1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: All right, take me through day two of the draft 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: and just waiting and getting that call. Um when I 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: first got into my draft party, whatnot? Ume just sitting 4 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: out through this first second round, like seeing all these 5 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: receivers getting taken. I started to worry a little bit 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: because I was worried about dropping down in the draft. 7 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: The mon I kept talking about my agent consistently. He 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: was just telling me like, I need a couple of 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: more receivers, like to get off the board. And then 10 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: that's when I got that phone call. I didn't even 11 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: see the phone ring because my girl had tapped me 12 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: on my leg. I was talking or whatever. I paid 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: the phone because Tomlin was like, do you know to 14 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: take what's going on? Mike thom with Pittsburgh Steelers? Good? 15 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: Are you ready to be a stealer? I was a 16 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: lots of words. I'm ready. I told him, thank you 17 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: for the opportunity here. Now you still seem emotional and 18 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: just still taking it all in? Is that fair to say? Yeah? 19 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: I mean because I've been through a lot model too 20 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: many people know my story. So just just by meek 21 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,559 Speaker 1: get being here today and then just like proof shows 22 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: you that you can do anything, and you put your 23 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: mind to it. If you want what you want something, 24 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: you just gotta go get it. Would you be willing 25 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: to share some of that story with us, just what 26 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: you've overcome me My sophomore years my roughest point in 27 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: my college career. Um, I had to sit out that 28 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: year we take the s c T and that's what 29 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,559 Speaker 1: I had surgery my foot too as well. I couldn't 30 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: do nothing with a team. I was just lonely during 31 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: that time. I just felt like I wasn't a part 32 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: of the team. It was that there was times I 33 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: wanted to go home and just give up. But by 34 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: my coaches and team has been there for me. That 35 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: got me through everything. I'm matured through the whole process 36 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: because that year and I came back, I just felt 37 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: different as a person who was at your draft party 38 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: to be there to celebrate this moment of making it. Um. 39 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: It was a bunch of my friends I went to 40 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: high school and a lot of my family close family men. UM, 41 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: I just wanted to be there to experience that situation 42 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: with me. Manrops back across the battle. Did you have 43 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: a chance to watch or hear what Coach Drake said 44 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: about you? Basically, fell in love with him. I have 45 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: to spend his time with him and and dining with 46 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: him and talking to him and seeing his passion. He 47 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: talked glowingly about you, and I'm pretty sure if we 48 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: weren't picking soon they would have. He would have talked 49 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: about you all night. What does it mean that your 50 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: position coach already has that much faith in you, is 51 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 1: very glad, very happy that you're a Pittsburgh Steeler. M 52 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: That means a lot of me come on the visits. 53 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I feel like we connected as soon as 54 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: I've seen him, but he was having me, He like 55 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: used me in the offense and just talk about life, 56 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: life stuff, life skills as well. Man, I just felt 57 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: like I was a part of the team when I 58 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: came on his visit and I was just like the 59 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: vols around the building. Once I got that phone call, 60 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: was life chancing. What are you most excited about being 61 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: here and working with the Steeler's offense and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. 62 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: Because it's just the opportunity to seldom what I can 63 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: do in the contribute to the football team as well, 64 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: something I've been working all my life for just being 65 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: able to get this opportunity. But this type of these 66 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: group of guys that have been planning for so long, 67 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: and I just want to come in and learn from 68 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: and take it, soak up as much information as I 69 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: can and just the party to my game. So do 70 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,839 Speaker 1: you know Bruce Grodkowski? Oh? Yeah, that's Bruce was my guy. 71 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: Have you talked to him yet since he did he 72 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: give you any tips on coming to Pittsburgh? Um? Now, 73 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 1: he's just always like stay on me and like just 74 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: told me to keep going and stuff like that, motivating 75 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: me and tell me like what did this back again 76 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: to the NFL? And was my all right, we'll welcome 77 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: to Pittsburgh. Thank you, I'm ready. H