Jakeem Grant – April 30, 2016
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Saturday, April 30, 2016
Wide Receiver Jakeem Grant
(On whether he can be a special teams returner or a receiver at the line of scrimmage) – “I definitely think I can play receiver, and I definitely will be the return guy. I feel like I can do the same exact role I did at Texas Tech there at Miami.”
(On why he is confident in his return skills) – “I have faith in myself. I feel like once you get the ball in my hands, there’s nobody that can stop me. With God being behind me and then after my back bone (injury), I haven’t had any injuries off the field. I’m as healthy as a horse. I’m fast. I’m quick even if I don’t have the size. But you can’t hate what you can’t get.”
(On whether he has run a 40-yard dash faster than 4.38) – “A lot of teams clocked me at 4.1 (seconds). They said a 4.3 would have been labor time or whatever that is. I definitely feel like a 4.3 is definitely not my speed. I feel like if I would run a 40 (-yard dash) over and over again, (I would) tell guys that I don’t run a 4.3, because … When they told me I ran a 4.3, I was ticked off, because that’s slow to me.”
(On which NFL players he compares himself to) – “Yes – Darren Sproles, Tavon Austin. A lot of those guys. Andrew Hawkins – all those guys. I try to make my game after all those guys and try to be best as I can and try to take all those guys moves and put it all into one body. If you can do that, then there’s no ‘how high’ I can go or what I can do.”
(On whether he can return kicks and punts) – “I’m a kick and punt returner.”
(On how he sees himself fitting in with the other receivers on the Dolphins roster) – “I feel like I could fit in as a slot guy on the roster. Yes, there’s going to be competition but … (inaudible) … it’s a competitive sport and I’m looking to go in with a chip on my shoulder. I’ve been that way my whole life and I’m going to continue to do that. That’s never going to go away.”
(On if he was as confident and entertaining with the Dolphins coaches as he is on this teleconference and what the coaches thought of that) – “I definitely wanted to come in there and show them my personality and show them that I’m just an outgoing guy. I’m confident, self-motivated, and that’s just the type of guy I am. I’ll continue to show people that and show them that I don’t wish that I’m bigger than I am. I commend my size; I love my size. And I feel like I’m not blessed with the height but I’m blessed in other areas that some guys do not have.”
(On how he succeeds in making defenders miss in small areas and if that is something he can bring to the NFL) – “Yes sir, most definitely. I feel like that is one of my specialties and I feel like a lot of guys in the league … Some of them can do that but I add more oomph to it.”
(On if the height the NFL listed him at 5’5 ¾” is accurate) – “Yes, they had me at 5’5 ¾” but I always tell people that I’m 5’6 ½” because you never going anywhere without shoes on. (laughter) You never see me playing a game in my bare feet, so I always tell people I’m 5’7 because you never know how tall I am once I step on the field.”
(On his weight) – “I weigh 170. I weighed in at 165 on Pro Day only because I had pneumonia the week before so I couldn’t get my weight back up. Once I come in (to Miami), I will be at 170.”
(On the size of the rest of his family) – “My family is all in the five-foot area. I was just blessed to have the five-foot gene but everyone in my family has lightning speed so that’s where I get my speed from.”
Jordan Lucas – April 30, 2016
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Saturday, April 30, 2016
Defensive Back Jordan Lucas
(On what the Dolphins have planned for him) – “I just got off the phone with the coaches and they want me to play corner. They want me to be a press corner, come in there (and) be physical and just be the type of player I am – physical, aggressive – and a smart football player.”
(On whether he has experience playing press coverage in college) – “Yes, sir. I played corner for three years in college and safety for one. (I) played a lot of man (coverage), a lot of press, close to the line (and) a lot of bail technique, so (I) mixed it up.”
(On his best game at Penn State) – “I would say my best game at Penn State was probably the Michigan game (in 2013).”
(On why his best game was against Michigan in 2013) – “I had my first career interception that game. It was just a great team win for us. We went (into) four overtimes with Michigan. I had a great game for such a young guy. It was probably the most fun I’ve had playing at Penn State.”
(On recording four sacks) – “They sent me on a lot of blitzes. I’ve been playing nickel for three years as well as corner. I would come on a lot of blitzes and sometimes I didn’t get the sack, but we were able to cause pressure. We had a great defensive line so they would occupy the offensive lineman and the tight ends and sometimes I could come free.”
