Introductory Press Conference: Transcripts

Jim Nagy – Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl

Introductory Comment

Welcome to the 70th-annual Reese's Senior Bowl. Really excited to have everyone here. Obviously, a big week for us. We put so much work in over the last six-seven months really getting this roster ready. Last night was a really exciting time getting all these players in and just seeing how excited they were. That was really rewarding for us just to see how jacked up these guys were to get boots in Mobile and get them here. So, we've got 114 out of 114, really excited about this roster and about this game and we're moving this thing so, I'll leave it at that. Any questions? 

On which position group is the most interesting
I would start with the quarterbacks, just because of the depth of it. I think you know last years was group was great. Obviously, with Baker and you know Josh Allen being top-10 picks, but just from one to nine, and I'll include Clayton Thorson in that, because you know Clayton was a guy last year he was he was going to come out early and before he ripped that ACL in the bowl game and the people at Northwestern reached out to NFL teams and they reached out to 10 teams and none of them had worse than a third-round grade. And for this game, Clayton was probably the least name of the group. And if you just go back a year ago nothing worse than a third-round pick. So, from one to nine really, this group offers a lot. And then obviously the end-rush class with Jaylon Ferguson, Montez Sweat, Oshane Ximines – even, you know – gosh – when you run through the whole crew really good and then the offensive line I think when we were going through the board back in November with the teams that I called, I called 17 teams and went through the positions. I think the league's most fired up about the offensive line group.

On the potential of Wednesday’s bad weather and alternative plans
We, we've contacted people out at South Alabama and we're going to go out and use their indoor and what we've told the league - we've called and told the teams - is we're going to go out there with the coaching staffs. They're going to video it. The NFL is going to have to stay behind because they're just building a stadium out there, the areas ripped up, no parking, and again there's no - it's a you know, an uncovered indoor. So, there's - you know - in terms of having people around the field it just wouldn't work. And I don't think the network would be able to get out there so. But we would get a good practice you know on video for the 32 teams and that's really all they care about.

Drew Lock – QB, University of Missouri, North Team
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On coming back for his senior year and playing for new offensive coordinator, Derek Dooley
Yeah, I was huge. Most part of my decision to come back. I thought about you know being on a playing in Heupel's offense for another year and then when Heupel left, Dooley came in and talked to me on the phone for two phone conversations and I was like wow this guy's going to get me ready. He's going to get me right and I think I definitely felt that throughout the year I was a little different and no offense I ran in the years before there was less on me. So, kind of go into the games I was a little overanxious a lot of things had to be done out of my control for us to do well. And then going into my senior year with Coach Dooley there's a lot more put on me which it does sound like a reverse lesson you should be more relaxed. No, it's the complete opposite the quarterback you want to have more on you to where you go into games, you're more relaxed that way you know exactly what's going on you know how to get yourself out of bad situations. I think Coach Dooley did a fantastic job of getting me in that mindset.

On being the best QB in this draft class
Yeah, I think all of us have - all of us have a lot of unique things about us. I would have loved a sit here and, you know, talk about all of them. I love Jarrett Stidham, I'm living with Jarrett Stidham and Tyree Jackson, and I love them all. But as far as, you know, from a competitor's standpoint, I have to tell you I do believe I'm the best quarterback in this class.

Deshaun Davis – LB, Auburn University, South Team
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On what he wants to prove this week
Really, I know a lot of teams want to see from me. Everyone would have been telling me the same thing, the know I'm going to stop the run, they know I'm a good leader, they know I play with a lot of passion, you know the things that you can obviously see by watching film. But me being a box linebacker, they don't know how well I can play, you know, in space and by covering a lot of guys. So, I mean my role at Auburn was to stop the run. I was primarily a run-stopping linebacker, so I know is one big question mark, but I feel like this week is going to be big for me to prove that. 

On playing in his hometown
It means everything man. This city is showing me a lot of - a lot of - support ever since I've been in college. So, to to kind of finish this to finish my college career off where it all started in the sense you know playing in Lad stadium - in front - in front of the people that I grew up with, friends, family, people around the city. It is going to be fun and something that you dream of. Being a local kid, you see a lot of people coming in and playing is game, lot of local guys, a lot of national guys who are really talented. So, to put my name on it now is a great feeling that I'm psyched to go perform in front of them.