He's had a phenomenal year. It's what we expected from him. Studying him before the draft, he's everything we thought he was. |
His strong-suit is blocking. He's the guy who's going to hold down the edge for me. But Alex is the guy who is going to set the tone. |
I had no doubt. Watching him on tape. Talking with the kid. The way he reacted to certain questions I asked. I was pretty hard on him with some of the questions, and his reaction to those questions really told me a lot about the kid. Just a class act. Whenever you've got that much character and that much ability and the willingness to work . . . it's hard to lose. |
I was praying. I wasn't thinking. I was praying. |
The rap on him coming out, talking with some of the other tight end coaches in the league, they questioned his hands and I was glad they did. I had my eyes on him from the beginning and he was the one I wanted. I was just fortunate and blessed, I'd say, to be able to get him in the third round. |
They said you were soft, you won't block. Say you drop balls, and he took offense to that. I was glad to see that. The year before I had some of the same questions for another tight end, and his reactions were not pleasing. He just kind of took it and went on. . . . I knew then that I had doubts about that kid. |
You've got to be able to do both well. |