Malik Washington – April 27, 2024
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
WR Malik Washington
(I saw you led all receivers last year with broken tackles after the catch. In the past head coach Mike McDaniel has talked about the importance of YAC in this offense. I’m curious how you feel that your strengths in that area fits with Miami?) – “I think the way that they run their offense, the motions, the different ways they use people to get open and allow them to be themselves, allow them to work, I think that is very beneficial to me. Just getting a chance to find some underneath routes, find some ways to get open and let that YAC – a big piece of my game – and let that shine through.”
(Reading some of the stuff scouts have said about your game, they compliment your toughness. I’m curious how that was cultivated in your past. How did you get to that reputation of being a tough player?) – “Some of that stuff you can’t cultivate, you have to be born with it. You have to be born with a certain mindset, a certain toughness, and I feel like ever since I started playing football, that’s just how I played. That’s how I play the game, that’s how I see the game. It’s going to be hardnosed. You’re going to have to stick your nose in there and get dirty sometimes.”
(Playing in the slot, you were just talking about toughness. Tell me how that toughness comes into play? You’re going in a lot of traffic and having to fight a lot of people off?) – “Like you said traffic, there’s going to be linebackers, corners and safeties in play when you’re running your routes and catching the ball, just being ready for that. I think it’s a since of urgency you have to have. You have to have some awareness to know where guys are coming from, but that toughness is going to shine through once you catch that ball, once you’re going over the middle. That’s something that’s got to be huge in my game.”
(A lot of guys drafted on Day 3 need to have some special teams abilities. What’s your special teams background, have you checked into the new special teams rules? Have you checked into it a little bit to see how you might fit in there?) – “Yes, of course. I’ve seen the new rule change and I think I can be beneficial there. But I also think wherever the coaches put me, wherever they place me I’m ready to go, I’m ready to attack. Whatever role they give me, just do my best at it, make the most of it.”
(Have you played special teams? High school or college?) – “Yes, in high school I was the punt returner for four years, and in college I did some kick return.”
(Looking at your numbers you had a good last two years at Northwestern and then exploded that one year at Virginia. What clicked for you there when you transferred over to Tony Elliott’s system? What was that moment that everything just seemed to come together for you?) – “I think what you’ll see in kind of those trends is just every year, we’re getting better and better. Finding ways to get open, finding different ways to play the game, finding different thing about myself, gaining some confidence. I also think transitioning over to a Tony Elliott and Des Kitchings offense, they allowed me to be that player. They allowed me to be the central piece to that offense, and I think when we did that, got me the ball in space, got me the ball in the ways I felt like was best at, we saw an increase in numbers. We saw an increase in volume, and we saw a better product than we had years before.”
(You were a central focal point in Virginia. You’re joining an offense that’s already got WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle, as you’re well aware. Based on your conversations with Head Coach Mike McDaniel and General Manager Chris Grier. Where does your skillset fit into an offense that has so many guys that can do so many special things with the ball in their hands?) – “I’m sure I’ll get with the coaches and we’ll talk more about specific roles and stuff like that, but I’m joining the best receiver room in the NFL. I’m joining Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle – guys that have proven themselves, guys that have just done a great job at being receivers, done a great job at being a great ballcarriers and great people as well. If you’ve ever seen them, I think what I have to do is come in, learn from those guys, take it all in and earn my way, earn my keep.”
(On WR Tyreek Hill, can you speak more on what you know about him as a player, how much you watched him growing up? Do you model your game at all after him?) – “It’s kind of hard to model your game after that guy when he’s running up and down the field and stuff – not many people can do what he can do. But just the toughness, the size, of course, the speed, the way he plays the game, you can tell he plays with an attitude. He plays with an edge. That’s something that you have to take in. Especially as a rookie, you’ve got to come in right away and take heed to that, learn from that and figure out ways to work alongside him. Figure out ways to learn and follow in his footsteps.”
(I wanted to ask about your pre-draft process and the meetings you had with the Dolphins or maybe didn’t have with the Dolphins. Just your pre-draft interactions with Head Coach Mike McDaniel, General Manager Chris Grier, and the rest of the Dolphins staff?) – “We talked a little bit. I don’t want to get into specifics of what we talked about, but just know it was good.”
Patrick McMorris – April 27, 2024
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
S Patrick McMorris
(I wanted to ask you about the whole pre-draft process, getting the phone call, just how this whole last several months played out to now being with the Dolphins?) – “It was great. Just from Combine workout, Hula Bowl, All-Star games, and just kind of playing this waiting game after that Combine, just talking to a few coaches here and there. Being able to get that call was definitely an amazing experience. I’m still kind of shocked and definitely happy. It was definitely a great experience those four months.”
(What would you say the Dolphins are getting in Patrick McMorris? What skillset do you offer?) – “I’m a discipline player. I’m aggressive. I’m able to play inside the box as well as outside, play in Cover 2 high safety look. I’m a smart and intelligent player who loves the game.”
(I wanted to ask about the day today, getting that call. I don’t know if there was stress or if there was anxiety waiting for the moment? Tell me about the excitement. Tell me about the stress. Tell me about the joy. Tell me about today.) – “It was a weird thing. I’ve been getting spam calls, and I thought this was just another one because I picked up and nothing went through for a couple seconds so I hung up. Then they called back again and then someone picked up. It was definitely kind of a little weird experience right there. The whole phone call, it’s just so surreal. You watch it on TV, you watch these guys get picked year-in and year-out seeing those videos of them getting the call. Now you’re being in that moment, it’s definitely a crazy experience. It was a dream of mine to get drafted and be able to play in the NFL. So just kind of continuously living out that dream, it was definitely an exciting moment. I’m still a little shaky right now. But I’m definitely happy.”
(When did you start watching the draft today? It came on at noon our time. Did you start as soon as it came on? And what was your feeling as each pick went on? Were you expecting you name to be called? How was that?) – “Right, so 9 a.m. my time, 12 p.m. your time, noon. I watched the full four through six (rounds) as of now. I woke up and watched it, just kind of seeing how many safeties were going to get drafted. I think it was like 14 or 15 ahead of me. So I knew teams still needed some safeties and just kind of hoping that a team would take a chance on me, and I’m glad the Dolphins did.”
(Tell me about the decision to transfer. Why did you do it? What all went into that?) – “So the main thing for me transferring from San Diego State to Cal was my older brother. He was, at the time, coaching at Utah and ended up getting a GA job with Cal where he played football as well and graduated from there. So he ended up getting a GA job during the spring, and I was able to kind of look at my options and see what the best fit for me was – if it was staying at San Diego State or leaving and going somewhere else. Like I said, that just kind of all aligned and it was just perfect timing for me to go into the portal, graduate from San Diego State as well and be a grad transfer and go to Cal and play under my brother. Cal has a great system and brought out a decent amount of safeties, I believe it’s like five or six in the past four years. So I knew I was going to go to a good program that had good coaches with Justin Wilcox and how he runs his defense, I knew I was going to go to a place I’m going to play and be wanted. So that kind of whole process, like I said, was kind of perfect timing with my brother and being able to go out there and just play.”
(You probably could’ve stayed at Cal because of COVID-19, right? Maybe you could’ve got another season. If that’s the case, why did you decide to come out now?) – “No, I had played my four seasons at San Diego State, my freshman year to my senior year. So without that COVID year, I would’ve had to come out last year. But thankfully with the COVID year, I was able to go back to college and be able to transfer to Cal.”
(What is your special teams experience, either in college or high school? And how much of a factor do you think that will be making this 53-man roster?) – “Yeah, I mean I played special teams all throughout high school and college. High school, I was mainly a returner, but going into college and being a bigger safety, I played on all four special teams my first two years at San Diego State. Then I was able to keep continuing playing special teams throughout my time at San Diego State and at Cal. So I’ve played special teams for five years now.”
