1 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to the forty nine Ers You've Got Mail podcast 2 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: presented by Delta Dental. I'm your host, Lindsay Polaris. 3 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 2: It's been a minute since we all. 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: Got together for this pod, so welcome back everyone. The 5 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: forty nine ers are in the thick of their offseason 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: workout program, and this weekend is when the twenty twenty 7 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,479 Speaker 1: four draft class gets involved. The rookies touchdown at Levi 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: Stadium for Rookie Minnie Camp on Thursday, and later today 9 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: they'll suit up for their first ever practice with the 10 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: team to get better acquainted with some of the newest 11 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: members of the forty nine ers. We're dedicating this episode 12 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: to the rookies. I got to sit down with San 13 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: Francisco's first round pick, wide receiver Ricky Piersall in his 14 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: first ever visit to HQ, which was actually the Friday 15 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: of draft weekend. Listen in for his first impression of 16 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 1: his new team. 17 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 3: Faithful, our first round draft pick is in the building, 18 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 3: Ricky piersaal, this is your first time on this field. 19 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 3: Your posters are all up on this stadium. What is 20 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 3: the feeling of being here at your first day at HQ? 21 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 4: For sure, words definitely can't describe the way I'm feeling 22 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 4: just walking out here for the first time and kind 23 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 4: of just embracing it and looking around. They had this 24 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 4: like little eddy with my name on it on all 25 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 4: the TVs, which is really crazy because when I was 26 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 4: pulling up for the first time, I saw it right 27 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 4: outside the stadium and I was like, there it is. 28 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 2: There it is. And then that's kind of where it 29 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 2: hit a little bit. 30 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 3: You'll see this as you get acquainted with Levi Stadium, 31 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 3: But there's history all over these walls. What excites you 32 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 3: about becoming part of this organization? 33 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 4: You know, just putting my name into the history, that's 34 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 4: really what it is. You know, just understanding the tradition 35 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 4: and history that lies, you know, in this organization and 36 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 4: how deep it is, and you know, just being able 37 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 4: to be a part of it is it's a big 38 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 4: blessing for me. 39 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 2: So, you know, my dad knows more about. 40 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 4: The traditional history, and he's he's teaching me along the 41 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 4: ways and he's like, you don't know what this means, 42 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 4: pointing out all the stuff that we walk by, and 43 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 4: I'm like, I'm gonna learn real quick and be a 44 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 4: part of it. 45 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 3: So the work leading up to becoming a first round 46 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 3: draft pick five years of grinding at the college level. 47 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 3: But you said the most stressful part was waiting to 48 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 3: hear your name called last night? 49 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: Why was that? 50 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 4: Just because everything is controllable and this was the unknown. 51 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 4: You know, you don't really know exactly where we're gonna 52 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 4: end up. You have kind of like a range in 53 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 4: your head. I thought, I did. I'm super blessed and 54 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 4: excited to be a part of this program, and honestly, 55 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 4: I think the system fits me perfectly and I could 56 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 4: add to that explosive offense. But yeah, that was probably 57 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 4: the most nervous I was in the process, just because 58 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 4: it was not controllable. 59 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 3: The forty nine ers were very selective about the content 60 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 3: the contact they made with you in that pre draft process. 61 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 3: You see that call from San Francisco come up? What's 62 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 3: going through your mind? 63 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 2: Be honest, my heart dropped a little bit. 64 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 4: It was getting to the end of the first round 65 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 4: and I was gonna That's when I started to get 66 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 4: a little bit more nervous, you know, because I do 67 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 4: believe I'm a first round talent and you know, have 68 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 4: all those abilities in one of the top receivers in 69 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 4: this draft. So you know, when it got to the 70 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 4: later rounds, I put my phone down on my lap. 71 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 4: It was the last two picks and I saw San 72 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,679 Speaker 4: Francisco had five minutes left to put a picking, and 73 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 4: my phone started vibrating. 