(On why he moved to safety) – “Just to help the team out. They felt that it was the best thing for the team at that time and (the) best thing for me. They felt that it would help me out on the next level – being able to play both positions – and my knowledge for our defense was great. I knew the safety position. I knew what the corners had to do. I knew what the linebackers had to do down to our defensive linemen movement. I was a senior and they felt that it was best to have a senior back there.”
(On what the draft process has been like for him) – “It’s been crazy dealing with the injury and rehab and everything, and then getting ready for the combine and Pro Day. It was a short amount of time for me because I was rehabbing a lot throughout that process, but it was great. I met a lot of great people and I’ve been blessed. I’ve been blessed to keep a clear mindset throughout this whole process and now I’m just ready. I’m happy to be a Dolphin and I’m ready to work.”
(On if he has played slot corner) – “Yes, I did. I played slot corner for three years out of my four years at Penn State.”
(On if he played outside at all) – “I played slot and inside for three years. On certain packages, I would move into slot. I played field, corner, boundary corner, slot and strong safety.”
(On if his shoulder injury will limit him in the offseason) – “No, I’m not limited. I’ll be ready to go. I’ve been lifting. I’ve been running. I’ve been doing everything, so I’m ready to go (with) no limitations and that’s that.
Brandon Doughty – April 30, 2016
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Saturday, April 30, 2016
Quarterback Brandon Doughty
(On his reaction to being drafted by his hometown team) – “My hometown team; the Miami Dolphins. Who would have thought? It ended up being a blessing for me (to be) taught to by Dan Marino and being coached by him in high school. It’s an unbelievable honor for me. I can’t be thankful (enough). I am so thankful for all of the opportunities I have in front of me.”
(On his strengths as a quarterback) – “I’m a gunslinger. I led the nation in passing these last two years. That doesn’t really mean much at this point. But I’m going to come in there and compete, work my butt off, learn from Ryan Tannehill, learn from Matt Moore and the other guys on the roster right now. (I will) try to compete, try to win myself a spot and hopefully make it on this roster and be an impact player. That’s my goal. I’m not just trying to … This wasn’t the goal for me, just to be drafted. It’s to be an impact player on the field, off the field and really just be Brandon Doughty. I’m excited to let the fans (learn) about me.”
(On if he can name all of the school records he broke) – “I have absolutely no idea. (laughter) I have literally no clue. Winning all those rewards, winning all those records and all the other stuff … College was an amazing experience but now I’m a dang Miami Dolphin. I’m excited about that. I’m excited about the future, for sure.”
(On the greatest strength of his game) – “My accuracy. I led the nation in completion percentage this year. I think I take pride in taking care of the ball (and) not being able to turn the ball over. I think in every game – if you play in a game – and you win the turnover battle in the fourth quarter, you’ll have a chance to win at the end. I take pride in taking care of the ball, being a leader, being a captain and being (a) three-time captain. I’m really going to try to bring that in. First, I’m going to just kind of have my head down and try to grind this thing out. I have a lot to learn. I’m excited. I’m just really, really excited about the opportunity.”
(On what his role will be) – “We just kind of spoke briefly before I got pushed to you guys, so I’m not really sure where I’m going to be at. I got to meet with the Dolphins on Local Day and meet with coach and really had a good experience there. I had a really good time. Like I said, I’m just really excited about this, for sure.”
(On if he had previously spoke with the Dolphins and if they were on his radar) – “Absolutely. They were one of the top five teams I had. It’s crazy. It’s very surreal. My whole life, God has kind of just rolled out a red towel and said, ‘Brandon, just follow this thing for me.’ It has really been a huge and amazing blessing and now I’m a Miami Dolphin. It’s my home town team for the rest of my life, and it’s something I’ll tell my kids about someday hopefully.”
(On what his expectations were before the draft) – “I did have a little bit of expectations. I thought my stock was a little higher than I thought. But don’t worry, I’m going to be playing with a chip on my shoulder for all the teams that passed on me, all 31 other ones. We’ll see what happens when the time comes and when an opportunity presents itself but I’m really excited about the opportunity and just ready to get back to work, for sure.”