(Have you ever been to South Florida and how excited are you to live down here?) – “I have not been to South Florida. I’ve been to Orlando for a little vacation, but besides that, that’s it.”
(Did you have any inkling that Miami was possibly going to draft you? Had you had much conversation with them or talk with them?) – “After the Combine, I had not talked to the Dolphins. A text here from the scout, but besides that, I hadn’t talked to the Dolphins throughout. But I had some good conversations when I was at the Combine with them.”
(So was today a surprise to you?) – “For the most part, yeah. But like I said, I knew some teams needed some safeties and we were expecting them to draft some safeties. So I was expecting to get picked up within the sixth or seventh round.”
(So it’s just a matter of you figuring out the spam call was actually the Dolphins huh?) – “(laughter) Yes sir.”
(Can you talk about how much you think your one season at Cal may have helped you get to where you are today?) – “Yeah, I mean I think it helped me tremendously. Being able to show that I can learn a whole new playbook within a short amount of time, be able to play in the Pac-12 where you have all these great quarterbacks who played this year, and kind of transitioning from a more interior safety where I was at San Diego State to more of a traditional safety and be able to roll down or play free. Cal helped me with that just because of our scheme and what we ran, so I think it definitely was a big help for me. And again, with just Cal’s record of bring out safeties, it was definitely a help.”
(Have the Dolphins told you anything about what they expect or what opportunity you’ll have with them?) – “We had some conversations. As of right now, I don’t know as much. But like I said, I’ve had some good conversations and am hoping to have some more.”
Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel – April 27, 2024
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel
Chris Grier:
(What do you feel like you guys achieved in Day 3 of the draft?) – “I feel like we’ve added good football players – guys that we’ve targeted at positions and felt good about to contribute, guys that we feel have upside and again, the most important thing that we always talk about is competitive guys that love ball, that won’t blink coming in here and will jump into the fray and be good teammates. It will be fun watching these guys battle it out during training camp.”
(How much do you feel this draft helps the team win in 2024?) – “We always feel that way but it remains to be seen. Nobody is given anything here. We have some good players on the roster here and these guys are going to have to work to beat them out and earn spots, but yes, we selected them because we feel they have a chance to contribute. But again, they have to earn it. Nothing is given. I think Mike (McDaniel) and his staff have shown that over their two years here that you earn your playing time here.”
(Trading up for a running back in RB Jaylen Wright, you worked hard to get those compensatory picks next year. Why are you confident in using one now here?) – “Well, you can’t use the compensatory picks until this time next year, so the ones we anticipate were all protected. But it gave us some flexibility to move around, as we talked about us being active and trying to move up in the draft previously. For us, we had Jaylen (Wright) in on a 30-visit here and enjoyed spending time with him here. We spent a lot of time getting to know him and obviously his explosiveness on the field and what he does as a running back. His toughness again, he’s another guy that when Mike (McDaniel) started really watching him, he was excited for, as well as our scouts identifying him. It was the ability to add a good football player. Everything is about competition. It’s a good group of guys and they understand that. So for us to add a good football player that we really liked and valued there on the board, it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.”
Mike McDaniel:
(How fierce of a competition do you plan to have at running back?) – “I think all players benefit. There’s supreme urgency to do right with the ball if you deserve to have it. Yeah, the competition is fierce. I’m fired up because we have a group of competitors that will satisfy the thirst for them. It will be fierce. Depth comes into question each and every year, so you’re always looking for a full roster. I was excited that Chris (Grier) was excited to trade and add a player to the class and the competition, really across the board for our team.”
(A question about the team’s composition. You added more speed. Do you think you have the necessary physicality and toughness? Did you add it in the draft? Did you add it in the offseason? How much of a factor do you think that is?) – “It’s interesting to me that a component, the fast guys that we have on our football team – yes, we like the fast guys, but it starts as football players. There’s a lot of football players we like and when we have opportunities at different areas of the draft, our starting point isn’t speed, but covering space in a limited amount of time, how fast you play on the football field. When the opportunity presents itself and Chris (Grier) asks if you want to trade for Tyreek Hill, you do that. You draft players because they’re football players, and if they’re fast, that’s cool.”
(How do you envision WR Malik Washington fitting into the offense?) – “I think he is competing. The part of Malik that we like the most is there are some professional football players in that room that he’s going to have to compete against to get opportunities. We identified him as a person and an athlete that would be up for the challenge and that’s a tall task. So you know that when you’re looking at these guys and that’s one of the reasons we felt he was a fit to be here.”
(On his reaction to that pick on TV) – “(laughter) It’s always confusing because everything on TV is on a delay and every single time, 100 percent of the time when we make the pick, that’s when the pick happens. So it is always the footage of what I’m doing after we make a pick maybe four minutes later. It was probably something hilarious that Chris Grier said that was my reaction. But yeah, we did a lot of homework. It was a cool orchestration of us as coaches and me with my working relationship with Chris for three years, you could feel it manifest itself where we had conviction and knew and had talked through all of the scenarios. We had conviction at each and every spot. I’m really excited for the entire draft class just because there was a lot of work put into it and we had a lot of conviction in each and every pick.”
Chris Grier:
(Can you explain what goes into the process now of looking into the undrafted guys, obviously once the seventh round is done and the draft is over?) – “It’s a lot of work that the coaches and the scouts do together. At that point, Mike and I, really a lot of it is the front board as people call it, of the draft board. But the back end of the draft, you guys have always heard, it is the scouts’ Super Bowl. So working with that and the coaches, that’s where the coaches and scouts take pride in the work on the back end of trying to figure out the players who aren’t fortunate enough to get drafted, figuring out how they fit onto your roster and needs. Again, some of that is always determined by positions you’ve selected. There will be some people that won’t send certain players to different teams because they’ve drafted a couple of players at that spot. So it just makes it challenging when you go through it but everybody deals with it. It’s a lot of relationships and communication and fits when you do it. But it’s the collaboration with the scouts and the coaches – and those guys deserve a lot of credit for the back end players and the free agents.”
(Can you talk about your success in that area recently? CB Kader Kohou, CB Nik Needham, you know the list. What goes into that and why have you guys been so successful with the undrafted guys?) – “It’s the collaboration, and that’s always been very important. Over the years, we’ve done well there. I think that’s the scouts and coaches. They put a lot of time into it. This isn’t something everyone is just getting together right now on at the end of the draft. This has been going on for weeks of the scouts communicating and talking with Mike (McDaniel) and I and going through it. A lot of credit again goes to the scouts and coaches for grinding those back end guys and free agents for how they fit for our team and how the coaches want to work with them and develop them.”
(What is it about LB Mohamed Kamara that intrigued you guys to kind of double down at that position?) – “We were kind of surprised he was there. It’s just how physical and how fast. The guy has a tremendous motor. When you watch him play, he just plays hard. He’s relentless, his motor and just loves football. Someone showed Mike (McDaniel) and I some quote that he was talking with you guys and you feel that passion in him. This guy loves football and is very prideful and feels he’s better than some people that were selected in front of him and he made it known. He’s very excited to be here and that we took a chance on him.”
(The first two picks in particular, LB Chop Robinson and T Patrick Paul, they’re both extraordinary athletes who aren’t really fully formed according to the scouts. When you’re sitting there thinking, “OK, it’s been a long time since we won a playoff game. Everybody wants to be in win now mode.” How do you process “I think this guy can be a Pro Bowler in two or three years,” versus, “Maybe this guy is a little more ready to help us in 2024 right now.” Take me into that mindset and process.) – “We don’t really worry about what other scouts and other people say. It’s about dealing for the Miami Dolphins and how we feel where the player is at this stage and what he needs to do to develop as a player and what he can contribute and do. We’re always talking about how we think the player fits in and what he can contribute this year possibly. There’s no guarantees or absolutes, but we feel strongly in the players and believe in them. We’re still trying to win this year. This is not about worrying about two, three years down the line. We’re all about having the best team possible this season.”
