On how much communication he has had with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz since signing with the Browns:
“I had a lot of communication with him just talking about the defense and stuff like that.”
On if Schwartz shared a vision for how he will be used in the defense:
“Yeah, most definitely. Helping the D tackles on the inside, helping the defensive front and making some plays and being disruptive up the middle.”
On how much pressure he feels to stop the run, given the Browns’ struggles in the area last season:
“As a defensive lineman, I feel like going into each season there is always a lot of pressure to stop the run because if you can’t stop the run, you will never get to pass rush. Just want to come in and help everybody across the whole front so we can be one unit up front to stop the run as much as possible.”
On how good of a run defender he is and why:
“I think I am a great run defender. Also, I just feel like what makes me good in that role would have to be just being disruptive and being physical throughout from the point of attack to the end of the play. Just have to be physical throughout the whole play and every single play.”
On his interests outside of football including art, music and playing multiple instruments:
“Just growing up, my mom always said if you have an interest in something, pursue it. I had a lot of interests as a kid, if it was video games, drawing, different sports and things of that nature. Every time I want to try something new, I always just go for it for the most part.”
On the instruments he plays and how his piano skills are these days:
“I am super rusty, especially with the piano. I am super rusty with that. I started off playing trumpet in middle school and multiple percussion instruments from snare, drums, xylophone and a little bit of piano there too.”
On why the Browns are the right fit for him:
“The defensive scheme was one of the biggest things and just how physical that defensive scheme is, it is attacking. It is based all on attacking and getting off the ball pretty much. Being able to use my power more to my advantage attacking everybody I line up against and just getting off the ball, I feel like it is the best fit for me. Also, just the players. Me and (DE) Myles Garrett came in from the same draft class, and I am super excited to play next to him. He is one of those freak athletes. He is truly a generational player so I am super excited to play with him.”
On if he thinks he and Garrett with have a strong off-the-field bond, given their shared interests away from football:
“Most definitely, especially when I saw him do the Thanos Infinity snap, like my sack celebration I do it all of the time. It is definitely going to be a great friendship blossoming right there.”
On how he and Garrett can elevate each other’s game:
“I feel like just using my power getting off the ball and stuff like that. We are both going to demand a lot of attention. Even if we are on the same side, you can’t double-team everybody up front. That is the biggest thing. The more chemistry we are going to build with each other through OTAs, training camp and all of those things and just playing off of each other, I feel like the sky is the limit.”
On his leadership style and playing with several young Browns DTs:
“The biggest thing is to get to know everybody and know their why. That is the biggest thing. If you know each other’s why, why you play the game and why you love the game, you are going to be playing for each other on a whole different level. Just make sure all of us are selfless. We are going to play for each other and not just for ourselves on the field. Just like I said with Myles, we are going to build a lot of chemistry because we are all going to go out there each and every day grinding together, sweating together and just getting better together. As long as we start to build that chemistry together up front and we learn everybody’s play style, we can play off of each other more efficiently and make more plays.”
On if head-up nose is his favorite place to play on the DL:
“I feel like my favorite place is wherever I can fit my hand in the dirt and get off the ball. A 0 is probably the easiest because you are more reactionary. Most of the time in most defenses, you are a backside A-gap player than a 0. It is very hard to mess that one up (laughter). Wherever on the defensive line, I am comfortable putting my hand down anywhere and lining up with anybody. I will be happy to play. It does not matter where.”
On having space to attack in the Browns defense:
“It is super exciting. Space on the inside is hard to come by these days so the more space you can have is also amazing. It just gives you that much more room to attack the offensive line.”
On how he fits into the mold of an attacking DT in the Browns’ and Schwartz’s defensive system despite only recording 2.5 sacks last season:
“I feel like the biggest thing is if you are getting pressure on the quarterback. I feel like I am the type of player with my power rushing I open up a lot of opportunities for the other guys playing with me, as well. If I am not getting a sack, I am flushing the quarterback out of the pocket to go and run straight into a defensive end’s arms. I feel like as long as we play off of each other with the attacking defense this is, I feel like those numbers are going to continue to grow.”
On his decision to join the Browns after Minnesota and Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah shared they were hoping to retain him:
“I weighed all of my options and everything, and I just felt like this is the right move for me. Minnesota has a great things going with great coaches and players, as well as upstairs, management and everything. Kwesi, I love that guy. They have a lot of good stuff going on for them too and I wish them the best, but I just feel like this is the best move for me right now.”
On if he frequently played on third down last season and if that impacted his sack total:
“Yeah, I played on third down a lot in Minnesota. It just depends on who gets to the quarterback a little bit faster. I had a lot of guys and two great outside linebackers last year who were super consistent with getting to the quarterback with (Vikings OLBs) Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith.”
On how much the ability to contribute in run defense is the result of mindset, given his comment about the importance of playing physically through the entire play:
“I feel like the mindset part is 90 percent of it because if you don’t have the mindset that you are going to be physical and stop this run, you already lost the battle. The NFL is a very physical game we play. Stopping the run is always tougher than getting a sack or something because you have to come with that mindset every single play and every single rep. No matter how sore or tired you may be, it is required; it is a requirement to go out there and be physical, and that is what we do.”
On the source of his mindset to play physical every snap:
“I feel like the biggest thing probably was wrestling throughout high school and Alabama with (Alabama Head Football) Coach (Nick) Saban. Coach Saban always says, ‘Trust the process.’ That is part of the process. We have to be physical no matter what.”
On if he spoke with WR Amari Cooper and LB Reggie Ragland prior to signing with the Browns, both of whom also played at Alabama:
“I actually did not have the chance to talk to them. Everybody has a super busy offseason and stuff, too. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Reggie and Coop. I am planning on reaching out to them today or tomorrow.”
On if there is a sense for pride that it appears the NFL is valuing DT more than previous years:
“Yeah, it is always I guess you could say a sense of pride just because defensive tackles, we do a lot out there. We do a lot of the grunt work, I guess you could say (laughter). Even (Commanders DT) Daron (Payne), I am super happy for him. He is one of my young guys at Bama so I am super proud of him and see the kind of player he has become, as well.”
On how wrestling has helped him during his football career:
“It helps me tremendously. I feel like without wrestling I probably would not be the player I am today. I wrestled in middle school and high school. I was a three-time state champion in wrestling too high school.”
On having the opportunity to attend Harvard before deciding to go to Alabama:
“Growing up, I used to always tell everybody I was going to Harvard when I grew up, and that I wanted to go to Harvard and get a Harvard degree because academics was super huge in my household. You had to have good grades or you or not playing football, you are not going to be wrestling, doing track, those things or baseball. I used to always say I am going to Harvard. I remember Harvard came to my high school and gave me a full academic scholarship and said, ‘You can play football, too.’ I was super excited with that one. It was a tough choice, but Bama stole my heart because football was always my first love.”
On how much this moment would mean to his mom, Melinda, who passed away when he was in high school due to heart disease and kidney failure and how he carries her spirit with him:
“I always carry it because she has always been my why. She is the reason I am the player I am today. She was always my biggest fan. She molded me into the man I am today. She would be super proud of me – I already know that. She probably would be over here in this interview with me if she was still here. I just pretty much grind every day to get to where I am and to continue to grow, as well because of her. That is what she instilled in me since I was young. I am going to continue to do that, as well. Even after football, I am going to continue to live like that.”