Check out what defensive tackle Malik McDowell, guard/tackle Ethan Pocic, and cornerback Shaquill Griffin — the Seahawks' first three picks in the 2017 NFL Draft — said following Day 1 of rookie minicamp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
DT Malik McDowell
(On the first day of rookie minicamp…) "It was real fun. First day back out playing football, that was real fun. Flight wasn't too fun, but everything else has been real good since I've been here."
(On transitioning from Michigan State's defense to Seattle's defense…)"I'm playing a whole different position. That's basically it. I played nose guard at Michigan State, I play D-end here, so that's just moving outside and going from taking double teams and going to taking single blocks, mostly. I like it."
(On if he was disappointed to not go higher in the NFL Draft…) "No, I was really just ready to move on up and ready to go wherever I had to go. So I'm here where I'm at and I like it here. I love it here, actually."
(On working with new Seahawks defensive line coach Clint Hurtt…)"He's a cool dude. I like him a lot. Really I haven't got to meet him much, but we just talk football. Hasn't been much to it."
(On what he plans to show the coaches this weekend…)"I'm just working hard, showing them I can play, basically. Going out there and competing."
G/T Ethan Pocic
(On what it felt like to put on a Seahawks helmet during Day 1 of rookie minicamp…) "It's awesome. It's a dream come true. Playing football as a kid you wish to go to the NFL and this is an amazing opportunity."
(On how comfortable he is playing right tackle, where the Seahawks will play him through rookie minicamp…)"I didn't do much of it in college, but I've been practicing it back home and working on it. These reps are really helping me get out there and get some experience at it."
(On how much he prides himself in his versatility being able to play multiple positions on the offensive line…)"That's definitely an important trait of mine, definitely. Just to know what everyone's doing. I just started in college playing at center, getting to know the whole offensive line, so it kind of grew on me over the years."
(On what former Seahawks offensive lineman Kevin Mawae has taught him in private workouts this offseason…)"He's taught me a lot. He's real big on little things, tools and stuff. He was really crafty, so just working on the little things with him."
(On what LSU coach Ed Orgeron told him about playing for Seattle coach Pete Carroll…)"I really didn't talk to him too much after the draft, but I know a lot of coach O's philosophies, everything he does — the way he does practice, everything — is a lot like coach Carroll. So I love that. As soon as I saw [the Seahawks] were calling me that's one of the first things that popped in my head."
(On Seahawks center Justin Britt reaching out to him after the draft…)"He just reached out, congratulating me, and really told me if I have any questions, to ask him. So I talked to him on the phone a little bit, 10 to 15 minutes, just to get a little background on everything, how everything's going. He's a big help, definitely."
(On what type of preparation he did for this weekend's minicamp…)"As soon as I got [the playbook] in the mail [two or three days after I was drafted] I was in it, this past night big time. Just learning it and then the other part is doing it. I feel like that's the whole other half to it, once you learn it, can you do it right?"
(On what his first impressions were of Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable…)"Everything's really fast, and I like it. It's very fast and upbeat and you've got to learn quick. I felt like I was learning a lot today."
CB Shaquill Griffin
(On Day 1 of rookie minicamp…)"It definitely felt good being out there. It's been a while since we've actually been on the field in a helmet again. It's definitely a fun experience. … Start competing again. It felt great to be out there."
(On what differences there are scheme-wise between the Seahawks defense and Central Florida's defense…) "Oh yeah, it's totally different. This is more of a press and try to get in someone's face more than we did at UCF. At UCF we did more zone and before we bailed we were already back. Everything here we've got to make it look the same. So it's totally different, but I feel like I'm catching on just fine and I'm just glad to be out here to be able to compete with some great guys."
(On if he has to kick old on-field habits he learned in college…) "Yeah, that's one thing they say: whatever you learned in college, throw it out. After I just let all that stuff go it's just time to learn something new and that's the main thing. I'm just trusting what the coaches are telling me and I'm definitely coachable, so whatever they're telling me I'm just trying to pick it up in the fastest and best way that I can. That's something I'm focused on the next three days."
(On bonding with the other defensive backs the Seahawks selected in the draft…)"Yeah, some of them I already knew, got a chance to meet with during the process. But I feel like our whole group, everybody's who's here, I feel like it's a whole group of great guys. You can see it in the locker room. You know everybody is comfortable talking to each other and having fun. It makes practice so much easier because everybody is out having fun. Everybody's starting to get close to each other, it's not just the DBs, but I feel like as a group who's all here, everybody's that's here they're pretty great guys."
(On where he found all the Seahawks gear for his family on draft day in Florida…)"Right there in Daytona there was a local mall right there. We went there and the guy, I guess he recognized my face, and was like, 'Oh, you got drafted! You're from Central Florida!' I said yeah. He said, 'Oh man, come in here, man. I can hook you up. Hook up your whole family.' I said wow. This is new. So he gave everybody some hats. We started taking pictures. But that's my support system, they'll do anything for me and that's why we took that picture, I wanted everybody to get a chance to see who's behind me and pretty much how I was raised. I've pretty much always had that group right behind me looking out for me."
(On if there were any Seahawks hats left at that store…)"Good thing the whole family wasn't there, we might have cleaned them out. We left them probably two or three hats."
(On what he's learned about the Seahawks secondary…) "They're very aggressive. They're some mean jokers and they fly around. That's something I want to be a part of and hopefully I can help contribute and be a part of that group."
(On if he would qualify himself as a 'mean joker'…)"I definitely will count myself as that. I have a different mentality on the field. Like right now I can joke, have fun. I feel like I have two different personalities when it comes to being around people and then being on the field it's a whole totally different person. So I'm pretty sure one day you guys will see it."
RELATED
Photos from Day 1 of the Seahawks' three-day rookie minicamp at Renton's Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
