WIDE RECEIVER ELIC AYOMANOR
(on the wait to get drafted and how he feels about landing in Tennessee)
Yeah, it was a long wait. Definitely had some emotions going through all of it. But me, my agent and my family always said fit over pick, and so I really do think this is a good spot to be at. Obviously, Cam Ward just got drafted, played against him in college, and he was a great player. Our defense had a lot of troubles with him. And so, yeah, I'm really excited to be here and just prove my worth.
(on his big game against Colorado in 2023 and the thought of going up against Travis Hunter twice a year)
Yeah, I'm really excited to go against everybody. The competition is the best of the best here in the NFL. And so every game and every practice, I'm going to be putting my best effort out there. And before that, even I'm going to be preparing. My life depends on it. And so I'm just really excited for that level of competition.
(on how he would describe his game)
I think I'm a dynamic playmaker, but more than that, I think my biggest strength is in my mind. I think I'm really gritty. I think I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I'm willing to block in the run game. And again, my mind is my greatest strength. And so I always continue to improve and get better. And so, I think that's the type of player you get in me.
(on his interactions with the Titans during the draft process)
I interviewed with the receiver coach, Coach (Tyke) Tolbert. But other than that, I feel like there was not much contact before that. So, I was pretty surprised by this actually.
(on when he was expecting to get drafted and how it felt to wait for his name to be called)
Yeah, honestly, it's just something that you have to channel the emotions in and add it to the preparation that you do going forward. I don't think you're defined by, and I definitely don't think I'll be defined by where I was drafted at. And so I'm going to make sure to do everything I can to prove that to myself.
(on if he has ever been to Nashville)
I've been there before. I visited Vanderbilt on one of my official visits and I thought it was a great city. So I'm really excited to come down to the South and play.
(on which Exos facility he worked at and what guys he worked out with)
I trained in Phoenix with like T-MAC (Tetairoa McMillan), J-Walk (Jalon Walker) was there, Maxwell Hairston, Will Johnson, whole bunch of dudes were out there. And it's great just to be with that level caliber of people on a daily basis really allows you to elevate yourself.
(on Stanford's transition from the Pac-12 to the ACC and playing different types of competition on college)
Yeah, I think all the competition that we played in college was great. Obviously, the Pac clubs that year was, that last year was awesome and the ACC had some great competitors this year as well. Like I mentioned earlier, anytime you get an opportunity to go against the best, the best is something that you hope for and wait for and pray for as a competitor and so it was honestly a blessing and humbling to be able to do that on a weekly basis.
(on if he has heard from Cameron Ward yet and what it's going to be like to have him as his quarterback)
Yeah, he texted me right after I got the call. I haven't got a chance to respond back yet, but yeah, I'm very excited. He was the number one pick in the draft for a reason. Like I mentioned earlier, I played against him when he was at Washington State. He gave our defense a lot of trouble and they went through a lot to gameplan for him. I'm very excited to be able to have the opportunity to play with him and practice with him.
(on where he is watching the Draft)
I'm just in Medicine Hat with my family.
(on the love for American football in Medicine Hat and if there are any Titans fans there)
Honestly, this is hockey country, so everybody's hockey fans. I wouldn't say anybody's really football fans in general, but I think everybody in the household just became a Titans fan.
(on what it meant to stay at Stanford for his entire college career and how that benefitted him)
Yeah, to me, character is a big part of success and Stanford was the place for me to develop that. I really don't hold anything against people that transfer. To each their own and everybody's situation is different. But for me, I felt like staying at Stanford was the best way to develop myself as a man. And I think because of that, I'll be able to have some success long term.
(on his mother being an arm-wrestling champion and her leadership in his life and competitiveness)
Yeah, I mean, she has been the leader of my life. Every place that I've been and every pit stop that I have taken has been because of her and this journey is all on her back. She set everything up for me and she sacrificed a lot for me. And to address the competitive spirit, I definitely get it a lot from her and honestly, the whole family is very, very competitive. I think it's just a hereditary thing.
(on how old he was before he beat his mother in an arm wrestle)
Probably like 14 is when I started to beat her.
(on his mother's legendary arm-wrestling career)
Back where she's from, she's definitely known for that. She made a lot of grown men not feel too great about themselves.