Mike McDaniel:
“And just because the player has an upside – we had a very deliberate approach to the entire draft on getting guys on the team that would compete and make us better right now. Some guys are determined by other people that they have a higher ceiling or whatever. We just get the guys in the building and let them prove that themselves.”
Chris Grier:
(Chris, you’ve been tied with WR Odell Beckham Jr. obviously in the past. We’ve talked a lot about that. I was curious, Dalton Risner the guard and Tyler Boyd the wide receiver, has there been contact with their agents? Is this going to be a time now where you go and target key veterans at starting positions?) – “We always look at opportunities and work through it. We’re always looking to add to the roster and have the most competitive roster we can to make the team better, as we’ve always talked, competition is what breeds excellence. For us, we’ll keep looking like we’ve said post-draft like we’ve done here in the past. We’ll keep looking and talking to people and see what happens.”
(Have you had conversations with Tyler Boyd or his agent?) – “I think early on in the process at one point, yes. We’ve talked to him.”
(Have you had any updates on Connor Williams’ situation and where he stands? I know he was going to take care of his rehab first before handling free agency.) – “He’s working on his rehab, taking care of himself and getting himself healthy. So that’s the only update we have. We’ve heard he’s doing well. I know a couple of our guys saw him recently. He’s doing well, but he’s focused on his rehab right now.”
Mike McDaniel:
“When I talk to him, it’s more about being healthy and deciding that when he feels good, but it’s more just about spending time with his family and getting his body right. So he’s in great spirits.”
Chris Grier:
(We’ve heard from multiple guys that you’ve drafted that this is the place they wanted to be. I think T Patrick Paul mentioned that, RB Jaylen Wright mentioned that. It seems like an obvious benefit, but I’m curious to hear from your perspective how beneficial that is the guys that want to be here are now here?) – “Our whole point has been trying to create some place that is a winning culture, winning environment that players want to come to play and win and be developed. It all starts at the top from Steve Ross and what he’s done here with the facilities and everything he’s provided us. The multiple agents and players, even in the free agency process for the pros, have mentioned being the No. 1 in the NFLPA rankings, about being No. 1 in everything. And that’s been brought up multiple times just from people that are paying attention to what we’re doing. I think Mike (McDaniel) deserves a lot of credit for the environment that’s been created by the coaching staff and what they’ve done and how they’ve handled players and the development they’ve done. Yeah, it’s cool. Like you guys heard Jonnu (Smith) when he signed here, he said it was Hard Knocks he watched and he thought it was cool seeing how close the players were and everything we did. It’s important, and I think when you hear players that want to come play here and do it, I think it says a lot for Mike and the coaching staff, as well as Mr. Ross.”
Mike McDaniel:
“It was kind of revitalizing, too, in terms of just today, the last couple of days, each and every player we talked to the emotional exuberance and you could feel the passion in every single one of these guys’ voices. It was pretty cool, so I think that speaks to what you guys are going to be presented with when you’re in front of those guys in the near future.”
Chris Grier:
(I wanted to get your feedback on Patrick McMorris, the safety that was just recently drafted. What does he bring to the team? And do you see yourself as safety light before that selection?) – “We feel good about the players there. Obviously, I think we could add more depth there, and I think adding him was a player that the coaching staff and scouts have kind of identified, focusing on. So they were blowing up Mike (McDaniel) and I here before that pick like, ‘Get this guy. Get this guy.’ And they appreciate how he’s a smart player, he’s competitive and plays hard. I think we feel good about where he is in his development coming in here and competing for a spot.”
(On Day 3 of the draft, is Special Teams Coordinator consulted more than Days 1 and 2? And is special teams a consideration for the picks?) – “He’s consulted all the way through on it still, because special teams – you’re always looking at that even when you’re drafting players, whether they’re returners or what they can contribute on special teams. Because in this day and age, you have to be a pretty special player if you’re just doing your job and you’re not, if you’re a backup player and you can’t play on (special) teams, it’s a hard thing to do in terms of the roster and the way the injuries are in the game. Danny (Crossman) is consulted with us all the way through, and he works tremendously hard for us, giving Mike (McDaniel) and I more lists than we can look at.”
Mike McDaniel:
“We are well aware of where he stands on each and every player.”
Chris Grier:
(Did the new kickoff return rules affect you guys in this draft? Was it a consideration, I should say?) – “Yeah, it was a consideration. You have to account for it, because it’s still a little bit of an unknown of how it’s going to happen. It’s either you may have guys getting tackled inside the 10-yard line every time, or the ball may be out to the 40-yard line or more every time. So yes, that’s definitely something we’ve talked about a lot.”
Mike McDaniel:
“We could have Chop Robinson on the kickoff team, you never know.”
(I know you’re allergic to timelines for injured players, but LB Jaelan Phillips and LB Bradley Chubb, any chance we see them on the field this spring for the on-field stuff?) – “I’m excited about where they’re at today, and I’m very, very encouraged for the prospect of their tomorrow. (laughter) I’m telling you; I don’t do timelines. It doesn’t work, it doesn’t make sense. It’s like a hex –it used to be you put pressure on a date and you wish it not to exist, so I’m not doing that.”
Chris Grier:
(Are there any “Jaylens” left on the board?) – “(laughter) That’s what we talked about when we took him, we’re just going to keep collecting Jaylens.”
Mike McDaniel:
(You have one more pick. Do you guys want to break any news for us?) – “That’s an interesting draft strategy. (laughter) No, just tell everyone that way if anybody else likes them, they can get ahead of you. We can’t wait to see…”
Chris Grier:
“We have no idea who’s been picked since we’ve been in here. Right now, we may have guys we liked and they’re gone, so we have no idea.”
(Does QB Tua Tagovailoa lobby for his brother – QB Taulia Tagovailoa?) – “He’s on our board.”
Mike McDaniel:
“Tua lobbies for the person and the player, but Tua is not a hoarder of his family members. He wants him to go in the best situation. He’s a good kid.”
Chris Grier:
(How many players were on your board?) – “We ended up with a total – we backloaded a little bit, it was like 140-something.”
Mohamed Kamara – April 27, 2024
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
LB Mohamed Kamara
(What was it like growing up in Newark, and how did that help form you into the person you are?) – “Newark is the biggest city in Jersey, and it’s very dangerous in Newark, but learning how to adapt to my environment, that’s what helped propel me to go to Colorado State. Being around a lot of different cultures and learning how to adapt there, so it definitely showed me how to maneuver in my environments.”
(What has been the key for you finding success to getting to the quarterback?) – “Always going back to the basics, that’s the biggest thing for me. Looking at film, rewatching film, studying film. Always trying to get back to the basics, always working on my technique, that’s always been the key. If I had eight one year, then I went to 13, that’s just me getting back to the drawing board and working on the basics.”
(I wanted to ask you about a quote I’m reading here from Head Coach Jay Norvell at Colorado State who said, “Every day in practice, Mo set the example by setting the tone and was a no-nonsense player.” I’m curious to hear in your words your approach to the game, and what he means by that?) – “Unless you are an athlete, you understand that practice is the most important part of the approach, if you get what I’m trying to say. Make practice super, super hard so the games are easy. Be relentless in practice so when you get to the game, you’re just letting yourself free. Fail, succeed, mess up in practice so when you get to the game, it’s easy and you’re just doing what you have to do. That’s just how I look at it, so I’m always going to be relentless in practice. That’s just how I am.”
(Have you watched the Sopranos?) – “No, I didn’t watch the Sopranos, but it is from Jersey. It is from down the way. I didn’t watch the Sopranos. No, I’ve never watched it, but it is from Jersey. I’m more of The Godfather, I think that’s the show. It’s based on the same thing, but I haven’t watched the Sopranos.”