(On how close he lives and if he has spent a lot of time around the team) – “I’m from Davie. It’s where I was born – where I was raised – so I’m about 15 minutes (away). I live in Shenandoah right near Weston. Funny story: Dan Marino, I went to the same high school as his son. He used to have this foreign exchange student that would come to the school, and I would take him home every day to Dan Marino’s house. Occasionally, I would go in there and try to talk to Dan and stuff like that. I’m very, very local. My brother is actually – it’s crazy – but he’s wearing a Dolphins shirt right now. We didn’t plan that, nothing happened, we’re just Dolphin fans. Now that they’re my team, I think I’ll work a little harder, because this is my team. This is my home team. This is whom I’ve loved since I was a little kid. It’s going to be really cool run. Everybody involved, I would like to thank everyone for sure.”
Thomas Duarte – April 30, 2016
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Saturday, April 30, 2016
Tight End Thomas Duarte
(On being drafted by the Dolphins) – “I couldn’t be more excited. I took a visit down there and loved it. It just felt like home.”
(On whether he is more of an H-back or tight end) – “Really, (I am) just trying to be an NFL tight end. Whatever these coaches want to use me as, that’s what I plan on coming in and doing and contributing in any way.”
(On how he would describe his game) – “If there’s one way I would describe my game is just a playmaker. I’m always around the ball. (I) make sure I catch everything. Definitely that’s my biggest thing … Once it leaves the quarterback’s hand, (it is) my job to catch it, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
(On if he plays special teams) – “I did a lot of special teams at UCLA and that’s what I plan on doing for the Miami Dolphins.”
(On whether there is an NFL tight end that his game resembles) – “Definitely Jordan Reed. I got a lot of comparisons to him and I definitely watched a lot of his games this year and tried to implement his quickness with his speed. The key awareness in route running transfers over to the same thing that I can do.”
(On how he feels health-wise) – “Really well. I had a little hamstring pull and ankle sprain in 2014. But other than that, I’ve been real healthy, really adamant about taking care of my body.”
(On which teams he spoke with before the draft) – “My agent fielded a lot of calls. I’m not sure from what teams, but I took a visit out to Miami, and that was about it.”
(On his family history and playing football) – “Really, my whole family played football. On my dad’s side: both my uncles played, my grandpa played and my dad obviously played football. We were always around the football field and just watching football on TV on Sundays. Growing up, (it is) something I knew I wanted to do. From a young age, I had a real passion for it.”
Mike Tannenbaum & Chris Grier – April 30, 2016
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Saturday, April 30, 2016
Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum General Manager Chris Grier
Mike Tannenbaum:
(Opening Statement) – “I want to thank everybody for all their hard work and the organization. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) did a great job and the entire department. Chris, (Head Coach) Adam (Gase) and I feel really good about starting … The three of us going back to January with the eighth pick in the draft and adding guys, LB Kiko Alonso and CB Byron Maxwell, that kind of set the table. And then adding the draft choices over the last three days, we feel like we’ve improved the team, added competition and added depth. (We are) really excited about where we are. We are in the process of finalizing some free agents here and we will try to get that news to you guys as soon as it is all finalized and that will transition into Phase 2 of the offseason program.”
Chris Grier:
(On WR Jakeem Grant’s size) – “I’ll tell you what, Mike (Tannenbaum), to his credit, he was all over this guy. I mean I was busting his chops the whole time going ‘Hey, this guy could fit under the table in the draft room here.’ But seriously, spending time with the kid, we had him in for a 30 visit, and we kept hearing the term that this guy is ultra-competitive. He walks in the room and he thinks he’s the biggest guy on the field. And that’s how he plays, how he runs; again it’s added another … He’s an explosive dynamic player. He has some traits we like. The size isn’t a concern. He’s played in the Big 12 against all these elite players now in the draft. Again, it’s his mindset (and) his toughness. This guy is an alpha.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On if WR Jakeem Grant is a possible impact player at receiver in addition to special teams) – “When you look at the middle part of the draft with (RB Kenyan) Drake, (WR Leronte) Carroo and him, those guys will all add to us in the kicking game. To me, that always sets the floor in how much they play on offense or defense … is what they have to earn. But those are all three explosive players (with) good play speed. Our special teams coaches are certainly happy with those picks.”
