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Patrick Paul – May 10, 2024 Download PDF version

Friday, May 10, 2024

T Patrick Paul

(Have you heard from T Terron Armstead, either after the draft or in the two weeks since then?) – “Yeah, he texted me. We have a mutual connection with Duke (Manyweather) who I trained with for the pre-draft. He shot me a text and just welcomed me to Miami.”

(T Terron Armstead is known as a guy who mentors young offensive linemen. He brings them in on Tuesdays for work, I don’t know if you’ve heard about that. Is your feeling that he’s going to become a mentor for you, kind of like a big brother type?) – “I believe so. I’m just definitely excited to get in there with all of the guys, really, and then just work.”

(What are these days like for you heading into your NFL career?) – “Honestly, it’s like I’m living in a dream right now. You’ve got to pinch me – I don’t even know if I’m awake right now. But I’m loving every second of it and I’m soaking it all in.”

(What’s been the biggest adjustment now coming in and kind of learning the ropes, basically?) – “I think just not getting too amped up. Just really taking it day by day I think is a challenge because you get so excited. But just taking it day by day honestly.”

(As a second-round pick, there weren’t a lot of criticisms of you, but was there one that you’re determined to prove that is not true? What’s the thing you heard where you say, “This isn’t the case. I’m going to show people it’s not the case?”) – “Maybe just negatives they have on me. A lot of those come from people just not knowing me as a player or knowing my work ethic. So just coming everyday and proving everybody wrong – anyone who doubts me – by working hard and trusting the coaching.”

(And that specific negative that you heard was what?) – “I don’t really pay attention to it.”

(Personally, what do you think the No. 1 thing is that you’re focused on getting better on?) – “My hand usage, so that’s a big emphasis. I’m going to get with (Offensive Line) Coach Butch (Barry) and we’re going to harp on it every single day.”

(Have you had a chance to interact with him? I know you did with the pre-draft process, but since you’ve been drafted?) – “Yeah, today. (laughter)”

(Oh, today is the first time?) – “Yeah, we’re out here right now. We’re interacting, getting to know each other even more.”

(Any reason or meaning behind the No. 52?) – “No. 76 was not available, so they sent me a list and I was like, ’52 is pretty cool,’ so I went with it.”

(From your impression of Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry, what do you think he’s the right guy to get you right with your technique, your hand placement, all that?) – “He’s a great o-line coach, you can go and check his track record. He really knows what he’s doing and he loves what he does. He has passion with it, and anyone who has passion in what they’re doing is good at it.”

(This is the place you really wanted to come to. Now coming back here and from your visit, what do you remember were some of those things that made you really want to come to Miami?) – “Honestly, look around. This place is beautiful, and if you every talk to Coach McDaniel, he’ll make you want to go through a brick wall. Just having a head coach like that, that’s what everyone wants.”

(What’s the most surprising thing that you’ve witnessed or experienced since you’ve been here?) – “How nice everyone is. You don’t expect it, but everyone is so nice.”

(How much of this do you think is mental and how much do you think is physical? I mean the whole rookie year process – from rookie camp to minicamp to training camp – what do you think percentage is?) – “I’d say about 60 percent mental – you definitely have to be in it. Then I’d give the other 40 percent to the physical. You’ve got to, offensive line especially, just run off the ball, and you have to be able to attack people constantly. So I’d say the mental is a big part, 60, and then 40 to the physical.”

(Where do you think you are in terms of learning the system, it’s probably too early to start learning all the plays and everything, but where do you think you are in terms of knowing stuff that you’ve got to know?) – “I’m taking it day by day. Every step of the way, you don’t want to learn too much in a short amount of time, you won’t retain it. So we’re taking it day by day, we’ve got a long time.”

(The forecast says it’s going to be 96° out here today, are you ready for this kind of heat?) – “I’m from Houston, Texas – come on now. (laughter) We practice in 100 degrees, not 90.”

(So this is cool?) – “Yeah, this is. (laughter) This is cool – we’ve got a breeze out here. In Houston, it’s humid and hot.”

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