His upbringing is a driving factor for his NFL career.
"Knowing where I came from and my journey, I just want to be the best me. I understand that this business isn't going to be for a long time but I'm here for a good time. I'm trying to be the best that I can be and set myself as well as my teammates up for success."
His Mom is who inspires him the most.
"My mother is my biggest inspiration because she is where I learned my determination and perseverance from. A lot of the great traits that I picked up visually came from her over time."
Coming to the Seahawks with OC Shane Waldron has made the transition a lot easier.
"I don't think anything in the league is easy but it alleviated a lot of issues and problems that most would probably have. Not having a familiar face or just going to a different place with a new city and new scenery can be tough. Same with not having anything familiar to work with or bring with you. Obviously, conceptually with the offense, not having an entirely new offense definitely made it easier. Any transition will be kind of tough for anybody."
He's excited to be on the opposite end of a division rivalry.
"I'm a fan of the rivalry myself, so it's definitely entertaining for me. I spent enough time in Los Angeles with the Rams and so after coming here, getting familiar with the city of Seattle and the Seahawks as an organization and culture, I'm happy to be here and be a part of something special."
He looks forward to playing for the 12s after going against them for four seasons.
"The noise, definitely how lit it gets at Lumen Field. I'm excited to win a lot of games, make a lot of plays for the 12s, and to see how far we can take this thing this year."
Prayer is a key component of his gameday routine.
"My routine is that I pray, I pray as much as I can. I like to talk to my teammates, make sure I go through all of my assignments, and make sure I'm comfortable and confident in what we are doing. Russ and I get together a lot, but that's just this year. In the past couple of years I would be around the guys, make sure my spirits are high, make sure that I'm loose and ready to go, and visualize it before it happens."
He loves to work with the youth and bring awareness to mental health.
"I'm really open to do anything in the community. Usually at Christmas time or any other holiday season is when I'm most prominent in the community. Anything in the community, whether it be the Boys & Girls Club or any non-profit organization including my own. I like working with the youth primarily, but I also work with an organization abbreviated NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They have a branch here in Tacoma, so I've been working with them pretty closely. Other than that, anything in the community that I can be a part of is something that I'm willing to do."
The number 81 has been with him since the beginning.
"I grew up a big Terrell Owens fan and watching him in the way he carried himself and played the game made me a big fan. I also wore number 81 while I was growing up playing in the youth league. Just being able to have the same, familiar number from my childhood is something I wanted to hold on to."
He wants everyone to know that he's a dominant playmaker.
"Playmaker, very physical, very dominant, and someone who wants to win. I want to be known as the ultimate competitor."
Playing for Adam 'Pacman' Jones' youth team will always be a fond memory.
"When I was a kid I played for Adam 'Pacman' Jones' All-Star team and we once went to Miami to play against Snoop Dogg's All-Star Team. That was pretty surreal, travelling on a charted plane, staying in hotels, and eating five-star meals was something new for a kid like myself, being from the inner-city of Atlanta. I grew up and got to the league while Pacman was still in the league so that was pretty surreal. Pacman and I still have a pretty good relationship and that's something that I'll cherish forever."
Rams LB Von Miller is one of his closest friends in the league.
"I'm pretty good friends with Von Miller. I got a bunch of old friends from the Rams obviously but Von and I are pretty tight. We have been pretty tight for about a half-decade now. In the offseason we would train together and run into one another down south in Miami. From then on, we just clicked. He's almost like an alter ego, we almost stand identically the same. He's 6'3", 250, so that's kind of like my evil twin. At the same time, he's a great guy, a great competitor, future hall of famer, and I'm glad to call him one of my boys."
The daily routine is one of the biggest differences between college and the NFL.
"It's more of a serious business. Guys who go from college to the pros don't have to worry about going to class, taking tests, or going to study hall. The level of competition is pretty much the same, everybody grows up together, whether you're playing in park ball, high school, college, or the league. No one plays in the league forever so wherever your age range is who you will most likely playing against in the league."
