. All of that is just tools in my toolbox. It’s given me experiences to bring a great perspective to a great organization and that’s what I hope to bring to the Miami Dolphins.”
(Do you have any prior connections to anybody on the Dolphins?) – “I do not. I do not.”
(I was curious to know if there are any quarterbacks that you might have admired or studied throughout your childhood or college that you looked up to and modeled your game after?) – “Yeah. I was always Drew Brees. I always loved the way that Drew played, the way that he leads first and foremost. Everybody has seen his pregame ‘hoo-rah’ speeches, and getting his team fired up and playing hard. He just makes plays. When the team needs him to make a play, Drew Brees is there and is very consistent with who he is as a person, as a player. On paper people would say he’s undersized, doesn’t have the strongest arm, whatever. Drew Brees always found a way to win, always found a way to prove the naysayers wrong, and I just always admired him about that. The way that he carried himself, the way that he led, the great teammate he was, and he’s a gamer. You can tell he’s just a football player and found ways to get his team on the winning side of the scoreboard, which I always admired about him and looked up to.”
Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel – April 30, 2022
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Saturday, April 30, 2022
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel
Mike McDaniel:
(What was it like for you? First draft as a Miami Dolphin.) – “It was fun. It was an exercise in patience but I think I think it was an exercise in patience and virtue. I’m pumped about the players that we added so that was fun.”
(Making the phone calls, did you enjoy that?) – “Yeah, I was the closer. (Chris Grier) had the hard work of the opener. But yeah, that was fun. It’s a special moment for a lot of people and you can hear it in the background especially. It’s a cool thing to be a part of.”
Chris Grier:
(Today you had three picks. You started off with getting WR Erik Ezukanma. Wide receiver probably wasn’t at the top of your needs but was that a case of best player available and what did you see with him and his fit here?) – “Yeah, I think with us, we always go down the board and always talk about the best players available. We got to that pick and he was a player we had talked about, we had visited with him, spent some time. Wes (Welker) worked him out, went there and he was on Mike (McDaniel) from day one about getting a Red Raider receiver in here. (laughter) We dealt with Wes all spring talking him up. We had a good workout with him. We had a private workout with him as well. He did a nice job for us. We got to know him and he was the kind of player that fit our profile for what we were looking for. Good kid. Tough. Catches the ball well. He blocks. Run after catch and things. When he was there and we looked at the board, we said we had to take him.”
(A few months ago, not long ago you said that you wanted to add competition at center with C/G Michael Deiter. Obviously, you didn’t come away with any offensive linemen. Was that just a matter of how the board kind of shook out? Did you try to trade up or trade back? Can you try to walk me through not coming away with an offensive lineman?) – “Yeah, we want competition at every position. We still, we do have some competition with the offensive line group. As we’ve gone through here in the spring and Mike (McDaniel) and the coaching staff have been very excited about the group and that’s been the fun part about working with these guys here is they’ve talked about it all spring and then getting on the field with them recently, they’re really excited about it. With us, all through the draft, yeah we try and look at every position but we follow our board. We don’t reach for people. We did try and move up a couple of times but we had limited resources in terms of being able to move around. As we said before, just because the draft is over doesn’t mean we are going to stop looking to improve the roster. We’ll keep working through that all spring and through the summer.”
(What is the plan now for backup center or is this a situation where you might try some other guys at that position?) – “Yeah, I think – every option.”
Mike McDaniel:
“It’s important for a team that you’re a combination of players working together. You give everyone an opportunity that you think fits. We have some good, young competition that we feel good about and you’re trying people at different avenues really just to put people in the best position they can be to be successful. You can’t force the market whether it’s the draft or free agency. You do what you’re most comfortable with for the team, that’s what we’ve continued to do and moving forward, if the opportunity presents itself, we’ll jump on it. Right now, we’re just a group of guys that are all in, trying to learn a new system and get better every day. That’s what we’re most concerned with moving forward.”
Chris Grier:
(Chris, you mentioned that the offensive line group in this draft class stood out to you. I’m just wondering if there was a point in this draft that you were trying to trade up for an offensive lineman or it just didn’t fall right or you didn’t have the resources to do so?) – “Yeah, we were looking but we are happy with the players we got. There were opportunities where we made calls and tried to get some deals done but sometimes the ball bounces that way. For us, Mike (McDaniel) was antsy a couple of times. We were on the phone and we were joking about how no one wanted to do business with us.”
Mike McDaniel:
“You really just want to make sure that – at the end of the day, you have four draft picks. You’re going into both days, or really all three days of the draft saying, ‘You know what – we want to make our team better as best we can.’ You want to feel good about the players that you add. There’s a lot of people that are on the field, a lot of positions to fill, but the bottom line is that we need some Miami Dolphins that our locker room can embrace and that can make the players that we have better and make the team better. That’s what we did and we feel great about that.”
Chris Grier:
(On QB Skylar Thompson, if you could each talk about what interested you in the quarterback and what you thought was appealing about him?) – “Yeah, I think going through the process here, we’ve all kind of seen him over the years. It seems like every year Kansas State pulls a big upset over someone and he has a game that people end up talking about. He’s a competitive kid that’s smart, tough. He’s got some athletic ability. I always appreciate how he played and how their coaches and people around him talked about the character and the person. It was always intriguing and then we got to the point here at the end where there is a guy that has some potential to develop as a quarterback and has some upside. We’re excited. The coaching staff and Mike (McDaniel), I’ll let him speak on that but they followed suit with their work.”
Mike McDaniel:
“You’re excited when you turn on the tape and you see a guy with passion play the position of quarterback. You could feel his command and his competitiveness and that’s something that the entire team benefits from because you’re touching the ball all the time and making decisions. We felt good about that opportunity. I just really like the way he played the game and how competitive he was. I think that everyone will be excited that we added another competitor to the team and move forward in that way. Skylar by far had the best audience, too, around him. (laughter) They were all great but I think he had like several people screaming in his ear and into the phone because it was that loud. A lot of people were excited about it.”
(What was your evaluation of WR Erik Ezukanma?) – “Well, I thought he would be a really good guy to draft. Chris (Grier) agreed, so we drafted him. The cool part about Erik is that he competes and he does it – we’ve talked about it at length. Wes (Welker) believes it and a lot of the receivers in the room are starting to understand it but you can really dictate the toughness and the physicality of the team with how guys go about their business. That’s the one unique thing I think we have is however fast they are, all of our receivers compete and play tough. That’s watching Erik do something similar in a completely different body type. It was exciting to watch him play and I think he fits the energy and the skill level that we’re looking for. We want guys to be fast and play fast and doing both with a decisiveness and a team-first passion that he bleeds. We’re excited to add him. That was the biggest thing, I saw a football player playing the receiver position.”
