(On if this is where he thought he would be picked in draft)*
Yeah, when you think about yourself personally you always think you're good enough to go higher. When guys go before you, you think they are not good enough. But I look at it as a blessing. I always knew it was going to be a blessing with me being picked. I'm going to count my blessings and keep moving forward.
(On how he thinks he will fit in in Tennessee)
I took a trip to Tennessee. I enjoyed it. I can say that because that is the only trip I took. I enjoyed it. I liked the vibe around the complex and the vibe in the coach's room. I really enjoyed it. It's a lot like home and where I came from at Auburn. I'm going to fit in real well.
(On if that is the only trip he took to visit teams and if other teams visited him)
Yeah, I did workouts for other teams and that's about it. Tennessee is the only complex that I worked at.
(On Coach Fisher not being what he expected when he met him in person)
When you see people on TV, just like people tell me what they think about me. They say they think I'm a mean guy by the way I give my appearance and the way I play. They have this whole thing of I was a mean guy. By they way I see Fisher on TV I like the way he acts and carries himself. I didn't think he was that laid back and that cool to be around until I met him.
(On what he will bring to the team)
I don't too much like to brag on myself because I can sit here and talk about what I bring. I won't bring up any negative about my game. Overall I know I bring a lot to the team on the field and I know I bring a lot to the team off the field. Overall I know my personality is connected to my game play and they bring out the best.
(On looking forward to playing on a team trying to replace Albert Haynesworth, a two-time All Pro)
That's the crazy part about it. Coming up and going through college Albert Haynesworth was my idol. I always liked the way he played. To get up to the Titans complex and watch film with the coach who coached him as well as me watching what he did, that was a blessing for me. To be in his shoes after he leaves and try to take up what he left behind is going to be hard work. I know I have my work cut out for me, and I'm ready for it.
(On his impressions of Coach Washburn)
I don't think over the media that I can say. I know you guys know about Coach Washburn. He is a nice guy. I love him to death, just by meeting him that one time. He's just like the coaches that coached me at Auburn. I know I can adapt to him real well.
(On why he decided to leave Auburn a year early)
It was a lot going on at Auburn. I wasn't really getting the grasp of what was going on. I felt like that was really personal on me, and I know a lot of other guys felt like that. Just going through the season before I suffered my injury, I had really good stats. I like to see what's going on around me with the whole NCAA. A lot of the other guys' stats weren't as good as mine. As it got on toward the end of the season, it was game 10 or 11 before their stats were able to catch up with the stats I had. So I really felt like it was time to move on to the next level. The competition wasn't that hard anymore.
(On what type of injury he had)
I had an ankle injury in game five. The Vanderbilt game, I had an ankle injury in that game. It slowed me down and I worried so much about that ankle.
(On if he is accustomed to being pushed pretty hard)
Oh yeah. The coaches I have been coached by, you should see them in action. Being coached by Coach Washburn, that wouldn't be a question. I was coached by Coach Dunn. He was always yelling. When you go on the field you hate him and when you go off the field you love him. I was also coached by Coach Will Muschamp. You can look him up and see what type of intensity he had. I've been coached like that; I like to be coached hands on. I really like to get out there. I like my coach to get out there.
(On how much pressure he feels to come in and prove his worth as a pick)
I feel pressure coming in. You come in being a rookie and a lot of guys are ahead of you and are supposed to be a lot more advanced than you are. I play the game of football. That's the way I play. Whatever the way I'm supposed to play, I play it that way. I know if I do my job and come up with guys around me, all positive will come out from my end and everyone else's end. It's all about getting in and doing your job and the pressure is all off.
(On how he how describes his strengths)
Going into this business, you have to understand it is a job. So that is the first thing you have to improve on when you come out of college. It is a job. It's not just a game. It's a job also, and you have to do your job. I think I need to improve on recognizing a lot of other different things and knowing how advanced this game is going to be on this level and improving on every other aspect of myself personally. I become bigger, faster and stronger. That is always a plus.
(On what part's of Albert Haynesworth's game he likes and what parts are similar to his game)
Albert Haynesworth was a penetrator. When you talk about football, you can say he was a dog. That's what you want a defensive lineman as. I just like the way he gets out there and the way he plays. It's no problem with knocking the quarterback down with your forearm. There is no problem with him going in there and having an attitude. I respect that he goes in and plays a game with an attitude and he is ready to get out there day in and day out.
(On if that is how he plays)
Oh yeah. Me personally, when I play, I play with an attitude.
(On if he thinks he will get a contract close to the one Haynesworth got with the Redskins)
No, I wouldn't be expecting one right now. But when I go in and handle my business I know I will be expecting one similar.
(On if there is pressure to follow a player like Haynesworth)
People are always going to think that no matter who you have behind him. If you can play as good as he can, if you go in and you just got rid of a defensive tackle and you bring one in, then that is going to be the perception of everybody. I'm going to do all I can to fulfill it and I'm going to try to not let everybody down.