(What do you think of coming into a situation now with LB Jaelan Phillips, LB Bradley Chubb, LB Shaq Barrett, a lot of good veteran edge defenders, and also first-round pick LB Chop Robinson among this edge defender corps?) – “Man, I’ve got to put my foot in the ground and keep moving forward. As much as I respect them, hopefully they will respect me and we all work together. Hopefully we all get to push each other, and hopefully I’m in that room for a long time. Me and Chop (Robinson) were already working out in Arizona, so we already have a relationship there. Both of us worked in Arizona and did what we had to do, and we already butt heads because that’s the relationship we have. We’re good friends, great friends at that. That’s how I’m going to – I respect his game, and he respects mine.”
(First of all, you prefer to be called “Mo”?) – “I prefer to be called ‘Mo.’ It’s easy. I don’t like when people mess up my name. That’s something I take personally. Don’t mess up my name. Just call me ‘Mo.’ Keep it at that, keep it at that. Some people say MOO-ha-med. It’s just MO-ha-med. Or I don’t even know how they say the last (name), what they say. It’s some weird way, but it’s just Mohamed Ka-MAIR-uh. I don’t like when you mess up my name, just keep it simple.”
(And then pronounce the last name?) – “Ka-MAIR-uh.”
(Tell me about the moment of getting drafted. What did it mean? You seemed pretty composed. Were there tears? People at the house? Tell me about the moment with the phone call and everything like that.) – “To be honest, I’m very excited, but I also am very, very angry going the round that I did. That’s just my personality. I knew I could’ve went higher and I wanted to go higher, but the lovely team of Miami picked me up and I’m going to give them that burning desire. I have a chip on my shoulder, so it just got even greater. So everybody else, all 31 other teams, look out because the way I’m about to play against these guys, you should’ve picked me before. That’s just the type of person I am so respect to those guys and I’m grateful for Miami for picking me up, but I know what I’m going to bring to the field and every other team has to see me.”
(Quick follow-up, what round should you have gone? What would’ve been appropriate for you?) – “Somewhere higher. God put it in certain ways or whatever case may be. I should’ve went higher, but it’s not the end of the world. Like I said, I’m grateful for Miami allowing me to even get picked, but for me and my personally I’m going to just take that and just roast the whole NFL. That’s just how I look at things.”
(I was wondering, what is your comfort level playing at multiple positions? Whether that’s rushing with your hand in the dirt, standing up, rolling inside, outside? How comfortable are you with your versatility at this stage?) – “Very comfortable. You’ve seen the film that I’ve done it before. Definitely I have to get better, because that’s what we’re all trying to do is get better. Definitely I’m going to get better, but I’m very comfortable. That’s just the passion I play with. So I’m very comfortable doing that.”
(A lot has been made about your size and that you’re an undersized edge guy. How much do you use that to fuel you in terms of the productivity that you have on the football field?) – “Every thing that people knock me for, I use it as fuel – every single thing. Like I was saying earlier, I’m going to make some things up just to push me to keep going. That’s just the type of person I am. I’m never satisfied. I will never be satisfied. So if you want to call me short, watch out. If you didn’t believe in me, watch out. That’s just the type of person I am, that’s what keeps me going every day. I’m never going to be satisfied.”
(I read that you’re a fan of doing some talking when you’re on the field, talking trash.) – “I don’t mind that. I mean me personally, especially in practice, I don’t mind it, but it’s also a respect thing. I’m never going to really disrespect anybody. There’s a difference between talking trash and disrespecting people. I don’t disrespect anybody. That’s not my cup of tea. I’m not in the game to belittle a man. That’s not what I want to do. If we’re going to talk trash, we’re going to talk trash, and it’s only going to be about football. Like I said earlier, the fire I bring to practice, that’s what it is. By the time we get back to the locker room, it’s just like, ‘Alright, it’s OK.’ Then we get back to practice and we do it again. That’s just the fire I play with. Any reason to run through somebody’s face, that’s just how I look at it.”
(On a totally different topic, South Florida, what do you know about it? Have you been here? Do you have many connections?) – “No, I’ve never been there, but I have a lot of teammates that are from Florida, so they’re definitely going to take care of me. I’m not too keen on what Miami is. I know Miami is its own place, that’s what I’ve been hearing. But I know a lot of people from Florida that will take care of me, a lot of my brothers that will take of me that I’ve played with, that will never steer me wrong or anything of that nature.”
(I’m reading a story here that described you as the ‘The Smack Talker In Chief.’ I wanted to know how you felt about that label?) – “That’s a little bit extreme, Smack Talker In Chief? I’ll say this: I talk trash in practice but in the game, I’m so quiet because I’m so focused. I don’t say much in the game. I don’t say much in the game. I like to build the atmosphere where we’re competing in practice. That’s why I keep mentioning practice, it’s like you have to compete to get better. When it is gametime, the bullets are flying. You don’t have time to be – me personally, I don’t have time to be saying certain things. I’m trying to catch my breath because I’m running full 100 miles per hour every time playing the edge position. In the games, I don’t really talk a lot, but in practice, we’re chatting it up. Like I said, it’s a respect thing, so I have to go into training camp and go into the facility earning the respect of everybody. I’m not going to go the first day blabbering my mouth – that’s not football. I have to first earn the respect of my teammates, my coaches, the organization and the people of Miami, too. Then if it’s requested, I’ll do it. If it is not, then I wouldn’t have to do that. So ‘The Chief’ is extreme, ‘The Chief’ is going way left. I don’t think I’m the Chief. I’m just not afraid to talk when it needs to be said, to say things that need to be said. That’s not something that I tip my hat too. The Chief? No, that’s a little too much. (laughter)”
(Is there an NFL player you’d say you model your game after or whose style you think yours resembles?) – “I did Haason Reddick a lot. He’s definitely a guy that’s my weight, my speed, my height. He’s somebody that continues to make plays, and he’s doing it at a high volume, going from team to team. That’s somebody that I look closely at. Also Von Miller – a guy that if you do half of the things he does, you’re probably going to be better than the rest of the league.”
(You named guys like Von Miller and Haason Reddick who are of similar size in stature. In a previous interview you’ve had, you also mentioned another Colorado State alumni in LB Shaq Barrett, who is now a Miami Dolphin. He has the same stature, same speed, same length and you guys bring the same thing to the table as well. What are some things you are looking for or what are some types of experiences and toolsets that you’re looking from LB Shaq Barrett to elevate your game in the NFL?) – “Shaq Barrett has a great motor, too. He’s a guy that does a great job at turning the corner. He gets a lot of pressures. One thing that I’m going to take away from him and I’m going to study his brain is how he was able to sustain this long career in the NFL, because that’s what I want to do. Like I said earlier, he won (Mountain West) Defensive Player of the Year years before, and now I’m coming in winning Defensive Player of the Year for the same team. I’m not going in to be any of those guys – Haason Reddick, Von Miller or Shaq Barrett – but I am here and I am coming in to learn from these guys. I personally want to pick his brain of how do you compose a long career like that? How are you able to sustain productivity throughout those years too?”
Jaylen Wright – April 27, 2024
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
RB Jaylen Wright
(I’m guessing Head Coach Mike McDaniel had something to do with this pick. Did you by chance get to meet Mike McDaniel or talk to him at all at any point in the draft process?) – “Yes, I did. I had a 30 Visit with Miami. I met the whole staff, it was cool. That was the team I really wanted to go to, which is crazy. It was the best visit I had. I’m just glad to have the opportunity to come out in South Beach and help make a difference in the team, help add that explosive element.”
(I understand you once had a roommate named Jaylen. The Dolphins have CB Jalen Ramsey, LB Jaelan Phillips, WR Jaylen Waddle and RB Jaylen Wright. Is there anything that we can call you? Do you have a nickname or anything?) – “I mean, people call me ‘J-Wright.’ It’s kind of simple. ‘J-Wright,’ or ‘Jaylen.’ I don’t really have a big nickname, but ‘J-Wright’ is what all my teammates call me.”
