QB JAKE LOCKER
(on having a feeling the Titans liked him after all their scouting on him)
They showed an interest throughout the process. It was a great coaching staff and was an awesome process to go through with them. I just feel so fortunate to have ended up with them.
(on his expectation of where he was going to be picked)
For me, I tried not to go in with too many expectations. I just wanted to go in and enjoy it through the process. Wherever you end up, you end up and you go make the best of it at that point. I feel really good to have ended up in this situation and I'm looking forward to it.
(on coming to a team with good protection and an offensive linemen coaching background)
I think of it a lot. You look at what their offensive line has been able to do for them moving the rushing game and protecting the quarterback. Year in and year out, they are very consistent, very good at it and something I am looking forward to being a part of.**
(on any regrets not coming out of college a year earlier)
No, not at all.**
(on him matching up to the system that Chris Palmer wants to run)
The running game they have there with Chris Johnson obviously is very explosive for them and a big threat. I think you are able to use the play action off of that and that is something that I have done my whole life. I feel very comfortable doing it. I think that is something that will be a part of the offense. Whatever he asks me to do, I am going to do my best to do it as successfully as I can. I was able to talk to him throughout a lot of this process and kind of get to know him. A guy who has been around the league a long time, knows how to coach the position, knows what it takes to be successful at the position. I was able to see that just through the few workouts that I spent time with him. I was able to learn a lot from him. To watch me and tell me what I needed to fix, you fix on the next throw and the ball was jumping out of your hand. He's been around quarterbacks for a long time, really understands how to coach the position and I'm looking forward to working with him.
(on how quickly he thinks he will play and be ready to play)
I am going to do my best. I have said throughout this process, 'Whenever I get my opportunity, I am going to make sure that I am prepared for it and take advantage of it.' That's going to be the attitude that I approach this with.
(on him expecting to go when the Titans called him)
I was just kind of hanging out trying to buy some time, make time go a little faster. I got the call from the Nashville area code there and was just hoping that that was what it was for.
(on if he thought it could be a long day or confident that it would be top ten)
As a competitor, you want to get drafted as high as possible. I wanted to go as high as I could. I did not want to come up with the expectations and expect to go in the top 10, expect to go even in the first day. I was very happy with how this process went for me. I felt really good about it and I knew that I had put myself in a good situation coming into the draft. At this point, it was just kind of waiting and seeing where you're going to end up.
(on working on his accuracy)
It is something that I think that all quarterbacks are always working on to improve and I am no different. I think that is part of the game when you complete more passes, you become more successful as a passer and allow your team to have more success. It is something that I will focus on and continue to focus on the rest of my career.
(on his leadership qualities)
I think that it is something that I have been surrounded by a lot of good teammates in the past. I've had a great supporting cast my whole life. Family and friends have given me a good example of what leadership is and I've just tried to do my best to follow suit in that. Learn from what they have taught me and apply it to my life in every situation on and off the field. I look forward to bringing that to the Titans.
(on getting to know Blaine Gabbert through this process and possibly having a rivalry with him after being picked by the Jaguars)
You get to know a lot of these guys throughout this process. A great guy, great talented quarterback and someone that I think will be very successful at the next level. I think you would have a rivalry with anybody you play against. You want to go out there and beat them every time you step on the field against them. That's kind of the mindset that I will go into that with and against anybody.
(on familiarity with the Titans roster and the city of Nashville)
I got to come out there and go to Nashville for the first time while I had my team visit earlier this month. I really love the city. I think it is a great city. Everything I've heard, it is an awesome place to live and I am really looking forward to that opportunity. I'm really looking forward to getting to know the guys in the locker room as well. I haven't had the opportunity to meet anyone on the team yet but I look forward to getting that opportunity here shortly.