(The roster the day you were hired and the roster today are remarkably different. I was wondering if you could compare the two and maybe talk about how much better you feel about the players you have?) – “It’s exciting but you’re not sure. I’d like to think that Chris (Grier) thinks that I’m a pretty good coach but then he was aggressively adding a lot of really good players. He recognizes that a good coach needs help, he needs good players. It’s a collective. I’m not sure if it was a compliment or if he was saying, ‘Hey dude, you need some help.’ (laughter) But regardless, the end result I feel very good just about the whole team. It’s not just about the guys that we added. It’s about a collective group of people whether you’re in your first year or you’ve been a Miami Dolphin for two or three years. You want people to all agree on the front end to say, ‘Hey you know what, we’re ready to do something together and full commit to it.’ That’s what I’m most excited about because when I first got here, we didn’t have a team meeting. I was individually meeting people maybe two or three guys a day and then the rest were FaceTime and phone calls. Now, we have the energy of a full nucleus and I know one thing – we have a group of guys with these college guys now joining that are committed to trying to win football games and that’s the best part about the roster now.”
Chris Grier:
(General Manager Chris Grier, you were asked about center and I’m curious about the running back position. Obviously you have quality running backs on the roster but I’m curious if there was a running back or two that you and Head Coach Mike McDaniel and the other coaches liked in that third or fourth round range that would have been an option had it broken a little differently?) – “Yeah, there was one guy that we kind of targeted a little bit and Mike (McDaniel) fell out of his chair when he got picked by somebody.”
Mike McDaniel:
“I mean I was composed. (laughter) I was a professional. I was convinced that I was internalizing it all.”
(The 49ers got a back, right? Was he from Arizona State?) – “The 49ers drafted a running back? I don’t know. We were focused on our four picks.”
Chris Grier:
“Yeah, we were just focused on our guys. (laughter).”
Mike McDaniel:
(Did you guys have any HBCU targets that you guys wanted to bring in during free agency or after this draft as unsigned free agents?) – “There are plenty of good players in college football. They come from all different conferences. That’s competitive as well. It’s just like the draft. There are a lot of players that we feel good about that we would add on our team that we don’t have the opportunity to because of the competitive nature of the selection process and undrafted free agency. There are plenty of players we’ve evaluated, several of which we had high on our board.”
(How are you feeling now that the draft process is over as a head coach? How are you feeling, how was this process for you?) – “I feel like there has been a lot of work done, but nothing has been done if that makes sense. You’re right, you’re in the natural process of at least for a portion of the calendar of the year, you can be focused specifically on one thing and that’s practicing football and getting better at that. That’s relieving, but it’s just the transfer of focus. It’s a cool part of the process. It was fun. I imagine the first night would be a little more climatic in the near future. It was nice to get my feet wet by doing nothing. (laughter) But it was fun. I was very happy with our draft picks on our first day. I just got to watch them practice for the last couple of weeks with Tyreek (Hill). That was good. We felt good about that one. (laughter) I’m excited to move forward and I think a lot of people in the building are too.”
Chris Grier:
(I’m guessing you guys will have a large undrafted free agent class to get into now?) – “Yeah, we think so. We’re in the process of working through that here as the draft ends. We’ll be signing players as always and getting ready for rookie minicamp.”
(Does it benefit you that you don’t have that many draft picks with the undrafted rookie, or is that really a situation that comes down to money?) – “It’s a combination of both. It does help because some teams have had eight, nine, 10 players added at a position. With us it gives you a little more space for opportunities. Kids will look for opportunities with their agent. But at the end of the day, the good players that are left, it always gets competitive with the money.”
(This is you guy’s first time in this process working together in the draft and free agency. I’m curious if you guys learned anything from each other throughout the course of this process the first time around?) – “I learned that he likes sushi. He was crushing sushi on Thursday night.” (laughter)
Mike McDaniel:
“He’s a tough guy to compete with in Cherry Pepsi consumption. I tried to go bottle for bottle with him and I couldn’t keep up. (laughter) That was humbling I guess. No, but it’s been great. You’re excited to get involved in the process and it felt like we’ve worked together for a long time, to the point where I feel like Chris (Grier) looks at me and he’s like, ‘We’ve worked together for a long time, I’m kind of sick of you at this point,’ which I think is good for everyone. (laughter)”
Chris Grier:
“It’s been good, it’s been good. Even when we disagreed on players, we spent time on the players and talking through why and talking with the coaching staff and scouts. It’s been a good process. It has been fun. I think for everybody it has been enjoyable. The scouts, coaches – we’ve had a number of coaches that Mike has hired that have said they’ve enjoyed this process because it’s been different, the openness and communication just from other places they have been. It’s been fun and we feel good about the process but there is still work to be done.”
(Did you end up watching any WR Tyreek Hill highlights?) – “No, we didn’t. (laughter) Practice film, we actually did. Thursday at practice. (laughter)”
Cameron Goode – April 30, 2022
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Saturday, April 30, 2022
OLB Cameron Goode
(It was reported a couple of weeks ago that you had a pre-draft visit to the Dolphins. How did that visit go, and what did you learn about this defense during your time here?) – “The visit was great. It was honestly, definitely one of my favorites. I love Miami. I’ve always loved Florida. I’m excited to come out here. The coaches are great. I love the coaches. I met with Coach ‘Camp’ (Anthony Campanile) and Coach (Ty) McKenzie. I love the coaches. I felt like I built a good relationship with them and I’m ready to go out there.”
(What do you feel are the things you do best as an outside linebacker? Did you play mostly in a 4-3 or in a 3-4 at Cal?) – “I played in a 3-4. I feel like I’ve been able to get my pass rush better throughout the years. I feel like I’m physical. I’m always going to be physical, setting the edge and things like that. I’m ready to get with Coach McKenzie and rush the passer and get all of that squared away and ball out.”
(You mentioned at the start how much you enjoy Florida and Miami. Tell me about how much time you’ve spent here and what it is about the area that you enjoy?) – “I played baseball for 10 years so I’ve been in Florida for a good amount of times to play baseball tournaments out there. I’ve always loved it. I’ve always said I wanted to live in Florida. It’s really a dream come true. It was my first time in Miami on my visit and I honestly loved it. It’s really crazy it happened.”
(How did baseball lose out to football?) – “Baseball was a little too slow for me. Football was it for me. It was physical. It runs in the family. My dad and great uncle have been in the league. I’m just excited and ready to go. Baseball was fun, but it’s not football.”
(Where did your dad and your great uncle play?) – “My dad got drafted by the Falcons in the fifth round a long time ago and my uncle, I believe it was the Chargers who drafted him. He went first round a long time ago.”