(If the NFL were ever to put together a 4×400 relay team, I think you’re on the winning team right now. So with already an offense with so much speed, how does that impact your game? What can you bring to that offense that already has so many home run hitters?) – “I mean it’s – just adding another explosive athlete to the offense, that just makes the offense way better than it already is. It’s going to really scary. I’ve got a lot of fire built up in me through this whole process. I’m just ready to get out there and just prove my point. Make the people feel, that passed on me, make them feel me. I’m just ready to bring that aggression to the field and make a lot of plays, a lot of big plays.”
(You caught 22 passes last year. How comfortable are you catching passes out of the backfield? How comfortable are you as a route runner right now?) – “I’m comfortable, for sure. We didn’t do a lot of route running and catching balls at Tennessee, but I’m definitely comfortable. I’m an athlete. I know I’ll make big plays, whether it’s the passing game or running game. So I’m just ready to get rolling.”
(Have you ever met RB De’Von Achane? Do you know much about De’Von Achane? The idea of you two in the same backfield on the same play, what does that unlock for Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “No, I’ve never met him but I know of him. I watched his tape in college when he was at Texas A&M. He’s a great running back who’s fast. He’s really elusive. He’s a good guy to learn from. That’s somebody that’s been here, he has a year over me in the league. That’s somebody to learn from and take a lot of advice from. I’m just ready to meet him and meet all the running backs as well.”
(You were clocked at 4.38 in Indy. What’s the fastest unofficial time you’ve ever ran?) – “Fastest unofficial, I think I ran a 4.37 or 4.36 when I was doing Combine prep. I know I could’ve ran faster in Indy, but I’m just glad to be in the 4.3s regardless”
(Have you ever had the GPS tracker? What’s the fastest you’ve got up to on that?) – “Like miles per hour wise, right? I’ve ran like 23.7 miles per hour.”
(This goes back two years ago; you had a NIL deal going and part of your logo or entire logo was dealt with “Cheetah Mentality.” Can you tell us a little about that?) – “That’s just something that me and my dad came up with a long, long time ago. I mean, I’ve always been fast. He just started calling me, ‘Cheetah.’ I already know there’s already a Cheetah on the Dolphins, so I’m going to let him have that Cheetah – that’s his thing. But yeah, it’s something my dad always said to me because I’m fast. ‘Cheetah Mentality’ is always going to be a thing, but like I said, I already know there’s a Cheetah on the Dolphins and I’m letting him have that. (laughter)”
(I was going to ask you about WR Tyreek Hill for sure. If he’s going to have the Cheetah label, have you come up with a backup? What are we going to refer to you as?) – “I don’t know yet, but I’m going to have something for sure. I like ‘Lightning,’ ‘Flash,’ or something like that. I’m ready just to get going, playing football. Just make a lot of plays, I’m excited.”
(Few teams have the diversity or complexity in the run game as the Dolphins. I’m curious how you feel your time in Knoxville prepared you to step into an offense like that and perform?) – “My time in Knoxville, especially my sophomore year and junior year, we had receivers to space out the field. That’s just something that the Dolphins do really good, just space out the field and get defenses to get out of Cover 1 and Cover 3. Get defenses to play Cover 2 and Cover 4, that’s just going to break bigger opportunities for the running backs, bigger explosive plays. That a lot – I had a lot of things like that happened in Tennessee, and I feel like that’s going to be good in Miami.”
(I’m looking at some stats here that you were No. 1 in percentage of runs that went 10-plus yards and you were No. 3 in college football in yards after contact. Do you prefer to run around guys or run through them?) – “It could be either or. I don’t feel like I have any limitations to my game, I feel like I can do anything. If it’s going around somebody, I’m going to get around them. If it’s going through them, I’m going to get through them, too.”
(In your interview after the Combine with the Tennessee Network, you stated that you’re known for your speed, agility, your pass catching and vision, but you didn’t mention pass protection. A lot of scouts and analyst have said that your pass protection is best in this draft class. Do you take pride in blocking for your quarterback, and what do you look forward to doing? Who do you look forward to hitting in the NFL?) – “Yes, of course I take pride in protecting the quarterback. You’ve got to protect the quarterback. That guy is making multiple millions of dollars – he’s just somebody that’s got to be protected. I take pride in pass protection. I feel like pass protection is a mentality thing. If you’re willing to step up and stone blockers, keep people from getting to your quarterback, I just feel like that if you have that mentality to stop them, it’s going to happen. Pass protection is a mentality and it’s a mindset. I had that this past year, and I’m going to keep having it. People I’m willing to see – there’s a lot of great linebackers in this league, there’s a lot of great DBs. I want to be able to pancake somebody that comes through the line. I just want to have a big excitement play while blocking, so I can make that statement that I’m willing to protect my quarterback.”
(On your 30 Visit with the Miami Dolphins, specifically with Head Coach Mike McDaniel, what were some of the things he raved about you?) – “He just likes my skillset. He just felt like my skillset would fit in the offense. He just felt like I’m an explosive player and I can make big plays in the offense, and I agree. So I’m just ready to get going for real.”
Patrick Paul – April 26, 2024
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Friday, April 26, 2024
T Patrick Paul
(We were just talking to Head Coach Mike McDaniel and General Manager Chris Grier and they said the Dolphins were the number one team you wanted to go to. Can you explain why that was and why Miami is a special place to you?) – “Of course. During the whole process, I talked to them multiple times. I remember talking to Chris at the Senior Bowl and it was a great conversation that me and him had. Then just moving on forward at the Combine, I had a great interview with both of them. Then to our 30-visit that we had, it was amazing. Really getting to spend that much time with them, I knew that I wanted to be coached by Coach McDaniel and (Offensive Line) Coach Butch Barry and it was amazing. It was something I knew from the minute I started talking to them that I wanted to be a Miami Dolphin, so this is a blessing.”
(I understand you have the same agent as RB De’Von Achane. How close are you two? And what do you think about getting to block for him now?) – “He’s a great player. I watched him throughout his college career. We don’t have a relationship yet, but that’s going to be my dawg. I already know. I’m excited to get out there and I’m ready to get to work.”
(What do you feel is the biggest thing that you bring to the table for this Miami organization? And I know you’re originally from Houston, but you also have some deep family ties in Nigeria. So for you to be able to represent both of these places, how meaningful is it for you to come into the NFL?) – “Of course. It’s going to be great. You asked what I bring to the Miami Dolphins. I’m going to bring a resilient player who is a great teammate. Someone who handles business in the locker room, outside the locker room, outside of the facility. Someone who is going to come every day with the same mindset and that’s to work and that’s to compete every day and be a great teammate. I’m going to bring it every day and hope to end my career with the Miami Dolphins, so that’s the goal.”
(Reading your bio, it says you are a martial arts prodigy. I was wondering if you could expand on that at all?) – “Yeah, of course. I’ve been boxing now, I’ve been doing MMA for five to six years now. It’s something I was introduced to when I first came to Houston by the offensive linemen that were currently there and I took it on from there. As soon as I went to one class, I fell in love. I happened to be really good at it early on and I keep honing my skills since then. It’s something that is one of my hobbies and one of the things that I really enjoy and it helps with on-the-field stuff. It correlates to the field. It’s a great hobby to have.”
(A guy that you are about to be playing with, T Terron Armstead, I don’t know if you been able to speak with him or meet him yet, but he’s a big boxing guy. It might be something to bring up whenever you guys do talk.) – “Definitely. I know Terron. I met him about two years ago at an O-Line Masterminds. He’s been a master at his craft for a very long time, so I’m excited to get in there and get in that o-line room and learn from him.”
