Jevon Holland – May 4, 2022
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Wednesday, May 4, 2022
S Jevon Holland
(I saw that you were pretty enthusiastic about the Dolphins adding one of your former teammates. Give me the honest straight up scouting report on him.) – “I would but I feel like I’d be a little bit biased because he is one of my best friends. So I’m going to let you guys decide. (laughter) That’s why I’m not going to say anything. He’s going to rise to the top. I believe in him. He’s a hell of a player and an even better guy. He fits right in with the culture of the team.”
(I read the scouting reports and they talked about how he has good ball skills and the ability to track the ball in the air and that he’s competitive. Compliment him on one thing. What’s one thing you think he does well?) – “Like you said, he tracks the ball phenomenally. That was one of the main emphasis as a defense at Oregon and you kind of saw that in how we played in the 2019 year, in the 2020 year and then last year he led college football in interceptions and the Pac-12 also. It’s a testament to him for being that guy and getting those balls down. He’s a hell of a player.”
(I know you had a trip to Vegas to check out the Pro Bowl. You spent some time with CB Xavien Howard. What was that experience like and were there any other players you leaned on for advice and took under their wing?) – “It was great. It was a great experience. I felt super motivated. That was one of the best moments for me as a young player, as a competitor really. To see those guys out there, like this is the goal, this is where I want to get to. Having ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) there, ‘X’ is awesome. The whole time I was with him, tracking him, interviewing him or whatnot, he’s a better guy than he is a football player. Seeing people that have been good in the league for a long time when I was a kid – like I saw Joe Haden and it was cool because I was like ‘what’s up.’ And he was like ‘I know who you are. What’s good, Jevon?’ He knew my name. I’m Jevon Holland, but that’s Joe Haden. Do you know how many pairs of Jordan cleats he’s got? That alone blew my mind. I told my dad the same thing and my brother too. That was dope.”
(This time last year you, I’m sure you were getting here and getting to know your coaches and teammates and all of that stuff. I wanted to ask if you could reflect upon where you were at this time last year compared to now. You had to get to know the playbook, the building, the city, and now you come here, I’d imagine, with a much firmer grasp on all of those things that were so new to you a year ago.) – “Yeah, last year I was in an unknown environment. I was really nervous about everything. I had never been to Florida before. I went by the hotel we were staying at, there was a little lake. I went jogging by the lake and there was a frog. I’m thinking it’s an alligator because I’m from California so I thought there was an alligator everywhere. I started tripping, running back to my room. But now I’m cool. I’m comfortable. I like being here. I love Florida – the sun, the sky, all of that. I was definitely nervous being here. It’s the NFL. I was shaking in my boots, for lack of better terms. I feel way better now.”
(We saw nicknames going around a couple of weeks ago. I know you’re the snowman. S Brandon Jones talked about the clown emoji he used. Have you guys made progress on this nickname that is not going over too well with his teammates?) – “I talked to him about it. He said it’s the joker which I understand because of the clown face. But I’m like bro, you got to put more context into that. First of all, it wasn’t even explained before. No one calls him the joker. For him to just throw it out there, it looked like he was calling himself a clown. He’s not going to call himself that anymore. We’re going to find something else for him. (laughter)”
(There are some coaching staff changes, but Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer stays, and Safeties Coach Steve Gregory stays. How do you feel that might benefit you and the defense?) – “I think it’s very important. It’s carryover from the last year. It’s a familiar face. You’re going to have a similar scheme to how he likes it. The defense understands how he functions and we work well together. You all saw that at the end of last season. I think it’s going to be great for our team, for our defense also.”
(When we talked to you in January, you mentioned that one of the things you wanted to focus on in your second season was patience. I’m wondering, what is your plan, what is your approach to reach that specific goal?) – “It’s about repetition. You’ve got to do something over and over again to make it a habit. That’s been my approach to how I operate this entire offseason. It’s repetition, making sure I’m getting the proper reps in, on and off the field, in the weight room and things like that. I think my whole gameplan for the offseason and approaching OTAs and minicamp is having the right amount of reps and to go about it in a patient manner.”
(I have a similar question about Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer staying. When he spoke to us a couple of months ago, he said that there is going to be a lot of similarities to when Brian Flores was here. But he’s going to look at things more from the back-end down, so the secondary first. Do you have any impressions of what that means to you, because you were asked to do so much as a rookie?) – “I have no idea. I’m just going to do what the coaches tell me because they are cutting the checks, so I’m just going to do it. It is what it is. But seriously, I’m just going to play what they say. That’s literally all. I’m not even going to short change you. I’m just giving it to you straight.”
(What did your first year in the NFL teach you about the business end of the league?) – “That anybody could be anywhere at any time. Everybody is replaceable. That is definitely one of the main things. At the end of the day, it is a business and money talks. At the end of the day, you play and have fun because the NFL is not for long. At any point you could be out of there, so just make sure you take full advantage of your opportunity.”
(Speaking about big business, I’m sure you see everything that’s going on at your stadium campus. What was that tour like that you did checking out the F1 race, and what are your thoughts as a player on this team looking at everything going on, and seeing what Tom Garfinkel and Stephen Ross are doing?) – “I think it’s dope. I know it means a lot and there is a serious deal that’s going on with F1. I don’t know a lot about F1. I know it’s obviously racing and I think Cars did a spin off with Mater in Tokyo or something like that. It’s race cars. They go fast and seeing the track was cool and how they built everything. I thought the track had to be super long. It’s dope, all the exhibits and they’ve got yachts in there and a beach and all types of stuff. I think it’s dope. Shout out to the head guys.”