(Going back to your dad, I’m wondering what kind of advice he’s given you for the NFL?) – “He’s always telling me about his experiences. I just know it’s a mental battle and you always got to be mentally strong. It’s a long process. It’s a fight. Everybody is good, so things like that. Stay mentally in it and keep going really and just keep working.”
(I’m wondering how a outside linebacker ended up with the number 19. How did that come about?) – “When I first got to Cal, they gave me No. 41. I wasn’t feeling that, so I asked to change my number and they gave me the options No. 19 or No. 29. I felt like No. 19 was the number. It stuck. I love it now – No. 19.”
Erik Ezukanma – April 30, 2022
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Saturday, April 30, 2022
WR Erik Ezukanma
(I just first wanted to ask how much conversation did you have with the Dolphins in the pre-draft process and did you get a feeling that you might be picked by them?) – “Throughout the process, Miami did show a lot of interest and I had a formal (interview) with them at the NFL Combine. That’s where I got this hat. They just showed love throughout the process and for them to pick a spot with me, it was big.”
(My question to you is how does it feel coming to Miami with a loaded wide receiver group such as WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle, to learn from them for your first year and working with the wide receiver group?) – “It’s going to be a big opportunity. You’ve got a guy like Tyreek Hill who’s done it for a long time. Jaylen Waddle being a rookie last year and putting the numbers he put up, it’s going to be a great opportunity to learn from them and take notes and learn from Wes (Welker) as well. Him being able to coach the guys up and just take a lot in and be a sponge and take a lot of notes and watch a lot of film.”
(I wanted to ask you a little bit more – you just mentioned Wes Welker – how much contact have you had with him? How familiar are you with his background?) – “Oh, you know, he’s a Red Raider. He’s Red Raider blood just like me, so a lot of contact throughout the process and with Wes Welker taking a chance on me and the Miami franchise, I appreciate them so much and I’m grateful for this opportunity and I’m ready just to work.”
(How do you describe your style?) – “Play style?”
(Yes.) – “I’m a versatile guy. I feel like I can fit in right where Jaylen Waddle – the way he can take the ball out of the backfield as well as be a deep threat down the field, but also just a versatile guy with RAC ability and YAC ability – yards after contact and run after the catch. You can put me anywhere on the field and I feel like I can help the team in any situation.”
(I saw that you were a captain as a freshman at Texas Tech. Just wanted to ask you about the importance of kind of the leadership role and being a good locker room guy.) – “Man, the locker room is everything because that’s really where the team collaborates and works together outside of the coaches. And you know, you want to be a player-led program. You want guys in the locker room to uplift each other, not be one of those guys that brings each other down. I’m willing to go in there, learn my role with the team and as I gradually get up in the ranks, earn my respect; I feel like I can hop into that leadership role.”
(Forgive me for not knowing this, but how much special teams, if at all, have you played over your career in college?) – “Yes, sir. I did a lot of front line kickoff return. I was blocking a lot in the front line either in the center or the edge. I did a lot of gunner as well. Also kind of kickoff, the edge guy at No. 9 or 10 coming off the edge, being the fold player.”
(I’ve always wondered what it was like to be a gunner. When you did that, what was your approach?) – “It was kind of just like being a receiver, getting off the line and running as fast as you can down the field before the punt returner catches the ball. If that’s what they need me to do, I’ll do whatever it takes to make it on the roster.”
(I saw you’re 6’2”, a bigger receiver, bigger body. What do you think about your ability to make contested catches? Is that an area that you like about your game?) – “That’s one of my strong suits. I feel like throughout my career I’ve really worked on contested catches, bang-bang plays. I feel like in the beginning of my career at Tech, that was one of the places I struggled at, but I gained more confidence with that and just getting bigger in the weight room, buying into the weight room and being able to make those contested catches even if a defender is on my back or hitting me at the same time. So I feel like that’s one of my high points of my game.”
(One of seven children, single mother supporting you guys as a nurse. I just wanted to ask you about the impact your mom had in your life?) – “She is really the reason why I’m sitting right here today. I really believe that because I’ve watched her grind every day working nights – 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. in the morning and going right back to it. Growing up I had to grow up fast. Being the older brother and little brother at the same time, I had to get them out of the house and go to school and I also had to go to school myself. It was growing up really fast. I feel like without her, I couldn’t have watched her work ethic and watch her grind. I feel like all of that grinding is instilled in me. I feel like that’s why I’m here right now.”
(Just because of the last name, is there any African heritage in there because I’m Nigerian myself, so I had to ask.) – “Nigerian, yes sir. I’m Nigerian. I’ve never been to Nigeria, so I hope to make that trip out there. I have a lot of siblings, so my mom really hasn’t been able to get us out there. But I definitely want to get out there and get with some relatives.”
(I wanted to ask you about head coach Mike McDaniel. We’re all enjoying getting to know him. I’m wondering what your impressions of this guy was when you talked to him.) – “Man, great guy. I feel like I really haven’t got to know him yet. I want to really get to know him because that’s going to be my head coach and with that, I want to learn from him, ask him a lot of questions, get with the staff and really just have them pour into me and be that guy that they can trust.”
(I found your logo on the interweb – the EE with the lightning bolt. Did you choose the lightning bolt? Was that your design? And if so, why?) – “The lightning bolt is also considered a Z in the logo – EZE. The lightning bolt is to express my speed, how explosive I am, the way I play ball. It’s just a representation of me and the way I play. Just a little cool design that I thought was nice. We put it on some t-shirts and things.”
(I have to ask you about your connection to Patrick Mahomes. I believe you trained with him and maybe received some words of encouragement and advice. What can you tell us about that?) – “It was a cool experience. I went out to the place he works out at and worked out twice actually. The first time I went over there and we worked out, he was very encouraging. He was letting me know the grind doesn’t stop here. Basically you’re going to get drafted and you’re going to be grinding until the next offseason, and with that, you got to stay hungry and be the first one into the film room and have a note or pen whenever you’re learning anything. And just be a sponge throughout the process because they are looking for that and they want to see you be the first in line in every situation.”
(What excites you about getting to know and getting to play with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “I watched Tua in the national championship when I was a kid a couple of years ago, just hoping to be in that same situation as him. To watch him grow in the NFL and learn, obviously it’s going to be an experience. I want to come in and get with him as soon as possible and run as many routes as he wants me to run just to get that chemistry going and that friendship going.”