Chris Grier:
(On why there were more players picked on offense than defense) – “It was just the opportunity of the players available, plus adding (LB) Kiko (Alonso) and (CB) Byron (Maxwell) … (They) were also added to that mix as well as (DE) Andre Branch and the other guys we’ve added with (DE) Mario Williams, etc. on defense. We’ve done stuff to address the defense, adding (DB) Jordan Lucas as well today – another corner with size, height, weight, speed. (Lucas) has position flexibility. He’s player corner, press corner, he’s played safety as well. So we think that we’ve addressed it. We feel good but we will always keep turning over the roster.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On whether the team is on its way to being built offensively to match Head Coach Adam Gase’s vision) – “I think when you’re sitting in our seats, you feel that way until 9 a.m. tomorrow, and then you’re always looking to add. We’re trying to build the roster for us and our vision in all three phases. We feel like we’re improving. Again, the journey started back in January and making that trade (with Philadelphia). We feel like we added two players (Alonso and Maxwell) that fit what we want to do, and that’s something that we’re constantly talking about. The day that Chris (Grier) became our GM, he talked about prototypes and getting the right guys that fit our scheme. We really tried to stay as close to that as possible knowing that we don’t live in a perfect world, but the conversation always starts with that.”
Chris Grier:
(On the aggressiveness in the number of trades this weekend) – “I just think it’s about the advantage of the opportunities we have to improve our roster. These are players we had targeted. I think all of our trades we made will benefit us in the future. Again, you have to be open and flexible to move up and down the draft. For us, it’s about the opportunity to improve our roster.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On the trade with New England) – “The phone rang and we’re always going to do what’s best for us. Obviously, they thought it was good for them, as well. We traded with a lot of teams, they just happened to be one of them.”
(On whether he spoke with Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick to make the trade) – “We had a few conversations.”
(On insight into the trade with New England) – “Like I said, it’s one of those things – I think – it will hopefully work out well for both sides.”
(On WR Jakeem Grant’s 40-yard dash time) – “Every time that Chris (Grier) reminded me how tall (Jakeem Grant) was, we made his speed a little bit faster.” (laughter)
Chris Grier:
“We had a scout that was there at the Pro Day. (Jakeem Grant) ran fast.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“In all seriousness, that was one of those decisions we made that you really feel like everybody touched on. The area scout liked him and then (the) special teams coaches worked him out. (We) wanted to make sure how he would factor in the return game. Obviously, we had the offensive coaches – because obviously he’s a unique style of player – what would be the vision for him offensively? Everyone signed off on him. That’s what gave us the comfort to draft him where we did.”
Chris Grier:
(On whether WR Jakeem Grant ran a 4.1 or 4.3 40-yard dash) – “He was really fast. He was in the 4.3s for us.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“Once he signs his contract, we’ll answer that question.” (laughter)
Chris Grier:
“If you ask Mike (Tannenbaum), he’s a little faster than that.”
(On whether they see QB Brandon Doughty competing for the No. 2 quarterback role this season) – “I don’t think we want to set any limits for what he can or can’t do. This is a player who’s obviously local. He’s a Miami Day guy, so we got to spend the day with him. We watched him play over the fall the last couple of years a lot (with him) being a six-year player. We really like the kid. He’s very football smart, very competitive. He has good arm strength and he (had) great production in college. (We) wouldn’t want to say what he can be, but we’re excited to have him.”
(On trading CB Jamar Taylor) – “(It was) just an opportunity to improve our roster and to give him a fresh start somewhere else.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On whether they are comfortable with the level of talent at linebacker) – “We think (LB) Kiko (Alonso) can be a significant upgrade. The more you study those things, a player the second year after an injury, traditionally you see a bigger uptick. We think he has a chance to be a really good player for us. Certainly, there were some linebackers we thought of (in the draft). The board just fell the way it did. We’ll continue to be open minded, but there are some young guys that we like. (LB) Zach Vigil played for us last year. We re-signed (LB) Spencer Paysinger. We’ll always be open-minded, but I think Alonso really has a chance to help us.”