74 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 2: That's my hard job. 75 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 4: I answer the phone, and you know, now one thing 76 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 4: led to another and I'm here. 77 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 5: Now. 78 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: You didn't say a lot on that call, but one 79 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: thing that really did stand out. You said that this 80 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: organization is getting a workhorse. How do you show that 81 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: workhorse mentality day in and day out? 82 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, that workhorse mentality is a lifestyle. So you know, 83 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 4: day in and day I'll just put it into work, 84 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 4: you know, just constantly reminding myself, you know why I 85 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 4: do this, And that's on the field and off the field, 86 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 4: to be honest. 87 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 2: So whatever that means. 88 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: You mentioned that your family has been very influential in 89 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: your college football career throughout your whole journey. Really, your 90 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: dad was also a wide receiver at Northern Arizona. How's 91 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: that football DNA shaped your career? 92 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 4: No, for sure, he put a football in my hand, 93 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 4: probably when I was able to walk. 94 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: So there's that little funny story. 95 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 4: That's how with the skittles, and he was feeding me 96 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 4: the skittles every time I caught the ball. So that 97 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 4: just shows the detail that he put into me, you know, 98 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 4: and I can't thank him enough. You know, if he 99 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 4: wasn't part of my life, you know, I wouldn't be 100 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 4: here in the situation. And so he taught me basically 101 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 4: everything I know, and I just ran with it at 102 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 4: that point. 103 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 3: So, I mean, Skittles is your favorite candy. 104 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 4: I feel like it's got to be up there. It's 105 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 4: got to be top five, just because the memory is saying. 106 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. 107 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 3: The forty nine ers have several guys with ties to Arizona, 108 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,039 Speaker 3: one being QB one. 109 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: Rock Perty got to play once in high school. 110 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 3: He dropped a number of points on you. 111 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 2: What is the. 112 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 3: What is the first step in creating that chemistry with 113 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 3: him now that you're playing for the same team. 114 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. 115 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 4: He actually texted me this morning, so you know, we're 116 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 4: trying to get that chemistry started right away. But obviously 117 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 4: getting in the filming with him, going over the playbook 118 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 4: is actually probably the first step understanding the plays. 119 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 2: You know, he's a quarterback, so I got to see 120 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 2: it through his lens. 121 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 4: But yeah, just you know, having a normal talks with 122 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 4: him and developing that personal relationship with him and getting 123 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 4: to know him. 124 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 3: On that Ricky Piersall highlight tape, you see really detailed 125 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 3: route running, a forty two inch vertical soft hands. 126 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: What aspect of your game do you take the most 127 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: pride in? 128 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: All those things lie into that. But I think just 129 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 2: how competitive I am? 130 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 4: You know, I think I'm I'm a natural competitor really 131 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 4: obviously a skilled receiver too as well. And I got 132 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 4: that route running ability. You know, I got the understanding 133 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 4: of the game too. That sticks out. And then just 134 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 4: the detail in my work, and you know, I think 135 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 4: that translates on the field too as well. You know, 136 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 4: I feel like I'm very disciplined and you know, get 137 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 4: into my spots and the quarterbacks never gonna be guessing 138 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 4: where I'm at. They know exactly where I'm to be 139 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:23,239 Speaker 4: at each and every place. 140 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 3: So you got to ask about the fun stuff. The 141 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 3: Twitter handle is slick season. I saw slick rick on 142 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 3: the internet. 143 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: So what do you want the faithful to call you? 144 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,919 Speaker 2: Come fall? Whatever they wanted to be hod this that 145 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: kind of just stuck. That was something that stuck in Florida. 146 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 4: You know, all the recruiting girl shots and then they 147 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 4: kind of ran with it and then it made it 148 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 4: a universal thing. 