Chris Grier – April 29, 2022
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Friday, April 29, 2022
General Manager Chris Grier
(A couple of weeks, about a month ago we spoke to you at the owners meeting about the decision to re-sign all of the inside linebackers and then you use your first pick on an inside linebacker. Can you walk us through what drew you to LB Channing Tindall and making that selection?) – “Yeah, we decided to sign the inside linebacker groups and bring guys back like Duke (Riley), ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts), etc. It was because those guys are good players, they know our system, we know what they are on and off the field and how they contribute to this team. We were excited to add them back and then in terms of Channing, he was a player that we had been targeting throughout the process. We met with him in Indianapolis and really enjoyed our time with him. We brought him down here on a 30 visit, spent a lot of time with him here as well. For us, it’s the versatility, the speed is what we like. He can play, he has the ability to play all three downs and play special teams as well. In talking to Kirby Smart the other day again about him, he was just talking about what tremendous speed and toughness and the character of the kid and how Kirby really loved and thinks he’s going to be a really good player in the NFL. We’re really excited to get him. We were kind of holding on hoping he would be there. We tried to move up a couple of times to make a move and those things were – people wanted to make their picks. It was a long wait for us, a long day not picking until 11:20 or whatever it was on day two. It’s been a long couple of days. We haven’t been used to that.”
(You mentioned attempts to potentially move up and I’m wondering as LB Channing Tindall’s Georgia teammate LB Nakobe Dean was falling into the third round, did you also consider moving up to potentially look at him and try to get him?) – “We had discussions about multiple players that we were trying to move up. Teams wanted to make their picks at the spots we had a real chance of moving up to and we were not going to give up any picks from the 2023 draft, the upcoming draft class. For us, those were non-negotiable. We made a couple of calls and stood where we were. We’re glad we ended up with Channing.
(Did any teams call you to try to make any moves to where you might move down for that matter?) – “Yeah like I said, we made a couple of calls about trying to move up but we got no calls about teams wanting to come up with us moving down. It was very quiet. Stephen (Ross) was talking about how it was the first time our phone didn’t ring all year for the first two days of the draft. Other than a couple of calls that we made, it was very quiet.”
(So how did you spend last night for example?) – “Eating a lot of food. Mike (McDaniel) and I just sitting there talking and watching our weight go up. (laughter)”
(I was curious if you could tell us a little bit about – you talked about the 30-visit with LB Channing Tindall and talking to Kirby Smart. I was just wondering if you could tell us what really stood out about Channing, his character and the way he approaches the game that you guys really liked as a staff?) – “I think when you watch the film, it’s a very talented defense and how they use him – they use him as a spy, they use him to blitz, he covers backs. Just a lot of the ways that are kind of similar to how he will probably be used here in different schemes. As you guys were talking, Josh (Boyer) and etc, and we will get going into camp and into the season about his usage. But you can see a lot of things on tape that translate to our league and what we would do in our scheme specifically. We spent a lot of time with him, getting to know him as a person and then talking with Kirby (Smart) and talking about how he’s one of those players that – a lot of kids look to leave school when you’re in a log-jam at places and there’s a lot of talented linebackers there at Georgia and he elected to stay and keep competing. That character too, that part of him really stood out to me like, ‘Hey, this kid loves ball and wanted to be around his teammates and do anything he can to help them win.’ And it paid off. They won a national championship. We really enjoyed getting to know the kid. Specifically, the speed stands out on film on him.”
(I know last week or so, you said you really wanted to keep the first-round picks but for you to now say that all the 2023 picks next year are non-negotiable, can you elaborate on that? Is there something about next year’s draft that you didn’t want to part with any of those picks?) – “Well I’m just talking that it’s more of the first, second round picks that we are talking about. Obviously, if there was someone that was worth us doing, we would talk about it or consider it. Those early picks in next year’s draft, we really wanted to keep. For me, I think those are always valuable picks.”
(You talked about LB Channing Tindall’s speed standing out to you. I was curious how much influence did having to play Bills’ QB Josh Allen two times a year have to wanting to add speed to your linebacker room? Or is it a non-factor?) – “I think the way the NFL is, there’s a lot of speed now in the game and how it’s evolving. It’s a little bit of the college game where you’re spreading people out. We have guys that can run; (Jerome) Baker can run, Duke Riley can run, ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts) will tell you he can run. (laughter) We have guys that can run and do stuff. It was to keep adding players in that fit the mold of what the game is becoming. I think it’s important and for us to have a guy who can do that and also play on special teams with his speed because it shows up. When you watch him on kickoffs and punts, he’s the first guy down the field and stuff and makes plays. Just adding a guy that can contribute on all four downs is really important.”
(It’s pretty amazing what all you’ve accomplished this offseason that you and Senior Vice President, Football & Business Administration Brandon Shore are still sitting on about 19-20 million dollars in cap space. Are you hoping to hang on to most of that space and carry it over to next year or could you see spending significant money, three-four million, on another veteran player?) – “Like I say, we’ll always keep looking to upgrade the roster and if it makes sense for us – if there’s a player out there that can help us and is a good fit for us, we’ll be aggressive and go after him. Each player, we’ll look at case-by-case but we’ll keep looking. With the draft weekend here, it’s still not over and post-draft, we’ll keep looking and all the way throughout the summer and going into training camp, we’ll keep looking if there’s someone we can add to the roster that would help us.”
(Just in looking at the stats, it seems like LB Channing Tindall took a big step forward in his fourth season. What did you learn, what did you hear about his heart and his development throughout his time at Georgia?) – “That’s a good point because a lot of it in high school, from what was relayed to me, was that he was a blitzer off the edge rushing. Playing inside and doing all this keying and diagnosing inside, he was learning that as he was going the first couple of years there in Georgia while learning that scheme, which is a complicated scheme that Kirby (Smart) runs as you guys know, very similar to Nick Saban with heir history. In talking with Kirby, he was just really saying how the arrow is still going up on Channing (Tindall) and that he has taken a big step because now he’s in the box playing more. Obviously with Nakobe (Dean) and Quay (Walker) there, two really good players in front of him, they were all fighting for playing time but he took a step and ended up playing more because he had grown so much. For us, it’s exciting that we still have a player that’s young but still has upside to develop and that we feel he is on a good progression.”
(It seems like this was kind of a wild draft in some ways. The flurry of trades in the first round. We saw what happened with the quarterbacks. I’m wondering from a league-wide perspective, what are some of the main takeaways you take from this draft that maybe makes it unique and not just in a league-wide standpoint but also if anything stands out in terms of what your AFC East rivals did. Perhaps they maybe countered your acquisition of WR Tyreek Hill.) – “I think it was a unique draft but I think over the last couple of years, you’ve seen more teams willing to trade and move around where in the past, up until probably the last three or four years, you’d see maybe two or three trades in the first round. Now, there’s nine this year and I think a little bit too with the receiver market and other players that are high-market teams that are evaluating the draft picks and having players under control for four or five years at a cost that’s much cheaper than paying a player 20-plus million. I think each team has their own philosophy on how they want to build and do their team. It is an interesting time around the league watching how things have progressed. I think all the teams in the league did a good job in their drafts. I think everyone looks at their division but they’re also being cognizant of what’s going on around the league in terms of competing with everyone and not just the teams in your division. I think those guys have done a nice job in our division. It’s going to be a tough division and we’re looking forward to trying to compete and seeing what we can do.”
