COLLEGE SCOUT COLE PROCTOR
(opening comments)
Colin McCarthy—great kid, football junkie, he played outside linebacker, this is his first year to start inside, great special teams player, great team leader and he's just everything you're looking for in a football player. He's had some injuries in the past, he had a medical redshirt in '09, he came back and had a real solid year this year. A team captain, not just on defense, he's going to be here all the time, he's everything you're looking for in a college football player to step in and come up here because he's going to get it done. He's just a great, great kid—a tough kid. He has great instincts, he gets to the ball quickly, he makes good tackles, he's a solid tackler and I think we're going to be real happy with him.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JERRY GRAY
(on whether he sees Colin McCarthy as an inside linebacker or an outside linebacker)
Well the good thing is that he has played multiple positions. He can play outside, he can play inside. We're looking at MIKE /WILL and he's great on special teams. Again, a guy who can come in and give us some versatility and can actually be on the football field at more than just one position. That is pretty much the theme that we've been going with and that is what helps you out. It gives him a chance to be up every week on the football field and playing special teams.
(on whether he is better at a specific linebacker position)
To me, I think it just depends when he gets here. The good thing is that he's been coached by Micheal Barrow, who played in the NFL and he's done a great job with him. You can see that. He played outside, he played inside. It's not like he's a stranger anywhere, so he will be versatile for us and give us a chance to get him on the football field and see what is best for him. Whatever we find is good for him, he'll plug in and he'll go play.
(on Colin McCarthy continuing the trend of the Titans drafting bigger players)
Yeah, again we're talking about a guy who is 230-240 pounds. Again, that guy can come downhill, a big guy who doesn't mind taking on lead blockers and making tackles. Plus he can play outside, so it gives us a lot more versatility. If we want to play a 3-4 look, we'll play a 3-4 look. If we want to play a 4-3 look, we'll play a 4-3 look with guys that don't mind play inside or outside.
(on whether McCarthy was someone that had been on the Titans radar for a while)
Yeah, we got a chance to take a look at him. He was high on our board today. We talked about it last night. We kind of went through it again, what are we looking for and then the numbers. We were kind of light in the numbers at the linebacker spot. It gives us another chance to put a good football player on this team that's not going to just play linebacker but be really good on special teams. Again, if you can win two of the three you have a chance.
(on if the two linebacker picks means current linebackers on the roster should be on guard to competition joining the team)
I wouldn't say on guard, but competition. I don't think any football player wants to play football without competing. It's what you do. It gives us a chance to do it during the week now. You are only going to get better as your competition is. If we want to compete against the guys in this division and win it, you have to compete at home. That's really what we are trying to do is to make our guys better when you practice and when you get a chance to play against the Peyton Mannings and those guys. Those guys give you a chance to win. You have to be able to compete with yourself. That's at a high level and that's really what we are trying to do.
HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK
(on when they are identifying guys in the draft, does it make it harder with the CBA restrictions of not knowing who may be a restricted or unrestricted free agent)
No, not really because we knew we were going to add linebackers in this draft. It was important to us. He brought a lot of passion to the game and knowing that he also can play special teams should be a big part of that. It think a big point is the fact that he could be on the 45-man roster every weekend. That's the kind of thing we were trying to find guys who could help us in both ways. He's one of those guys that we said has the size, the speed. No matter who is here, it's just a competition. No matter what the situation, we feel like we have guys that can play or will have some great competition. We'll have some good decisions to make at the end.
(on if they will be able to have any interaction with the drafted players with the lockout reinstated)
It's back to how it had been before so we pretty much can't pass anything out. Once the draft is over today we are done talking until this thing is worked out.
(on the interaction that the team will have with Akeem Ayers today)
Well I think he is coming in today, later on. Obviously, we are allowed to speak with him while he is here and until the draft ends. All I know is that we have until the draft ends to be able to spend time with these guys so we'll try to take advantage of our time.
(on other areas of concern with the remaining picks)
Well I think it's like we said last night. Before this pick just like we've been doing, I think there was about three to four to five guys that we were considering. We had a couple of guys on defense, couple of guys on offense. By the time we picked, a couple of the guys were gone that we were thinking about. So again, the decision was a decision that everyone felt really good about when our time came because we knew if one of those four guys, we'd be happy and that's how it fell. I think the same thing will happen. Here, we've got a pick coming up at the end of the fourth that we will be doing the same thing, looking for the same thing. Whatever is the best player, if it's a D-lineman, if it's a DB, if it's running back. We know we need competition at those positions, wide receiver, just like we want to do on defense. We want to increase the competition level at all the positions we can. We've got a few picks left and we are going to try and do that the best we can.
COLLEGE SCOUT COLE PROCTOR
(on the difference of McCarthy coming in as an older college player)
Well, of course, it's natural maturation. He is going to be more man strength than boy strength plus being around Michael Barrow, a guy who has played, being around that because he's the type of kid that is like a sponge, soaks up everything that's going around as far as football. So it really helps him a lot.
(on McCarthy comparing to former player, Peter Sirmon)
Somewhat, very cerebral you know, smart kid. I think a little more of a vocal leader than Peter was. I did him because coming out of Oregon and I use to do that area. Good player, very instinctive, gets to the ball. He is a lot similar to him.