(I talked to you at the Senior Bowl and remember it was a very good interview. You’re a very engaging guy. Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier talked about your personality. You have a grandfather who was the head of Nigeria, the martial arts. Tell me about the interview part of the pre-draft process. I would think you wowed all these teams. How did that work for you? And how does your personality work for you off the field?) – “Yeah, I would say my personality is from my parents and my brothers. I was raised in a great household that we understood our backgrounds and with that, just came about me, I guess. During the interview process, it was great just talking to everybody. I felt like I did pretty good with all my interviews. I remember the one at the Combine with the Dolphins was one of my favorites. I guess it had a lasting impact because it carried over to that 30-visit. So it’s been a great process.”
(It looks as though you have really long arms. Do people always ask you to reach things on the high shelves?) – “Not exactly. Most of my friends are pretty big being an offensive lineman. Also with my family as well. So not really, but if they ever did, I’m going to grab it for them.”
(How does it help you on the field?) – “Always being the first person, if you’re timing is right, to always land that first punch and get that first contact, it gives you an advantage being the first to strike.”
(Your family, what was their role in Nigeria, and have you been there?) – “As far as my family, the roots of it all, my grandfather was the head of state. With that, he was a major general in the army. That was way back in 1966, 1965. From then, no one has really taken over in regards to our family. I lived there for two-and-a-half years when I was younger. The last time I went there was 2015. I haven’t been back since, but it’s definitely something I want to do. I want to go back and do as much as I can.”
(So how much did your family talk about the heritage that you all have and the roots that you have in Nigeria?) – “I mean it’s something that I grew up just knowing and understanding. So just learning on my own, learning and doing my own research and asking my parents and my mom, when I can, to figure out more about my roots and where I came from. But it also inspired me throughout my entire career knowing that someone before me did such great things. It motivates you a lot to want to do the same.”
(The draft projections for you were all over the place from as high as the first round to maybe as low as the third, maybe even in the fourth. What was your draft experience like with all of that uncertainty and those wide range of projections?) – “Throughout the draft process, I didn’t really try to pay attention to where people had me mocked at and where they expected me to go. I knew I was going to end up in the situation that was perfect for me. Time did tell and I’m in the perfect situation for me. It all ended up how it was supposed to.”
(As a quick follow up, did you have an inkling it would be the Dolphins all along?) – “I hoped so and when I got that call, let me tell you, it was a surreal moment.”
(There were a lot of scouts and analysts talking about your hand technique. Head Coach Mike McDaniel, in his press conference, stated that with your athleticism, foot speed, quickness and big body, you’re a great athlete and can attack the B-gaps and move up to the second level, and it helps mask some of those technical deficiencies. In the offseason, you were working with an offensive line coach, Duke Mayweather. What were some things that you guys did throughout this draft process to work on your hand techniques and other techniques as well to get ready for the NFL?) – “I’d say working with Duke in this pre-draft process, I came there on December 12th, immediately after the season was done. I couldn’t really chill. I had to get working already so we hit the ground running. On Day 1, we’re in there watching film and he’s taking me through all of the things that he wants to correct in my game. The big emphasis were the hands, as you said. The hand placement and striking. So we started running. He has the perfect drills to work that. I don’t want to release all his sauce but he works with boxing mitts and stuff. He gets you right. Just understanding landmarks and how to use length to your advantage. That’s something that I am going to carry along to the Dolphins. Working with (Offensive Line) Coach Butch (Barry), we’re going to hit the ground running and I can’t wait. I can’t wait to learn from him and I can’t wait to be coached by him.”
(I know we mentioned T Terron Armstead earlier. Can you expand on what you feel you can gain from being able to work with him, a veteran like him, as a rookie?) – “It’s going to be great. He’s a legend of the game. I’ve been watching him since he was with the Saints. He’s a master at left tackle. He has all of the techniques in his book. He has a gigantic bag. Just learning from him, learning the game, learning how he’s had such a long career and has played at such a high level for so long, it’s going to be a blessing. I can’t wait to get in that o-line room and start digesting all of the knowledge from all of the different guys in there.”
Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel – April 26, 2024
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Friday, April 26, 2024
General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel
Chris Grier:
(Does that mean you’re trading back into the third and working on it if you’ve got to get back up to the room?) – “The draft is still going on, so again, you never know what opportunities may come. Whether it’s someone just reaching out and availability on a trade or something. For us, we wanted to do you guys a favor, so we could come meet with you now, and in case something doesn’t happen, you guys can go home early. (laughter)”
(What appealed to you about T Patrick Paul? Also can he play right tackle as well as left?) – “Yes, we feel confident that he can swing. Obviously, he’s been a left tackle. He’s someone that we spent a lot of time with. We met with him at the Senior Bowl for a while, at the Combine. We had him here on a 30 Visit. He was very enthusiastic about his intentions of wanting to play here. He really enjoyed his interactions with the coaching staff and us, watching him on film and some of the things we liked about how he plays. And he knows he’s got some things to work on. He’s very honest and direct, and that’s what we really appreciated. We’re very excited to work with him because we think he’s very talented player.”
(What is it about the wingspan and the size that appeased you guys the most?) – “Just his athletic ability for a guy as big as he is. Just even when he’s not perfect with technique, which (Offensive Line Coach) Butch (Barry) and Mike (McDaniel), the staff here and (Offensive Coordinator) Frank (Smith) have all shown that’s a point that’s emphasized around here very heavily. So for him, even when he’s not perfect, when you have a guy that big with that length that he can still block people at times when he’s not right. The changes that he made from last season even in college to this season, you can see the growth in the player and wanting to get better. We’re excited. We think he has another level he can take it to, and he wants to. That’s an important part that he wants to be good and wants to be coached.”
(Is there a possibility of guard for him at all or is he just purely a tackle?) – “I think right now we just want him at tackle, but we don’t box people in. Mike (McDaniel) just said he could play fullback for us if he wanted. (laughter)”
(T Terron Armstead already contemplated retirement this offseason. Is this a potential plan in place in case he does decide to just play one more year?) – “No, I think you’re always looking at your roster, like we’ve talked about. Again, this was a player that we liked and spent a lot of time with. Following our board, he was the highest rated player on our board left still. We don’t really chase positions trying to draft out of need. This is a player that we liked at a position that can add depth and grow and compete for a role here in the future.”
Mike McDaniel:
(What about his football IQ, his smarts? Somebody at Senior Bowl told me that he is smart enough that he could play center, not that he will play center. What about his football IQ and what kind of factor was that?) – “I think he has a yearning for the knowledge. He’s very, very hungry and very capable. He’s excited to have some of his game worked on through coaching, and he’s eager to make steps in his game. To me, he exhibited how easily it would be for him to immerse into what he needs to immerse into, to adjust to our scheme. It’s rare when you get a guy that’s focused on being great at a size and length that he has with the quickness, balance and athleticism to play the position on multiple levels. Very confident that this is a guy – the personnel department was way in front of this. We met him at the Combine and had him in here. (We) spent a lot of time with him, and he shared some exuberance on wanting to be a Dolphin, so he’s all the way Fins up right now.”
Chris Grier:
(It looks like he has the longest arms of all these 32 tackles I’m looking at here. Is that accurate? How long are his arms? I don’t mean the number, I mean from your impressions, and how can that impact him on the field?) – “The first thing Mike (McDaniel) and everyone joked about when he came on his visit, he fills up the hallway when he walked in. (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel:
“No, seriously. It’s like more of the hallway is filled than not.”
Chris Grier:
“(laughter) But again, it’s like you – even when he’s not perfect, which it happens in our league and college all the time, that length allows him to recover because he is so long and he’s got some strength and power to him that it enables him to recover, even at times. So that’s an intriguing thing with all the tackles. Everyone talks about length, athletic ability and size, and those things you can’t teach. He has that in abundance.”
Mike McDaniel:
“I am a sucker for length (in) guys that like to play with their hands so they actually can use it.”