149 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 2: So whatever they want to call me. 150 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 4: I don't know. 151 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,119 Speaker 2: Is there an origin story to that. Did anything happen 152 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 2: to about slick Rick? Kind of? It started in high 153 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 2: school for sure. 154 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 4: My friends called me slick Rick because the rapper, and 155 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,799 Speaker 4: then it just stuck with like slick just for short 156 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 4: and then at that point it just carried to Florida 157 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 4: and they just they blew it up with this. 158 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 3: So you've been a Niner for less than twenty four hours. 159 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 3: What teammates have reached out to you, aside from brock 160 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 3: Perty that you mentioned earlier. 161 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,679 Speaker 4: Right after I actually got drafted, I think yeah, Brenda 162 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 4: Yuk was the first one to contact me, so we 163 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 4: faced on each other. He congratulated me, and we're just 164 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 4: looking forward to being teammates together. 165 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 3: And once again, I want you to take just one 166 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 3: last look at the stadium here, because come September, this 167 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 3: is gonna be filled with one of the most loyal 168 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 3: fan bases in the NFL. What would you like to 169 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 3: tell the faithful in your first trip to forty nine 170 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 3: ers eah kl You. 171 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 4: Gotta look around real quick because you say you said 172 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 4: take one last look, I gotta actually take a look. 173 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 4: I would just say, you're getting a Google man, You're 174 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 4: getting one that's gonna be dedicated and that's gonna represent 175 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 4: you know, the organization. Organization will in the name on 176 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 4: the back of my jersey, so you know you're gonna 177 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 4: get everything out of me. 178 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for your time, and have a great 179 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 3: rest of the day here. 180 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 2: Thank you, Thank you very much. 181 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: As part of the Rookie Mini Camp Experience, Rookie's got 182 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: an in person introduction with the forty nine ers, beat 183 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: writers and reporters before we to our next rookie. A 184 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor Niners. Protect your teeth and your 185 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: budget with dental plans from Delta Dental. Get fumble free 186 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: dental coverage today. Here's what fourth round pick safety Malik 187 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: Mustafa shared about day one in the Bay. 188 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 6: So that was your life change since you received the 189 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 6: phone call from the forty nine ers. 190 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, it's changed a lot. 191 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 7: You know, just just excited to be here, you know, 192 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 7: lifelong jer your mind. Just being able to fulfill that, 193 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 7: you know, get started to get to work with the 194 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 7: new team. So just blessed to be able to have 195 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 7: this opportunity. 196 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 2: So far, since you've been here. 197 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 7: I mean I've kind of just been doing a whole 198 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 7: bunch of you know, paperwork stuff. I haven't really met 199 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 7: anybody yet, but I've talked to some people over the phone, Like, 200 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 7: you know, you finally hit me up when I got 201 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 7: the call got the drift pick. He dm me on 202 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 7: this Stagram even George Kill dm me and stuff, so 203 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 7: that was pretty cool. So guys have reached out, you know, 204 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 7: coaches are very welcoming as well. So I'm excited to 205 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 7: meet the new guys out there. 206 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 6: I think when we first talked to you on a 207 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 6: Zoom call, you mentioned Hufonga as somebody who any racer 208 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 6: that you try to model some your game after. 209 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 8: It's all cool. 210 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 6: Was it to hear from somebody that that you had 211 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 6: watched from Afar? 212 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 5: Yeah, it was just awesome. 213 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 7: And now just being able to be the opportunity to 214 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 7: be his teammate, it's gonna be awesome just being able 215 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 7: to be a sponge and you know learn from him. 216 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 7: You know, the way he just comes down, his tenacity, 217 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 7: his mentality, just the way he approaches the game is 218 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 7: something that you know, I really took a lot about 219 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 7: his book and try to implement my own game. So 220 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 7: it'd be nice to kind of get like a first 221 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 7: hand experience, you know, learn from him and just being 222 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 7: able to be accustomed to the new defense and the 223 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 7: new players on the on the team. 224 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 8: It's gonna be a while before you really get to 225 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 8: hit somebody. But I assume being done with the forties 226 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 8: and the broad jumps and the verticals and all the 227 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 8: stuff that you train for for the you know, to 228 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 8: get prepared for the draft. Feel good to be behind 229 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 8: you and get closer to playing football again. 