(on his contact with the Titans leading up to the draft)
I actually just met with them this past Monday, five, six days ago, or whatever the case may be. It was a great meeting. We went over a lot of offensive line stuff, and I love it. It's a great fit and I am just very excited to get to work. The waiting process is a unique experience, right. It's a long day, but I am really just blessed to be a Titan, blessed to be a part of the community and a part of this football team, and I am just overly grateful for the opportunity.
(on what he learned going through a culture shift at Indiana and what he can bring with him to the Titans)
It takes everybody. Everybody in the organization, everybody at Indiana truly everyone bought in to the mission, and that was just to be the best versions of ourselves each and every day, to put our best foot forward. That's what it takes. It's never going to be about one guy. It's never going to be about one player, one, whatever the case may be. It takes everybody. It takes a village. Just thinking of my friends and family who are here celebrating right now, it takes a village, and it's the same way for an organization. Like I said, I'm just overly blessed and grateful.
(on his relationship with Carnell Tate and their reunion after playing together in high school)
I can't wait to FaceTime him after this. Me and Carnell, we go way back. Marist High School. We would drive to morning workouts together, 5:45 in the morning. I am super proud of Carnell. He earned it. He really did. It's a great connection. There's a saying here on the south side of Chicago, where me and him are both from, 'South side, there's nothing like it, there are connections everywhere.' It's funny how far that travels, now into the NFL. I am happy to be his teammate again. He is an unbelievable football player, and I remember talking to him early, really early, when he was a freshman and I was a junior. I had just gotten an offer from Notre Dame, I believe I was committed and he was still super young and green but you could see the talent right away and I remember talking to him and trying to get him to go to Notre Dame with me but he was like, 'No, I'm going to Ohio State. Ohio State is my dream,' and it came to fruition. So, I am really proud of him and I'm really happy for him and I can't wait to call him and be teammates again. Really, it's awesome.
(on the leadership that comes with playing at center, what that transition was like going from Notre Dame to Indiana and now to the NFL)
I take a lot of pride in the center position. There's a lot of responsibility, but I take a lot of pride in it. I take a lot of pride in doing my job, doing my job to the best of my ability. The center position has a lot of roles, obviously. But it's an exciting spot, it's an exciting position, one where the leadership of who I am, what I am made of, kind of comes to the forefront. Taking control of the huddle, that was a big thing at Indiana, where we got to huddle up again and taking control of the huddle and breaking the huddle, 11 as one. I'm just really excited. It's hard to put into words, but I love the position and it's everything that I am, that I want to be and that I continue to strive for. Everything that encompasses the position.
(on his relationship with Indiana wide receiver and Nashville native Charlie Becker)
Charlie B. from Nashville, Tennessee. I'm sure he's texted me. My phone is blowing up a little bit. But yeah, Charlie was unbelievable for us, and he's going to certainly be a high pick next year. But I know he takes a lot of pride in Nashville, and I'm excited to call him.
(on his familiarity with Cam Ward and earning a spot to play in front of him)
Absolutely, you said it, everything is earned. What a dynamic football player and an unbelievable talent. I think everyone saw that, what he put out on the field last year. So, I am just excited to meet him, excited to get to work, really.
(on what goes into being a successful center and the role film review plays)
A lot of film, but that's what I love. I love watching ball, watching defenses and what the defense is trying to do. I really do love that part of the game. A lot goes into it, but like I said, I take a lot of pride in it, and it's what I love to do. You have to take each defense as it's own, you have to study, you have to be in the film room, and you have to really try and see what the defense is trying to present. You have to understand how the defense is trying to attack you but at the same time, you have to be on the offense, on the tip of the spear. And that's what I'm really all about and that goes into my preparation as well, understanding what the defense is trying to do but also having the attack mentality to go out there and really be the hammer.
(on what the Titans have shared with him about the opportunity to start at center)
All I am looking to do is come in and get to work. That's who I am, that's what I am about. Just compete every single day, put my best foot forward, come into the facility every single day and be the same guy no matter what happened the day before. Good day, bad day, it doesn't matter, I am going to come in and put my best foot forward and go out there and compete. That's truly who I am and what I am all about.
(on his pre-game speeches and how that will fit in with the Titans as a rookie)
Everything's earned, everything is earned. That kind of just happened at Notre Dame, and it continued at Indiana. But everything is earned. I'm back to the bottom of the totem pole, which excites me because I'm ready to earn everything and every opportunity and really just blessed for the opportunity, for the chance. The Titans believe in me enough to give me this unbelievable opportunity. So, I owe everything to the organization and to them to go out and earn it.
(on his familiarity with Fernando Carmona)
I met him at the Combine, great dude, really great dude. I don't know him well, I'm sure we'll get really close. But I met him at the Combine, we were in the same group. So, I'm really excited and I'm happy for him. I know he went a little earlier in the day, but I'm really happy for him.
(on how his experience with two successful collegiate programs can help position the Titans for success)
Yeah, I think everything that I present: smart, tough, dependable, reliable, trustworthy, it's what this organization is about and is going to continue to be about. So really just excited to get to work. That's what it takes. It takes work, everything is earned. No good thing comes easy. I think everybody knows that now, but especially stepping up to this to this league. It's going to be hard and that's good. Hard is what we want, no good things come easy. Everything that I believe I am and I've shown to be who I am, like I said: smart, tough, dependable, reliable, every single day. I believe I fit like a glove.
(on his experience leaving Notre Dame and establishing himself at Indiana)
Yeah, no doubt. South side Chicago kid, Irish Catholic raised. Notre Dame was the dream, and I got to live out my dream. I graduated in three and a half years, led my team to a national championship in my senior year. All the good, all the bad, all of the ugly, all the great victories, bad losses, it's really made me who I am today. I'm really grateful for it. But the end of that four years was a chapter closing in my book, in my journey, and moving on to Indiana was certainly one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. And it continued to build who I am today, the man I am sitting in front of you guys. So, I'm really just grateful for it all. It's been an unbelievable five years in the college game, but it's been a blessing.
(on his familiarity with Peter Skoronski)
Yeah, he is obviously older than me. I believe he went to Maine South, which is up north and then obviously Northwestern. So, I've never had the chance to meet him, but another Illinois boy. So, I'm excited to meet him and excited to get to work.
(on if his height played a factor in the broken ceiling fan in the background)
Yeah, um, yeah, that's... I probably broke it one night. This is my longest time home in my childhood home for a while now. So, that's a great question, I'm glad you guys noticed that. I'm glad everyone's laughing because I kind of just noticed that myself. My parents got me a bed and the air conditioning works and that's all that matters.
(on what it's like being back in his childhood home while getting drafted)
Yeah, it's hard to put into words, really. Having my family here and them getting to experience this moment with me, that's really what it's all about, right? This journey and this career, this path that I'm on, it's never about just me. It's never about whatever accolades I've made or whatever games I've won. Being able to bring them along on this journey means everything to me, and it will continue to mean everything to be. They are my rock, really. And it's a blessing.