Chris Grier:
(On whether RB Kenyan Drake and WR Jakeem Grant were drafted to be return punts and kicks and keep WR Jarvis Landry from doing so) – “A little bit. Jarvis, still, is … Even though he’s not the fastest guy on time, he plays fast on the field. These guys are explosive guys (and) have a history of doing it. Again, it was an opportunity for us to add an element of speed and explosiveness to the return game.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On whether he is comfortable with the high roster turnover this offseason) – “Look, we don’t just say, ‘Hey, it’s an old player or a new player.’ I think we’re sitting there and saying, ‘We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished collectively. This is our team.’ Every day, the coaches get more comfortable with the players they’ve inherited. At the end of the day, we want to keep the best 53 (players) to give us the best chance to win whether they’ve been inherited, drafted (or) signed. That’s really what it’s about.”
Chris Grier:
(On what the draft was like for him as a general manager) – “To be honest, it was a great weekend working with Mike (Tannenbaum) and Adam (Gase) and our coaches and scouts in there and Mr. (Stephen) Ross in the room. I’ve been in the draft room now for 20-plus years. Again, I think the communication, our discussions we’ve had … We hashed out these big decisions we thought we’d have to make at that point. It was smooth for us. Really, I think the biggest one was, obviously, Laremy (Tunsil) falling to us, which was unexpected. It was a great opportunity for us.”
Chris Grier:
(On how well he has worked with Tannenbaum and the advantages of working well together) – “Well, you see I dressed up today and (Mike Tannenbaum) didn’t. I took it more serious than him today. (laughter) But no, honestly, working with Mike (Tannenbaum) has been great. From Day 1, it’s been our communication (and) our talks about players. Mike loves this game. We spend a lot of time. There’s a lot of times we’re the first ones in the building and the last ones to leave. Again, when you have someone there you can talk to, have open debates, you’re not afraid to be honest about stuff. I think that’s key, when you can really express how you feel. He and I, we’ve had moments where we’ve gone at each other and stuff and I think that’s what makes it work.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
“And I think people don’t always understand the complexities of the decisions. I always say ‘Hey, let’s go watch the tape. Let’s lay it out,’ and usually those decisions resolve themselves. I just feel really good about the preparation and the process and then obviously getting Adam (Gase)’s two cents on things is really important. But like Chris (Grier) said, a lot of the decisions we made were made well ahead of time.”
(On what he feels will be differently about the cornerback position with the recent moves made) – “I think it’s really just the defense that we want to play. Obviously, (Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph) has had a tremendous influence on that. Again, philosophically I believe we are here to serve the coaches. We got together in January when the staff was on board and we know exactly the type of defense the Miami Dolphins are going to play. Obviously those players we’ve acquired were purposeful and by design. It fits an overall scheme. It’s not just about the corners but it’s how we are going to play. We like the length. We like their athleticism. And we still have a long way to go. We feel good for tonight but if and when there are more players we can add, we are not going to sit here and complacent.”
(On if he feels like they still need to add some more cornerbacks) – “Look, we always want to get the best player available. I’ve been fortunate enough to be around this game a long time and I’ve added starting cornerbacks in June and August. You just never know when the right opportunity comes along, as Chris (Grier) mentioned, we will attack it aggressively.”
(On why scheme is so important to the team now) – “It’s always been important to me. I don’t know it any other way, to be candid. For us to be successful, you have to have a clear understanding of how players fit in all three phases. In talking with Chris (Grier) about the opportunity and putting the team together, we talked about (scheme) from Day 1. Chris had a very clear vision. We married that with the coaches and everybody in this building now knows, from personnel to coaches, what we’re looking for at each position. Are we going to make mistakes? Absolutely. But in my mind, that just narrows the bandwidth of … it should cut down the margin for error.”
Chris Grier:
(On what sort of contribution you hope for and need from this group of players) – “I think when you’re always building a team – especially championship teams – you have to build through the draft. Obviously they have to be your foundation because free agency is used to supplement your roster. You don’t want to have to go out and spend the big money all the time to do that. We’ve done that here over the years that we’ve been here, and other teams have done it as well. I think you struggle to win consistently that way. For us, yeah they are part of the foundation of the Dolphins going forward and help setting the tone for a winning program and organization.”