230 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 7: Oh yeah, that's why we're all here, you know, just 231 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 7: try to get back to the bases, get back to 232 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 7: why we play this game, things like that. 233 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 5: So you know it's gonna start for me tomorrow. 234 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 7: But at the same time, you know, just be able 235 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 7: to learn that playbook as fast as I can so 236 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 7: I can, you know, get back to playing football at 237 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 7: just a fast pace, you know, mentality where I'm able 238 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 7: to be comfortable and be able to you know, make 239 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 7: plays out there for the for the dean, have that 240 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 7: gone through. 241 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 6: Kind of like what the structure of the practices will be, 242 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 6: the tempo or anything like that. 243 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 7: Uh, not really, you know, they kind of just gave 244 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 7: us the you know, the mean format. You know, practice 245 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 7: isn't going to be that long. But you know, I'm 246 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 7: just kind of focused on just making every opportunity to 247 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 7: have out there worth it. 248 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 9: So I've read it, but you're at zero star recruit 249 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 9: What what were people missing when you were in your 250 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 9: high school career or were. 251 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 7: You just not developed at that for I mean, you know, 252 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 7: sometimes coaches just miss and you know, maybe it's just 253 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 7: an exposure thing as well. You know, I tried to, 254 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,680 Speaker 7: you know, transfer that last year of my high school 255 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 7: year to kind of get more. I got a lot 256 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 7: of FCS offers, blessed UH to have those, but you know, 257 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 7: maybe it just wasn't the right time for me. And 258 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 7: you know, I took a good opportunity to go to 259 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 7: University at Richmond and then I was able to be 260 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 7: blessed to transferred to the UH Wake Forest demon Deacons 261 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 7: and have a really promising career there through your career there, 262 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 7: so you know, sometimes you know, maybe it's just not 263 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 7: your time, not your moment. You just gotta you know, 264 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 7: stay the course and just be patient and everything will 265 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 7: work yourself out. 266 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 8: To reflect on that journey, and then. 267 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 2: Now be here as a nine or how does that kind. 268 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 7: Of feel when you think of what you mane you're thinking? Now, Yeah, 269 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 7: it was all about, you know, proving myself right and 270 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 7: you know, not worrying about proving other people wrong. You know, 271 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 7: you gotta you know, understand who you are as a person. 272 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 7: You know your identity, your purpose, your journey. You get 273 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 7: caught up in the noise, you know, the social media 274 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 7: era that we're in, get caught up in what other 275 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 7: people are doing. You kind of get lost in your 276 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 7: own path. And I think the main thing for me 277 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,439 Speaker 7: was just stay on course with me, worry about myself, 278 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 7: holding on my craft and how am I gonna be 279 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 7: the best mouth move stuff I can be? 280 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 5: Did you ever watch Uh? Yeah, so I'm gonna have 281 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 5: to dig deep for that film. 282 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 7: But I definitely heard good things about I'm I'm hip with, 283 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 7: like you know, the John Lynch, the Ronnie Lots of 284 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 7: the world, you know, things like that, So uh, you know, 285 00:10:58,040 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 7: when I was connected with him at the combine, it 286 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 7: was like something that you know, we hit it off 287 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 7: because you know, safety to safety. 288 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 5: We have that kind of relationship. 289 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 7: So uh, definitely gotta you know, maybe pull up on 290 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 7: VHS tapes or something or whatever is dust that off. 291 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 7: But yeah, just awesome to just be part of organization 292 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 7: general manager that you know, just has been a part 293 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,959 Speaker 7: of the game, you know it actually understands his players, 294 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 7: understands the game and so on that can relate to us. 295 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 2: Can you tell us a little bit more about that. 296 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 9: Meeting with Joe Lynch. 