Chris Grier:
(You guys have mentioned development a few times with him. Is that something where you put together a plan ahead of time of drafting a player to develop him over the course of his time here? Or do you kind of make the selection and then think about how the plan looks from developing his technique and everything.) – “I think every player needs development when they come in, so I think when we say that, it’s just we don’t think any player comes in readymade, no matter who it is. From the first pick to the (last), they all have something they need to work on. I think the good thing about Mike (McDaniel) and the staff, it’s always talking about development. Even with our guys that are starters here, still talking about developmental plans, whether it’s Jaelan Phillips or something. It’s always development and that’s the core principle of Mike and his staff, and I think that’s why you saw the jump in a lot of player’s ability and the things they have done on the field over the last couple of years.”
Chris Grier:
(A couple times you’ve mentioned his exuberance in wanting to come here. Is there an example, something he said or did?) – “It was just – from Day 1 at the Combine, because we had already spent some time with him at the Senior Bowl, and he came in the room. Once he met Mike (McDaniel) and spent time with (Offensive Line Coach) Butch (Barry) and the other coaches down there and the meetings stuff, he enjoyed the meeting and talking ball and being around the coaching staff and the scouts. Then on the visit here, he had expressed to us, ‘I don’t want to be anywhere but here.’ And then all through early this morning up to our pick, it was a barrage of text messages, not from him, from his agent saying, ‘The kid is driving me crazy. He wants to be here.’ (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel:
“And it kind of speaks to what we’re talking about, he has a vision. He’s not paying attention – in our minds, he’s watching how players were developed on the team by (Offensive Line Coach) Butch (Barry), (Offensive Coordinator) Frank (Smith) and everyone, so when we say he was yearning for the opportunities because he wants to work and wants to develop his game and is super eager to do it. He was a pretty giant man with a giant, strong handshake letting us know from the Combine on that he thought this was a fit, and clearly, we agreed.”
(Your first two picks have both been guys with off-the-chart measurables that you think there’s a huge growth opportunity for them. How do you, in the short time you’ve spent with them, really get a feel for, “Hey, these guys have what it takes to make what’s going to be a big leap?) – “It’s a whole process. It all starts with all the work that the scouts do in the fall of talking to coaches, strength coaches, whether it’s janitors at places, cafeteria workers, just to get who they are – their high school coaches, things like that. Then as we get to meet them from All-Star games to Combine, you start to piece things together and get to know who they are. I think everything usually reveals who they are at some point through that whole process, because even if you’re trying to fake it, you can’t sustain it over that long of a period of time. So here on a 30 Visit again, we had him in here and spent all day with him and really enjoyed him. And nothing changed from when we had met him at all of those different times, and it matched up with all the information the guys had gathered, and then coaches follow up with their connections at schools and places that have coached him over time. So you’re just piecing all that information together to make you comfortable, and both these kids have come in and it’s their love of football, their passion, how they want to be good, and so it makes you feel good. You know you’re never 100% (right) as we all know, but we feel good about the process.”
(Did you have conversations tonight or today about moving up or moving down in this round?) – “Yeah, we had a couple opportunities possibly, but you know how there was so movement as you saw in front of us that teams had better offers here and there. We had a bunch of offers for our pick. We had a bunch that were – a couple were enticing, but not enough for us to move from not taking Patrick (Paul).”
Mike McDaniel:
(Coach, you mentioned a few times getting off the football for offensive linemen. How does T Patrick Paul measure up in that category?) – “It’s intriguing to have – off the tape, you’re like ‘Wow, this is a big guy.’ But there’s position functionality and an athlete that has the foot quickness to cut off a B-gap or get the four-technique to the second level with urgency. That projects as some cool displacement as a tool for a blocker, and again, that’s why we keep talking about the human being tied to the player, because those types of things he has the ability to be really good at with a lot of deliberate work and motivation to do so. Those nuances, he’s totally fit to really do well in our footwork fundamentally, and we feel very confident he’s willing to put in the work to master the craft.”
Chris Grier:
(Obviously this is not like picking a first-round quarterback where you call your existing quarterback, but T Terron Armstead is obviously a guy you have great respect for and is an elite player in the league. I know you mentioned your communication with him this offseason. Did it ever come up that you might take someone who could eventually succeed him down the road? And is he the ideal guy with the character he has to help nurture someone at his position?) – “Yeah, Terron (Armstead) is fantastic dealing with it. We felt strong that we didn’t need to communicate with him on this because he knows – he’s always like ‘take an offensive lineman.’ (laughter) The cool thing about him is he loves to mentor these guys, so I think if you were to talk to Austin (Jackson) and Rob Hunt and Liam (Eichenberg) and all of them, I think that’s a big part of the work that (Offensive Line Coach) Butch (Barry) and Mike (McDaniel) and (Offensive Coordinator) Frank (Smith) put in, but also what Terron, behind the scenes with these guys, does. He spends a lot of time and likes to pass it on to the younger guys. He will be very enthused to work with him, and we’re excited that Patrick (Paul) is the right kind of person to come in and work with our group.”
Mike McDaniel:
“It’s funny, we kind of knew Terron (Armstead) would be excited. How Terron views himself and how he’s become such a player in this league is Terron’s not worried about someone outplaying him. Just like how he came out from a small school and had people invest in him, he loves paying it forward. He’ll be the most excited. He might already have a jersey of his.” (laughter)
(When you think about developing T Patrick Paul, what are the specific areas that you want to see him improve once you get him in here?) – “Literally, you want people to have the willingness to improve everything. And it’s not like cliché. It’s more like if you have the mindset that ‘I’m good on this,’ that mindset is not – you have to come in hearing with intentionality the process with which we teach, and from his stance to how he’s coming off the ball and his overall mindset, that’s never done. He’s trying to master a new scheme. I think all of the stuff is on the table while he develops the type of athlete and what Chris (Grier) was alluding to is he’s able to block people a little out of position. What we look at is how easy or impactful that block would be if everything was aligned. So especially for offensive linemen coming into our system, every day is very valuable. From stance and start, that’s probably the first thing that you master is how we come off the ball. For that to be impactful against an opponent, we want it to be the fastest, the quickest, the most deliberate that anyone does in the National Football League. So you have to train that and make it consistent, and then you move onto the next thing. But all is on the table, not because there’s a hole, more because we’re going to coach this guy to be the best player he can be and we know he wants to be great.”
Chop Robinson – April 26, 2024
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Friday, April 26, 2024
LB Chop Robinson
(Why don’t you take us through the last several hours since we last spoke to you. I can imagine it’s been a little busy for you.) – “After I got the call, honestly just celebrated with my family, my close ones, my loved ones. I just spent time with them, enjoyed every single second of it, listening to music and just hanging around, spending that quality time with them. Then woke up this morning, got on the flight to Miami, enjoying this weather. Walking around meeting everybody, meeting all the coaches and just enjoying this journey, that’s it.”
(So you actually slept?) – “I slept on the plane. I slept on the plane. I didn’t sleep the whole night. Once I got to the airport and got on the plane, I instantly went to sleep though.”
(When you get here and you’re seeing the facilities for the first time, what’s going through your mind knowing that all of that hard work, dreams come true, and here you are at an NFL facility with the Miami Dolphins?) – “It’s crazy. I’ve been working for this since I was five years old. I’ve been playing football my whole life. Putting everything that I worked for – I put in all the work, I sacrificed a lot of things to get here. It’s just the first step. Once you get here, you got to stay here. So I’m ready to put the work in.”
(Have you talked to any of your new teammates yet? Have they reached out to you?) – “Yeah, I talked to Jaelan Phillips earlier today. I met Bradley Chubb earlier today, too. Those are some guys I’ll be able to take some things from their games and add them on to mine so I can be an elite player.”
(Your fellow Nittany Lion T Olumuyiwa Fashanu is going to the Jets. What do you think about possibly facing off against him for years to come in the AFC East?) – “It’s going to great, just like practice. One on ones, everything we did together. I think it would be another day at practice, going against Olu (Fashanu) in a game.”