(Did you sense that, for example, the Jets were trying to counter your acquisition of WR Tyreek Hill?) – “(laughter) I don’t know. I think they were just trying to fit the best players for them. We were joking for a while that I was going to call Joe Douglas and offer them our third, fourth and two sevenths for their last pick in the first round. (laughter) Those guys have all done a great job and it’s a tough division, very tough division. We made some moves there to compete and other teams as well. I’m looking forward to it and it’ll be an exciting and it’ll be an exciting year for all of us.”
Channing Tindall – April 29, 2022
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Friday, April 29, 2022
LB Channing Tindall
(It was reported that you had a pre-draft visit with the Dolphins a couple of weeks ago. How did that visit go and did you leave with a sense that you might be coming back to Miami?) – “I did go down there, and when I went down there, I just loved the campus and the facility they had there. I just really got in with the linebackers coaches. I talked to the whole staff and I felt like home, honestly, when I was there.”
(What did you learn about this defense that you think will make you fit in so well?) – “The way they use their linebackers is different. They use their linebackers everywhere. They put them on the edge sometimes, they put them on the line, they put them at Mike, Will. They are very versatile and I feel like I fit into it.”
(How much fun was it playing on that defense last year, and on the flip side of that, was there a little bit of concern of getting lost because you guys had so many elite players? You guys had five players taken in the first round from just that one defense.) – “It was so fun playing on that defense. We just came in and all of those people are my brothers. We did these things called skull sessions in the beginning of the year. We were just talking about each other’s why and our backgrounds. I can tell you about each of my teammates and they can tell you about my why. Just that connection we had is something that I’m going to miss.”
(Was there a worry that as a prospect heading into the draft, you could get lost a little bit playing around so many high-profile prospects?) – “No, I didn’t feel that way. I’m a big believer in just God’s plan and what comes is supposed to happen. I just put it all in God’s hands and hope for the best.”
(I wanted to ask if you have any memories about the level of competition on that defense that you guys endured all season. I’m sure you guys competed every single day. And how do you think that prepared you for the next level?) – “Just coming in there – it’s very business-like at Georgia. Just coming in there and seeing the culture that was already built there before I got there, like in fall camp. My first fall camp, I caught a full body cramp and I was looking at the ceiling like ‘wow, this is college.’ With the culture that was already built there and everything that was going on, I just felt like it prepared me.”
(I noticed looking at your statistics that you made a big jump this year – an increase in tackles, an increase in tackles for loss, an increase in sacks. Without having watched all of the games, can you fill me in on what changed?) – “Coach (Glenn) Schumann. who was my position coach at Georgia, I just took extra time and watched film with him. I feel like I knew what I had to do. I was on a mission before the season started. I was just on a mission, like I have to get this done. I would say the biggest thing is probably just my mindset. My mindset was do or die.”
(What were your conversations like with head coach Mike McDaniel and all of the coaches that you met during your visit? What did they like about you? What was their interest in what you bring to the field?) – “They like me for my versatility and I feel like that’s the reason why. That’s the main reason. Just like I was saying earlier, where they put their linebackers at – just Miami as a whole, where they put their linebackers, their linebackers do it all. I feel like I fit into that.”
(That pre-draft visit wasn’t the first time you’d come to Miami. You played at Hard Rock stadium in the Orange Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal win against Michigan. What were your impressions of playing in that stadium? What do you think it would be like playing there as a pro?) – “It was a beautiful stadium. I’m from South Carolina and it’s humid down here, too. But man, during pregame, it was very humid that day before we went out on t the field. From then, as the game continued and everything, you could look up and it’s outside but it’s in a dome. It’s just very beautiful.”
(I’m curious where you are, who you are with and what was your reaction when you got the call tonight?) – “I’m with my close friends and family. My mother, my cousins, my best friends. They are all here right now. Real exclusive. They are all really happy. It’s a very emotional day.”
(A few minutes ago, you mentioned that going into the season, you were on a mission and you had to get this done. What exactly was your goal? Was it to be drafted like you are tonight? Was it to earn a starting job? Or was it something else?) – “I felt like the biggest thing is I wanted to be the best version of me. I knew I wasn’t doing everything I could to be the best version of me. So when it came down to it, I was like this season I can’t just wait. It needs to happen now to be the best version of me and I need to continue on it. Like what am I waiting for or pausing on? We all say we know what we need to do better, or from a standpoint of know what it is you have to do to be better and work on it. This season was my year where I was like from here on out, the sky is the limit and I’m trying to go as high as I can in anything I do, even outside of football.”
(I’m curious rather you had any prior connection to anybody on the Dolphins other than G Solomon Kindley, with whom you played at Georgia.) – “I know Jevon Holland pretty well.”
(Where did you guys first meet?) – “I met Jevon at the Nike Opening event a long time ago. We are all pretty cool.”
(Were you named after anybody?) – “I was named after my father’s best friend that served in the military who died.”
(I saw you ran a 4.47 40-yard dash. I also have read you described as tough. Tell me how you’re able to approach both a speed mindset and a hitting mindset.) – “I feel like they go hand-in-hand, especially being a linebacker. I feel like every good linebacker, and any linebacker honestly in the league, they are running fast and they are hitting. So just coming with speed, you are ready to hit something. You’ve got to be tough to play linebacker. You cannot be a linebacker and not be tough.”
Jaelan Phillips – April 27, 2022
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Wednesday, April 27, 2022
LB Jaelan Phillips
(I wanted to ask you about a couple interesting things you said on a podcast. One, hiring Ben Newman. At what point did that happen? Was it early in training camp and also I couldn’t hear what you said was the thing you wrote on the wristband? JFW?) – “Yeah, so Ben (Newman), I didn’t really hire Ben. It was more brought to me because he’s a good friend of Kaleb Thornhill’s. He did a lot of work with Alabama and some other top teams. And yeah, he’s just like a confidence coach. He has a bunch of books out and stuff about it. But really kind of what he told me and what he ingrained in me was just that positive self-talk because it’s easy to get in your head about things when things aren’t going well and just kind of get trapped in that negative cycle. But really if you just take some perspective and get outside of yourself and really try to talk to yourself positively and just focus on what you have to focus every on day, I think that really helped me a lot.”
(And was that early in training camp?) – “No, that was like midway through the season.”