(We saw the offense make a bunch of moves bringing guys to the fold that have accomplished resumes. I’m curious how guys like WR Tyreek Hill, T Terron Armstead, RB Raheem Mostert, RB Chase Edmonds and all the guys that you brought in can help you guys get better on the defense throughout the course of the offseason in practice?) – “Tyreek Hill is like the fastest player in the NFL so having him on the team and going against him every day, you can’t really practice against a better model for facing a speed team. Chase and Raheem are the same way. They both are dynamic players. And Terron – especially when I come off the edge, playing an offensive tackle who knows tricks of the trade, it’s difficult for me to get to the quarterback. But yeah, just those experiences and challenges they are going to add to practice every day is going to be awesome for us. We’re going to be in tune and already have seen those types of looks when we play the games.”
(Who has the fastest car in the parking lot?) – “Probably Byron. (laughter)”
Michael Deiter – May 4, 2022
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Wednesday, May 4, 2022
C/G Michael Deiter
(I know it’s a day-to-day league and nothing is guaranteed but do you take any solace or encouragement by the fact that the Dolphins didn’t prioritize center during the offseason? There was no veteran center signed. Does that make you feel good even while knowing that you need to compete to win the starting job again?) – “I wouldn’t say it makes me feel any way, I guess. I’m excited that I have a chance to come out here and compete to play for the Dolphins another year. That’s really all I can focus on. Obviously it didn’t happen but it’s not something that I’m really worried about. I just need to get ready to compete again this year.”
(We’re excited about this new Mike McDaniel zone-rushing attack. Can you explain to us what the key responsibilities or unique responsibilities for the center are in this style of offense?) – “It’s the same in the respect that the center has to get everyone on the same page, got to get the IDs, get the whole o-line ready to just cut it loose and be right assignment-wise. But then the whole o-line, it’s a system where we can just play with confidence and cut it loose and really not worry – worry about winning and not worry about losing. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to be a ton of fun because we can play with confidence. It seems really exciting and it’s going to be exciting.”
(If you had to put your career – obviously it’s no different than what most veterans go through – if you had to put your career into your own words, what would you say it’s been like?) – “I don’t know. I would say it’s a blessing because I have a career in the NFL and that I’m happy with. Obviously you come in and you want to be this, that and the greatest thing ever, and you’re always working for that and every day, that’s all you can focus on. It’s been a blessing to still be here and competing to keep the career. A blessing.”
(What would you say the experiences last year – playing at center – taught you about the league?) – “The more you can do, the more valuable you are. If you can play multiple positions, no matter what you do best, there’s a chance for you to play and help a team out, whether it be practice squad, starter, backup, you name it. As long as you’re willing to work and try to help the team win, there’s always a chance.”
(I wanted to ask you about the new offensive line coach, Matt Applebaum, and kind of what you’ve recognized from him so far through the first phase of the offseason program here.) – “So far he’s been really cool. He’s a detailed guy, an intense guy, but we’re having a lot of fun. He’s doing a really good job of keeping everything fun. He’s been a great teacher so far. We’re learning a ton. It’s going to be a lot of fun working with him. So far it’s been a lot of fun. He’s definitely a cool dude. He’s fun to be around but intense and a heck of a teacher.”
(How would you describe the energy at practice? I know it’s a bit of a new coaching staff. QB Tua Tagovailoa talked about all of the vets that you guys have out there for the voluntary stuff. How would you describe the energy not just with your o-line room but the entire team?) – “The energy is high. It’s good. Everyone is excited to get better. We can see that if everyone is doing their job the way they’re supposed to, we can be explosive. We can have a lot of fun doing it. The way to be explosive is with confidence and everyone working together and getting ready to cut it loose. It’s been really exciting and high energy.”
(I was going to ask you about skills that you think are needed in a zone-running scheme. Do you feel it suits your skillset? Is there a guy or two on the team among the young linemen where you feel like – young linemen besides you – where you feel like their skillsets are really good for this particular system?) – “I mean every guy in the room is capable. Some guys are a little more athletic and it doesn’t matter. But everyone is capable of going out there and running outside zone effectively. One, you need to be confident in your assignment so you can just cut it loose with your technique. As long as you follow the techniques that are taught, I can do it and anyone in the room can do it. That’s kind of the beauty of it all.”
(It occurs to me that Mike McDaniel, Matt Applebaum and Frank Smith all have years of experience in successful rushing attacks. What kind of a sense do you get about the type of commitment to run that those three fellas maybe want to have?) – “You can just tell talking with them that running the ball is something that is important to all three of them and it’s cool. As an o-lineman, that’s always pretty refreshing to hear. The way I think they’re so successful is the detail, the way they break it down to make it almost simple and how you can be effective and how you can run the ball effectively. It’s cool to have three guys who are smart and care about the run and want to get it going no matter what. When they can break it down and simplify it for you, it gives you a lot of confidence.”
(How much better of a center do you feel that you are now than at this same time last year?) – “A lot better. I’m just taking a lot more reps (and have) a little more experience. Obviously I’m not where I need to be. I can be a lot better still. There’s a lot more growth to have. But I’m definitely more confident this offseason than I was a year ago. Not that it was my first time doing it but it had been a little while. It’s going good.”
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.”