(We talked about the four sacks, but you’re incredibly disruptive. Good win rate, good pressure rate, quarterback pressures, tackles for loss. Talk to me about being disruptive in both the run and the pass game, how are you able to be disruptive and what does that do for the team?) – “Honestly, for me, I just feel like that’s me doing my job. I feel like everybody on defense, if all 11 people do their job, you’re causing disruption as a whole defense. If every man is doing their job, then the defense is doing what they are supposed to do.”
(Your skillset, the first step. Tell me about when did you first discover that? Was that 6-years-old, 5-years5old, junior high? How do you use it to your advantage?) – “I would say I discovered it in middle school. I was playing Pop Warner, and I was playing d-tackle. I was just getting off the ball so fast that I was able to just run around the offensive linemen, and that’s when I realized I had some good speed on the edge, especially for my size. That’s when I started to realize that, and I just kept working on it throughout my career.”
(Your hands, tell me about your hands and how you use that to your advantage?) – “Since I’m not the most lengthiest guy, but I have quick hands, I’m quick to react when hands are thrown in my face. So just being able to use my hands, my speed and my bend is something that is really good for my game, because I’m so fast and being able to use my hands is just very disruptive.”
(You have been comped to LB Micah Parsons. I don’t think you crossed paths with him. He was in the draft once you transferred over?) – “Yeah, I think he was 2020, the COVID year. So he was COVID year draft, but when he was coming back to Penn State, I was still talking to him here and there.”
(Is there more to the connection with him coming back? How many times did you interact with him and things like that?) – “We interacted probably like 10 times. Every single time he came back, we talked. We’d just chat. I talked to him before the Combine, asking him about the process, about interviews and everything. He gave me some advice, so we talk here and there.”
(You mentioned earlier about the sacrifices you made to get here. Can you elaborate on that? What are some of those sacrifices?) – “Honestly, just being away from my family. First, I went to Maryland my freshman year which is home, then I went to Penn State. That was my first time really being away from my family, just not partying or anything, just staying true to myself, staying inside, being a homebody, and focusing on what I wanted to do and chase my dreams and get to the next level. So sacrificing those things is the biggest thing for me.”
(You had the 4.48 40-yard dash at the Combine, which I think was tied for seventh all time among defensive ends at the Combine. Your 10’8 broad jump was the best by a defensive end at the Combine. What do those numbers mean to you having that place and again, how does that translate onto the field toward being disruptive?) – “I feel like that 10’8 broad jump shows the explosiveness I have, especially with my first step. Just jumping out like that, being able to get off the ball and show that not only doing that at the Combine results, but I can do it also on tape. So just doing that from the game and then doing that at the Combine just shows that I can do it on tape, too.”
(Where do those athletic traits come from? Is that all natural? Were you a track guy? How did the speed and all of that stuff come about?) – “I would say it’s all natural. I feel like me and my brothers were always fast, but I was able to adapt to it.”
(What’s the next order of business for you? You’ve toured the facilities. Are you trying to find a place where to be? What’s next for you to explore the city as well?) – “I wish I had an answer for you. (laughter) I don’t know what’s next to come. I’m just taking it one day at a time.”
(One guy you could probably ask is Manny Diaz, he was a head coach at University of Miami. I actually covered him when he was with the Hurricanes. Can you tell us something you’ve learned from him in your time at Penn State having him?) – “I’d just say the hard work and mindset he has. No matter what, no matter how you’re feeling, no matter how tired you are, he just always wants you to go out there and give you everything you’ve got and just push yourself to reach limits that you think you can’t get past. That’s something I picked up from him. So I was just able to learn from him, listen to him, be coachable and it helped me get to where I am today.”
(Have you picked a number yet?) – “No, not yet. I haven’t.”
(Do you have one in mind?) – “Of course, 44. But I don’t know who has 44 or if it’s open. I haven’t really looked at it yet.”
(You mentioned yesterday being inspired after losing a brother and a sister. Can you tell us about that and just the inspiration that you have and motivation you have to accomplish whatever you can for them?) – “Losing my two siblings, I knew no matter what adversity was thrown my way, nothing could make me feel worse than me losing my two siblings. I always look at that as a positive thing, just coming out there, give everything I got in what I do and just keep me motivated, because I know no matter how I’m feeling or what’s thrown my way, I can face it. Because I faced something that a lot of people would’ve been broke down, but I looked at is as a positive thing.”
(If you’re comfortable sharing, just where were you when each occurred? I think you were in the first grade when you lost one and was in freshman year of high school?) – “Yeah, I was in first grade when I lost my sister. I was actually in my room when I found out that it happened. My mom was just telling me she went to sleep, and I didn’t understand because I was so young. But I was a freshman when I lost my older brother. I was actually playing a game and then I heard my mom screaming when they came in and told her, so I ran upstairs. Seeing the tears and heard the news – I’m doing it for them two. They keep me motivated every single day, that’s who I’m doing it for.”
(We’ve seen different numbers on how many siblings you have. Can you set the record straight?) – “I’ve got nine siblings. So it’s ten of us – it’s six boys and four girls.”
(What was it like growing up in a family that big?) – “It was crazy. It was always fun though. You could never be bored; you were always bothering another sibling. The one thing (was) you’ve got to get to the kitchen table as fast as you can, because sometimes people would have to eat on the stairs if you don’t make it to the kitchen table. (laughter)”
(Is that where you got your first step?) – “Basically, yeah. Yep. (laughter)”
(What order are you in – what number?) – “So I’m third youngest. I have two younger siblings and the rest are older.”
(Tell us about – your chain glistening in the lights. Any special meaning to it?) – “Yeah, so it has my name and then it has the axe, which is my sack celebration that I use. I basically find the detail and put it in there, put it in the mix.”
(Did your siblings tell you anything when all this happened? What was the first thing they told you when you got signed here?) – “I mean, they were just telling me they were proud of me, because they know how much work I’ve put into this, how focused I stayed and how much sacrifice I took. They were just so proud of me. They shed tears, and that’s what made me cry also. It was just a great experience.”
(At what age and what level did you know getting here to the NFL was a possibility?) – “I would say in middle school, I figured out. I knew with the speed I had and me playing defensive end at such a young age and running around guys in that speed, I just knew I could take it somewhere. So I just took it seriously since I figured that out in middle school and it’s been that ever since.”
(Were you a chubby kid in middle school age?) – “(laughter) No, when I was in middle school, that’s when I started to slim out. I was chubby only when I was born, for real.”
(Is that where the nickname comes from?) – “Yeah, when I was born, I was 14 pounds, and then it was ‘Pork Chop’ as my nickname. Got older, slimmed down, took the ‘Pork’ out, kept the ‘Chop.’”
(Were you always a lineman? Offense, defensive line growing up?) – “Yeah, my first position I played was center, then after that I played defensive end.”
(So you liked it?) – “Yeah, I love it.”
(Has this all sunken in? Are you still in that mind of, “Wow this is really happening?” Or is it down to business, let’s go?) – “I’m kind of at both right now. Of course I’m soaking it all in because it’s a dream come true. But I know once the day is over with, it’s time to get to work once I get here. I just have been on both waves, both ways.”
(How much time have you spent, probably not a ton since you just arrived, but how much time have you possibly spent with Head Coach Mike McDaniel and Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver?) – “I spent a lot of time with them. As soon as I walked in and saw them, we were just chatting about how he sees me as a player. He had me on his radar for a very long time and how he liked getting to know me as a person and hearing all the good things about me. So I spent a lot of time with him, like 30 minutes, since I got here.”
(Are you talking about Head Coach Mike McDaniel or Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver?) – “Both of them.”
(Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver has a good track record of developing defensive linemen, edge rushers. So what do you think he can do for you and your game?) – “Honestly, I feel like the things he can do is just bring more cheat codes that I have, more things to my toolbox. There’s things that a lot of people say that I don’t have. I feel like I know I’ve been working on it and I feel like he can elevate my game even more.”