(I know you talked on the podcast about early in training camp about maybe not being in the best place in terms of not wanting to let teammates and coaches down. You were hurt for a time. Was that a difficult first couple of weeks of training camp for you from that standpoint?) – “Yeah, for sure. And I kind of mentioned on the podcast, too, just how coming out of ‘The U’ (University of Miami) and how everything happened there, I was kind of riding on this high. So when I came into camp and started getting hit with some adversity again, I just had to kind of re-position myself and refocus my energy and my attention. So I ultimately ended up – I’m really grateful for the fact that that happened because in the span of the season I felt myself growing as a person. And then back to – ‘JWM – Just Watch Me.’ And that just basically evokes an emotional response from me. Just kind of having a chip on my shoulder still and just reminding myself that I still have everything to prove to myself and to haters. (laughter)”
(We spoke to you before your rookie season ended. You said that you wanted to take steps to be an every-down player. Sometimes you may have been taken off the field in non-passing situations. I guess what have you done during the offseason or maybe attempted to do to kind of make sure you’re an every-down player in Year 2?) – “I think for me it’s just a mindset thing. I think I’m just kind of taking pride in the fact that it’s almost like that chip on my shoulder, that ‘just watch me’ thing. Like people said I couldn’t play early downs. ‘All right, just watch me.’ So it’s just a mentality, having that dawg mentality, having that fight to where every single snap, it’s me against him and who’s going to win? It’s damn sure not going to be him. (laughter)”
(Do you feel that – how would you classify your rookie season? I was a little surprised to hear you talking about it in the way that you were because I thought it was a decent rookie year, but apparently you felt otherwise?) – “I’m really critical of myself and I have a lot of high aspirations and I want to do everything I can to help the team and so for me, not being able to come in every single down to help the team, that’s something where I took it on myself where I’m going to work on this. So the sacks were nice, but ultimately it’s more than just sacks. It’s more than just production. It’s about how you fit into the defense and what are you doing to contribute to the team as a whole. So yeah, I’m just constantly trying to better myself and improve the things that I need to improve on.”
(Let me ask you. You started excelling when you were in a pass rush-specific role. Do you still feel like you’re a linebacker? Do you want to be a linebacker? Do you want to play that or you want to be a hand-in-the-ground, get-up-field kind of guy?) – “I’m just trying to be the most well-rounded player that I can be, so whatever roles that the coaches see fit for me, I can fit those roles accordingly.”
(So you’re still in the linebacker room I’m assuming?) – “Yes, the outside linebacker room.”
(On the podcast, you talked about the three games means you’re not a rookie anymore, but you’re cutting the rookie tie already. I was curious, as you kind of look back at this time last year, the draft night and everything, how would you say you’ve kind of grown or your approach is different whether it’s mentally or physically, just kind of comparing where you were a year ago to this time?) – “Yeah, I think I’ve definitely toughened up on the mental standpoint of things and just learning about what the league is and how to manage my expectations like I said. But yeah, it’s crazy to think that basically a year ago tomorrow was draft night and just the whirlwind of emotions and just how this year went, it’s pretty crazy. I’m just looking to take everything from last year and just keep building on it.”
(When you look back at a year ago, the whole process leading up to the draft, the question – what were teams questioning you? Because the thought was you were going to go really high if it wasn’t for A, health or B, music and outside interests. What were teams asking you about and your thoughts on everything and how it played out?) – “Yeah, I just think every team was just doing their due diligence. It’s a big investment to draft somebody in the first round – draft somebody at all, but especially in the first round. And so for me, with the story that I had and having left the game and then retired and then come back, I just think they wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth of what went down and just make sure that my passion was still there and everything. And I think I proved that to every single team and especially the Dolphins. Obviously they took a chance on me.”
(What were some of the questions you got? Did anything stand out? Anything any more in particular in the interviews you were given?) – “They obviously asked a lot about football knowledge and everything like that, but just who I was from a character standpoint and my upbringing and my mindset and a lot of things like that. So I mean, I probably did 60 Zoom interviews, so I couldn’t tell you specific questions – it’s all a whirlwind – but that was kind of the main theme, the main idea. Just trying to get a picture of who I was as a person.”
(Were you happy where you were taken? Obviously things work out for a reason, but did you go where you expected to go, looking back on it at all?) – “I don’t know if I expected to get drafted here, but I’m ecstatic that I’m here. I literally wouldn’t have it any other way to be able to come to ‘The U’ and then come to the Dolphins, it’s literally like a storybook. I couldn’t have written it up any better, so I’m just extremely grateful and thankful that the Dolphins took the chance on me to bring me here.”
(What kind of a sense do you get about how similar or different the defense could be with Brian Flores having moved on and Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer staying?) – “Ultimately, I think Coach Boyer being the defensive coordinator, it’s his defense and so we’re doing – I don’t want to get into the details of our defense obviously. I don’t want to give anybody competitive advantage this early – but we’re just working on continuity as a defense. We’re working on communication. We’re working on just gelling together so that we’re able to play at the highest level possible.”
(What are your impressions of what it will be like going against T Terron Armstead in practice?) – “Iron sharpens iron. Everybody knows that, so just to be able to pick his brain and get different looks and experience from a guy who has clearly established himself in this league. So it’s really cool to be able to have some competition like that.”
(One thing QB Tua Tagovailoa mentioned is that he and Head Coach Mike McDaniel looked at 150 snaps of his. Have you done anything likewise in terms of some of the plays that you liked in pass rush and against the run, some of the plays you didn’t like? Have you done that on your own? Have you done it with Linebackers Coach Anthony Campanile or with Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer? And if you have, I was curious without giving anything away competitively is there anything you emerged from thinking with each in terms of I want another pass rush move or I’ve got to do something a little bit differently against the run?) – “I think it’s just like I said, that mentality. And then also just honing in the skills and just having confidence and trust in myself. I think that confidence is a huge thing in this game and any game really, but especially in football. You can’t play scared, you can’t play tentative and you can’t think because then you’re going to slow down. So for me, I’m really trying to be sharp and on point with my preparation and knowing the defense as a whole and not just my own assignment, but conceptually what we’re trying to do a defense so that therefore I can play fast, play confidently and just come into my own.”
(On that same note, going into this offseason was there anything you wanted to do physically whether it’s add weight, cut weight? Anything like that to help you be a better player, be that every-down player?) – “Yeah, just working on body re-composition, just continuously trying to build lean muscle and cut as much fat as possible and so weight-wise I feel really good. I feel like I’m running around well. I feel like I’m strong as well, so just continuously trying to improve my body and finetune some smaller muscles that you might not think about that are really good at stabilization and different lateral movements and different things like that. So just trying to prime my body for the season. No doubt.”
(You look leaner.) – “Yeah.”
