First, can you let us know why you signed with Pittsburgh?
Only Dallas and the Rams showed interest in drafting me. My agent told them they’d need to draft me if they wanted me because we had a deal in place with the Steelers if I wasn’t drafted.
I’m not sure why Pittsburgh had that interest in me though. We never talked about it.
How was rookie mini-camp – what did the coaches have you work on most?
They had me at outside linebacker during mini-camp – but then they just switched me to inside linebacker today. Coach Olsavsky is working with me now. I’m not fully sure what he’s telling me yet – the terminology is like Chinese to me so far. So learning the terminology is the big thing for me right now.
I’m learning a lot – there’s a lot I don’t know but it will all make me a better player.
What have you guys been doing after practices? Meet a lot of teammates – click with any9one?
Not really. I go from the facility to my hotel room. I’m always studying so I haven’t had a chance to meet many of the guys yet.
Special teams will be a big part of making the team – any experience playing special teams?
I’m confident I can play special teams. I haven’t played a lot of special teams in college but I’ve been doing that a lot here. None of the coaches really know who I am so playing special teams has been good for me.
Anyone talk to you about how undrafted free agents have found a lot of success in Pittsburgh?
I heard a little bit about it but I take it all with a grain of salt. I’m just working hard right now.
You had a big year after the injury in 2019 – what do you attribute your sack numbers and ability to disrupt the backfield too and how do you see yourself helping the team?
Just using my quickness and playing with instincts. Just playing my game. I know I can add value to the team by being the trash man – I can play safety, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, rush defensive end… What I bring is versatility.
Honestly, I don’t know much yet what I will be doing for the team. After last year playing after the injury, it has been so weird. I am balanced at everything, but I honestly don’t know yet what they’ll want me to do.
Is that versatility a double-edged sword for you – makes coaches appreciate you but makes it harder to get to focus on one thing and work on it more?
I would like to be able to lock down on one thing, but I know that’s not the right thing for me right now. I just need to learn the defense and playing a number of different roles helps me that way.
Speaking of versatility – you played safety going into college right? How did that help you?
Playing safety helped me a lot. In camp coaches could see my feet – I think they felt they felt I couldn’t cover that well coming in. I think they saw in camp that I could cover.
I mean, they didn’t say anything to me about it – some of it is just assuming from what I see. I don’t go and talk to the coaches about me and that kind of stuff – just about the defense.
Nothing a coach likes better than a rookie asking them if they like them and made the team yet right?
Ha yeah.
I wanted to ask you about the injury – do you think there was anything about sitting out that helped you to improve your game as well to help you have the big numbers last season?
Nah – the only thing the injury did was put me in a weird position. The doctor fixed me up and said I was good to go. But the coaches only had me play on third downs. That created a lot of questions about me – it made me seem not ok.
I was already progressing in the offseason and was secure in myself. But the coaches weren’t letting me play.
Any reason why – were they still concerned about your back?
We never got into it. I’m happy to get a shot now. I just think if the coaches let me play I could have shown more.
Is there anything you think you can work on that would help you most to make the team?
The playbook is the big thing – learning that. And using my hands. I’m working on that doing dummy work and doing hand drills every night before going to bed.
Lastly, what should we know about you outside of football?
Oh wow. In mini-camp it’s been strictly football, 24-7. But I guess I like watching movies and listening to music. But I haven’t had time to do any of that in camp.
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