(On if this is the most talent on the offensive side of the ball he has seen in his time with the organization) – “It’s hard to say right now. It’s really about players gelling, getting on the field, working together and competing. What we’ve built is a very competitive roster now and I think that will push everyone to be better. It has a chance to be good but we’ll see what it ends up being.”
(On if there was a concerted effort to get “alpha” players and if he thinks he’s changed the makeup of the team mentally and physically) – “When you say ‘alpha,’ it’s those guys that love football. They’re mentally and physically tough, they’re not afraid of challenges (and) they love to compete. It was stuff that we talked about a lot through the process and you guys have been around (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase – he definitely has that mentality. We’ve tried to change the roster with the guys we’ve added, especially on the pro side too through free agency. We’ve been aggressively looking for players like that. I think that’s the only way you can win.”
Mike Tannenbaum:
(On if the team has added an undrafted college free agent kicker) – “We’re certainly heading in that direction. We don’t have anything signed yet or anything. We don’t have anything official. We’re working the free agency process pretty aggressively but until anything is signed, there is really nothing to announce.”
(On if improving team speed was part of the plan going into this draft) – “Yeah. I think explosive playmakers at certain positions that we thought we could add at reasonable prices and parts in the draft is something that we wanted to do. When you look at the middle part of the draft with (WR Leonte) Carroo and (RB Kenyan) Drake and (WR Jakeem) Grant, those are three guys that can help in the kicking game (and) the return game. We think they have a chance over time to be four-down players.”
Chris Grier – April 29, 2016 (on Xavien Howard)
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Friday, April 29, 2016
General Manager Chris Grier (on CB Xavien Howard)
(Opening Statement) – “We traded up for corner Xavien Howard from Baylor. This was a prototype player. We spent a lot of time with him. It’s a core position – premium need for us. This guy checks all the boxes in terms of height, weight, speed, competitiveness, toughness. This was a player that was a target player for us and when the opportunity arrived for us to make a play to get him, we jumped at it. We’re ecstatic to have him on our roster.”
(On if he thought another team would select Howard if the team did not trade up) – “Yes. We expected a corner run to start. In the draft, there are always periods of positions where there are runs. This is about the time (where it is) really getting to that time where there aren’t very many corners left.”
(On if there was a specific team they thought might draft Howard) – “I don’t want to speak for any team, but yes, we had an idea of who those … There were probably two teams we thought – in front of us – that might take him.”
(On which of Howard’s attributes most appeals to the team) – “First of all, it’s his competitiveness. This guy is ultra-competitive. He’s an alpha. For him, it’s the size, the length, the speed. Obviously, he’s a scheme fit for us. Again, we spent a lot of time with this player. We hold this guy in high regard.”
(On how Howard compares with CB Byron Maxwell) – “Just being around Byron at practice the last three days of the minicamp, he’s super-competitive. You know he and (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase were talking crap to each other out on the field. So, this guy (Xavien Howard) is that way. As we spent more time with him, we really thought that this was the type of player we wanted to add to our program.”
(On whether he sees Howard as a starter) – “I think everyone … When you make a play … Again, it’s (about) adding competition to our roster. The best guy is going to play. Again, he’s got a lot of traits and attributes we really like. He’s got a chance to start, but I’m not going to … Again, that’s up to the coaches and the play on the field.”
(On if the team tried to trade up higher) – “We were active today. I’ll just say that. We were active.”
Xavien Howard – April 29, 2016
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Friday, April 29, 2016
Cornerback Xavien Howard
(On whether he had spoken to the Miami Dolphins before the draft) – “Yes, sir. I had talked to the Miami Dolphins (before) the draft.”
(On what his conversations were like with the Dolphins) – “The conversations (were about) telling me about cornerback and stuff like that, what they’re expecting from that cornerback that’s coming in.”
(On what the Dolphins expect from their cornerbacks) – “They’re expecting me to come in and make plays and learn the defense.”
(On his style of play and his strengths) – “I regard myself on making plays. My strength is my ball skill and being a physical corner.”
(On which NFL cornerbacks he models his game after) – “I looked at Patrick Peterson and Darrelle Revis.”
(On whether he likes to press on defense) – “I love to press. Yes, sir.”