(How much leaner?) – “Lean mean machine, man. (laughter) Five pounds. Literally. It’s surprising like body composition can make a huge difference. Because obviously muscle weighs more than fat, so being able to trim fat significantly – although I may look 10, 15 pounds leaner, in reality I’m almost the same weight.”
(Mentally, how much different is this offseason than last? I feel like leaving college you’re so focused on prepping for the draft and then you’re focused on acclimating to your team. This year we’ve seen you on podcast appearances, out in the community you’ve been able to do so much, yet you still have to of course hone your craft. So what has this been like mentally for you?) – “I’ve been trying to take advantage of the offseason to be involved in as many different things as possible. I think having as much time as we have, I have to spend it doing something positive and so I can kind of schedule things out to where I’m still getting my work in with football, but then I’m also able to continue some of the community work that I’ve been trying to do as well. And so the mentality this offseason, I’m feeling confident. I’m feeling a lot more focused than I was last year because like you said, you’re worried about the draft, you have anxiety and all this stuff. And so for me, being comfortable in my position and just really trying to, like I said, hone in my craft and start strong.”
(How do the great ones – you went through this already, but how do the great ones do it from the jump? Do you think about that and now do you have an idea of they do it?) – “Say that again.”
(How do the great ones, they come in rookie year and their first game and they’re rolling. You said yourself it took you a little while to get acclimated. Do you know now how that happens?) – “I think everybody develops at their own pace. I don’t know if that statement is necessarily true, I’m not saying it’s false but there have been great players that come in and don’t have success until their third, fourth year in the league. Everybody develops at their own pace and for me it was understanding that and not trying to compare myself to other people because at the end of the day, my preparation and my journey is what’s most important. For me, just like I said on the podcast, being process oriented and not result oriented because at the end of the day, you have to put in the work, you have to put in the work. So yeah, my season went the way it did but like I said, I’m looking to come into next year ready and starting fast.”
(That’s what I’m talking about, the experience that you went through last year. Something clicked there right? Towards the sixth game, something clicked there for you?) – “Yeah, like I said, I think it’s a confidence thing. It’s just being confidant in myself, being confident in my preparation and just going out on the field and leaving it all out there.”
(Do you see yourself working with a confidence coach again this year and as best as you can describe it, how much of a jump do you think you will have in year two compared to your rookie year?) – “Yeah, I mean I still talk to Ben almost every day. He texts me positive messages every morning and just positive affirmations and things like that. I definitely will continue to work with him and then just in terms of, I’m not setting any expectations for next year. I just know I’m working my ass off and really trying to be a trusted player, trusted teammate and do everything that I can for this organization.”
(This is not as deep as a draft class as last year but are there any of your former Miami teammates coming out this year that you’re looking forward to seeing at the next level?) – “Yeah, I’ve got a handful of my boys. Mike Harley is in the draft. John Ford. Zach McCloud. Charleston (Rambo), I’m pretty sure is in the draft. I didn’t play with him but DeAndre Johnson. There’s a bunch of guys. I was actually luckily able to watch Deandre and Zach perform in the local day. I got to chop it up with them, give them some advice and just congratulate them on everything they’ve done so far. It’s really exciting to see some of my friends. I have friends from other schools as well in this draft. It’s really cool to see people fulfilling their dreams.”
(Speaking of UM, I know you didn’t play with Mitchell Agude or Caleb Johnson. I think you did with Mitchell. Did you talk to both players before they transferred here and have you seen tape to have a sense of what UM is getting with each guy?) – “Yeah. I haven’t talked to Caleb Johnson yet. Mitchell I knew because he was good friends with one of my best friends from UCLA, so I’ve known him for a little while now. When I heard that he was thinking about coming to ‘The U,’ I just – I’m not a salesman. I didn’t have to give him some crazy pitch. I just laid out the blueprint and told him all you got to do is come in, put your head down, work your ass off and good things will happen. I think he made an amazing decision and I can’t wait to see what him and Caleb and the rest of the guys do at ‘The U’ this year.”
(You’ve seen Mitchell Agude on tape, right? A great athlete.) – “Oh yeah, a great athlete. Great motor. Gets after the ball. Gets after it. I’m excited to see him play.”
(You seem to be at a comfort level. Has the transition been smooth for you from the previous regime to this regime? You seem pretty upbeat and comfortable. It seems like it’s been pretty smooth.) – “Yeah. Luckily we have a lot of the same guys in the building teammates-wise and then coaches-wise on the defense, we’ve got a lot of the same staff members. Regardless, whether it’s new guys, old guys, just being able to come together and build a bond outside of football – I think that’s the most important thing because then we are going to be that much more motivated to play for each other and to win for each other. So yeah, I’m loving the new staff, building great relationships with the coaches and the new players and I’m excited for the season.”
Jaylen Waddle – April 27, 2022
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Wednesday, April 27, 2022
WR Jaylen Waddle
(Have you raced WR Tyreek Hill yet?) – “I knew that was going to be the first question. (laughter) We’ll race when all of y’all get out there and race. We’ve got to see who is the fastest out there.”
(Do you get a sense already that you can defeat him?) – “You can’t just race a cheetah straight up. You’ve got to sneak up on him.”
(Has WR Tyreek Hill had any tips or things that have rubbed off on you already here in the first phase of OTAs?) – “I think ‘Cheetah’ is one of those guys where, just him being around – he’s been here for four or five weeks and it’s not just him, but the whole group – it feels like years. He’s one of those guys.”
(Has there been any moments while WR Tyreek Hill is at practice that make you say damn?) – “When he’s moving, that boy’s sliding.”
(How much if at all have you and WR Tyreek Hill watched tape together? That would be interesting to watch. Both of you guys watching tape, him pointing out things to you that he does to be effective.) – “Yeah. We watch tape every day. Honestly, the whole group goes out there and pinpoints what everyone is doing well and how can we learn from each other.”
(Do you watch tape of WR Tyreek Hill with him?) – “Oh yeah, definitely. I watched enough Tyreek tape before he got here. (laughter)”
(Are there things, as you guys are watching together, that he points out to you that he does to a corner or something that’s helpful?) – “Oh, yeah. Most definitely.”
(How did you find out that the team is adding WR Tyreek Hill?) – “Probably the same as you guy. I was at workouts and got the news.”
(When you heard, what was your reaction?) – “I was excited. It’s always exciting to play with great players, especially a good guy. He’s more than just a great player.”
(Have you gotten an idea of how much between you, WR Tyreek Hill and WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. that you guys might we working outside versus slot?) – “We’re still in the learning process. We’re trying to get the formations and the basics of the offense down. That’s pretty much where we’ve been.”
(You did both last year, right? What are the differences you have to hone in on to excel at each?) – “It’s just different schemes, a different offense. How we line up, where we line up, spacing is going to be important. Just knowing the ins and outs of the offense is going to be important.”
(A couple of weeks back, you said that one thing you were thinking about with your rookie season was yards after the catch and you’ve got to get more YAC. Obviously WR Tyreek Hill is probably going to help out with that a lot. Did you look back at rookie season film and say maybe I could do this better or put myself in a better spot so that I get more YAC?) – “Yeah. I go back and look at all of the film last year and just try to improve my game – not just in YAC, but in different areas, knowledge of the game, identifying defenses faster, things like that. When you go back and look at it and you self-evaluate, that’s pretty much what I was doing all offseason.”
(What’s involved with getting more yards after catch? What do you have to do technically better in order to make that number go up?) – “I think honestly being yourself, trusting what you see and hitting it.”
(It’s very early. What do you already think you like about the offensive plan that Head Coach Mike McDaniel is putting together?) – “Like I said, it’s still early. We are just learning the basics so I can’t give you a full review of everything. But I like the system, I like the coaches. So it’s going to be great. I’m excited to learn more.”
(I know it was a few weeks ago but you were at your QB Tua Tagovailoa’s luau a few weeks ago. You got to get up on stage. Can you talk about what that was like for you, being able to support Tua then and being able to support him now?) – “It was a fun experience. I’ve never been to a luau before, so when Tua told me to come out, I had no idea I was going to be on stage or anything like that. It kind of surprised me but it was fun.”
(I was thinking that in 2022, you could expand upon the penguin celebration. WR Tyreek Hill has a lot in his bag. Were you thinking that you might expand upon your repertoire?) – “I don’t know yet. I haven’t even really been focused on the celebration. I don’t know. I’ll probably put something together.”
(On DT Christian Wilkins’ celebrations) – “No, Christian does too much. I’m not messing with Christian. I’d be tired doing what Christian is doing. (laughter)”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel and the assistant coaches when we spoke to them said the offense tries to cater to the talents of the players on the team. I know you guys are just learning the basics of it right now, but so far has it felt that way? Are you seeing that kind of theme over and over again?) – “Yeah. Honestly, I think it’s a different team, a different scheme. Obviously we’re going to work to what we’re good at. I think Coach McDaniel does a good job of putting players in positions to make plays. I trust that he’s going to do that throughout the year.”
(G/T Robert Hunt talked about the snap count – that he never really thought about the snap count before and how important it is to this offense. To a receiver, how important is it to get off quick on the snap count?) – “Most definitely. It’s always important. You always need to run off the ball. We definitely emphasize making everything look the same, so running off the ball is definitely something key. Our eyes are going to be on the ball anyways.”
(Have you seen anything different out of QB Tua Tagovailoa this offseason? Whether it be throwing it or personality-wise or leading the team or anything?) – “Tua’s been Tua. He’s been the same guy coming in, being consistent, being a leader. Being a great leader honestly.”
(I haven’t done all of the research on 40-yard times from pro days and the combine. But it’s possible that you and WR Tyreek Hill are the fastest wider receiver duo in NFL history. How do you think the speed of both of you guys could impact the game on Sundays?) – “Honestly, we all know that ‘Cheetah’ is fast and I’m known to be a speed guy. I think it’s just something that’s going to be helpful to open up different things in the offense. Just knowing they’ve got to respect the vertical threat.”
(Now that it’s draft time, how do you reflect how your life has changed since you participated in last year’s draft?) – “It’s an exciting time. I know a lot of college players, a lot of my former teammates are getting drafted this year, so it’s an exciting time. The year honestly went by fast. I was like, ‘Man, it’s been a year since I’ve been drafted.’ It goes by so fast but it’s an exciting time for all of the college players, really.”
(How will it feel to no longer be the rookie around these parts?) – “It’s going to be pretty regular. I had some good vets last year and this year. It’s going to be pretty normal.”
(Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker – I’m so old that the first time I covered the Dolphins, he was a player.) – “Damn! (laughter)”
(What’s your impression of him and how is his approach?) – “I think his approach is different. Him being a receiver, he really set the standard of being a modern slot receiver. He really gives insight and he can really go into detail and really get into your head and know what it’s like to be out there. Wes has been great working not just with me but just how he coaches up the whole receiver room.”
(When the 49ers were here for the Super Bowl, we interviewed him a couple of days before the game. He told me that he would make WR Deebo Samuel get up early in the morning and they would run together. He hasn’t made you get up at 5am in the morning to run with him or anything right?) – “Nah, not yet. Hopefully that day doesn’t come though. (laughter)”
(Formula 1 is happening here next week. Do you know anything about the sport and are you planning on going to the race next week?) – “No, I don’t. But I will be there. It will be my first time going there. I heard it’s pretty fun. There are a couple of guys on the team that are pretty excited about it, so we’re going to go out there and check it out.”
(Who are the big Formula 1 fans on the team?) – “I know Tua (Tagovailoa) is going to be going. Byron Jones is super excited. Jevon Holland is going to go. That’s all I can think of right now. Everybody is pretty excited. There are going to be a lot of heads out there.”
(Have you exchanged any texts or messages with WR DeVante Parker since he was traded to New England? And what are your early impressions of what WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. can do on the field for you guys?) – “DeVante is the OG, honestly. There is nothing but love between me and him. He really helped me out coming in last year. Cedrick is a great guy coming in. He works hard. He’s just one of them guys. He’s a special player.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa said that WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. is bigger than what he thought. He didn’t think he was a 6-2 guy, but he moves pretty well for that size.) – “Yeah, he’s moving. He’s definitely moving.”
(Has Head Coach Mike McDaniel said anything to you or in a group setting that sort of resonated with you that you think was interesting, or that has stuck with you already?) – “He just said that we’re going to be one of those teams that’s coached well. He’s got faith that he can get us to where we want to be.”
(They were asking Head Coach Mike McDaniel back when he first got hired what players he was excited to work with, and he was like ‘Waddle, Waddle, Waddle!’ How did that feel knowing he’s coming in and that he has really grand plans for you?) – “It’s great, honestly. But with this offense, there are going to be so many guys. He’s going to put the right guys in the right positions.”
(With the ultimate respect, you seem to be presenting a humble, humility approach. I’m not saying that’s bad. What role did your rookie season play in that? Why are you presenting yourself with humility?) – “That’s just how I’ve always been growing up. My mom taught me to always stay humble, never get too high and never get too low. That’s just how I was raised.”
(So what went into the decision to cut the hair off?) – “It’s hot, man. Do you see how hot it is out there? (laughter) It’s hot. Yeah, that was ultimately the decision. I just cut it off one day, for real.”