(On what the draft experience has been like) – “It has been … It was just an up and down doing a lot of stuff and stuff like that. But, I’ll be thankful for it, going through the process. Everybody goes through it. I enjoyed it.”
(On if he is optimistic he can contribute to the team right away) – “Yes, sir.”
(On why he can contribute to the team right away) – “(I can contribute right away) with my ball skills and being physical. I’m working on my technique and stuff like that. I’m sure the coach is going to get me better in my technique and stuff like that. I got faith in myself that I can do the job.”
(On the tough receivers he has faced in college) – “I had one (game) against (Chicago Bears WR) Kevin White my redshirt sophomore year. He was a tough defender. He went with the No. 7 pick, but he was a good guy. (inaudible) I think he’s the best receiver I played against. (Washington Redskins WR) Josh Doctson, I think he was okay, to me. He didn’t really do much to me. I had got (inaudible) during that game. That’s all I can tell you about the top receivers that I played.”
(On if he has the mindset that he would come in and be a starter) – “Yes, sir. I have that in my mindset. Yes sir.”
(On if he has played special teams) – “Yes, sir. I played kickoff return, punt return and punts.”
(On if he knows of any players on the Dolphins roster) – “Yes sir, I know a couple players on the Dolphins roster. I know (CB Byron) Maxwell from Philly. I know (CB Tyler) Patmon from Dallas. I know the receivers Jarvis Landry (and) Kenny Stills.”
(On who his agent is) – “Todd France.”
(On NFL.com comparing his game to that of Byron Maxwell and if he sees similarities between the two of them) – “Being physical and being pressing a lot, I could see that.”
(On how he knows CB Byron Maxwell) – “Just seeing him playing at Seattle when he was playing corner next to Richard Sherman. He was making plays. And when he got to Philly, he was being tested a little bit, but he was making plays too. Then on the video, I had seen the guy and things like that. That’s how I seen him. That’s how I know him.”
(On if there are any players on the Dolphins roster he knows personally) – “No, sir.”
Kenyan Drake – April 29, 2016
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Friday, April 29, 2016
Running Back Kenyan Drake
(On whether he expected to be drafted this early) – “No, not at all. This was definitely a real surprise for me, a real dream come true. I’m definitely going to go out down to Miami and make sure that I solidify my spot in this draft and even more.”
(On whether he had conversations with the Dolphins prior to the draft) – “Yes, I did. I actually made one of my four team visits to Miami. (I) loved the facility, loved the coaches, loved the city itself. I couldn’t have asked for a better organization and a better city to play for.”
(On whether his play was overshadowed in college) – “No, sir. I feel like everybody did exactly what they were supposed to do. I’m glad that Derrick (Henry) had his opportunities. The receivers that we had were great. We had a great o-line, a great offensive game plan and coaches in general. The chips (fall) where they may. I made the plays I was supposed to make and everybody else did their job. At the end of the day, we were national champions.”
(On how he is injury-wise) – “I’m completely healthy. (My) arm was reconstructed, (my) leg was reconstructed, and my play itself can attest for it. I can still make plays with the best of them.”
(On whether he will have the opportunity to become a feature back) – “Yes, sir. They gave me their word saying that I can come in and make my play speak for itself. That’s why they drafted me in this position: to come in and make an impact immediately. They have great running backs there now. I look forward to being teammates with them and playing alongside of them. But at the end of the day, you have to come in and you have to make plays. And that’s what I plan on doing.”
(On his ability in the passing game as a receiver and blocker) – “Being successful at Alabama in a pro-style offense, you have no choice but to be very diligent in the pass-blocking game and also as a receiver coming out the backfield. I feel like my versatility allows me to do that. Being an every-down back – (in) first down, second down, third down protection, coming out the backfield as a receiver and lining up out wide and creating mismatches – I feel like I can do that very well at the next level.”
(On whether he played special teams in college) – “Yes, I played every facet of special teams from kick return … I didn’t do punt return, but I did all down-linemen punt return, the lead on punt. I was on every position on kickoff also.”
(On how the level of competition in the SEC is going to benefit him in the NFL) – “It’s definitely going to prepare me for the next level because every day-in and day-out, not only did I play against the best players every week, but I practiced with the best players on a daily basis. And that always makes you a better competitor day in and day out.”