297 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 7: Yeah, so, you know, we're just you know, getting to 298 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 7: know each other, you know, getting able to talk ball. 299 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:31,439 Speaker 7: But it was just, you know, he was kind of 300 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 7: lighting up when I was just you know, breaking down 301 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 7: the you know, wake Forest play calls that they had 302 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 7: pulled up, you know, play by play things like that. 303 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 7: So you know, as a safety you kind of be 304 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 7: able to have to know moving pieces, who's you know, 305 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,439 Speaker 7: doing what in the defense, and he was just something 306 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 7: that you know, he saw that I'm you know, I 307 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 7: know what I'm talking about, you know. So it was 308 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 7: just awesome to you know, not just be able to 309 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,319 Speaker 7: be able to play football at high level, but understand 310 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 7: the game as well. 311 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 6: Can you remind me the name of the rule of 312 00:11:58,679 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 6: wake Forest on the third. 313 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 7: Downs that you played, Yeah, it was called the Panther. 314 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 5: Yeah. 315 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 6: How many different responsibilities do you think that entailed? And 316 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 6: then how how many years or how long did it 317 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 6: take to learn all the different kind of positions with 318 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:15,719 Speaker 6: the playbook to be able to play them effectively. 319 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 7: Yeah, So the new defensive staff and wait forest came 320 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 7: that twenty twenty two season, and I had my ACL 321 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:26,079 Speaker 7: surgery January twenty twenty two, So that Panther package really 322 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 7: didn't get installed until I came back for fall camp, 323 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 7: like in August around that time, and that's when they 324 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 7: started installing different stuff for that because you know, I was, 325 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 7: you know, came back ready to go for camp, and 326 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 7: you know that's when coaches like started comfortable developing new 327 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 7: packages for me. And with that Panther package, there was 328 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 7: a lot of hats that I had to wear. 329 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 5: You know. 330 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 7: In the beginning, it was more so like, uh, maybe 331 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 7: some you know, fire zone calls we can get, like 332 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 7: me able to pressure the quarterback, being able to use 333 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 7: my athleticism to kind of disrupt them. 334 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 8: Uh. 335 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 7: You know, we saw me spying the quarterback as well. 336 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 7: But there was times where you saw me that I'm 337 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 7: in the d as the line front, or I'm in 338 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 7: a line with the linebackers, or you know, people were 339 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 7: so worried about me close to the line of scrimmage 340 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 7: where there were some games where I just dropped deep 341 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 7: and played a middle third player. So just coach being 342 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 7: able to trust in me, being able to pick that 343 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 7: up and being able to cook up different you know, 344 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 7: techniques and defensive week by week based off the teams 345 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 7: was something that he trusted me with and it was 346 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 7: just something that it was just a you know, a 347 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 7: tele you know what what we're feeling that week. So, uh, 348 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 7: definitely a lot of versatility within that that package. 349 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 5: A couple more. 350 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 9: You're the biggest safety. 351 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 5: You were known for your. 352 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 9: Aggression and flying around and down. 353 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 6: Does that. 354 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:45,199 Speaker 9: Well tell me about what kind of courage that requires? 355 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 6: And did you have that from an early age? 356 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 5: I mean yeah, like early you know, being being a 357 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 5: zero star recruit. 358 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 7: A lot of that is just adding to the chips 359 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 7: on my shoulder, you know, things like that, you know, 360 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 7: being undersized, being over overlooking things like that, and me 361 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 7: developing that just you know, kind of just form a 362 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 7: mentality within myself, you know, not worrying about how big 363 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 7: I am. You know, we all got passed on, we 364 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 7: all got helmets on, and I'm just worried about bringing 365 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 7: the ball carried on and getting a way takeaways. So 366 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 7: it was just a matter of me just being able 367 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 7: to when I see the ball, I'm just gonna go 368 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 7: attack it and disrupt it any way I can. So 369 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 7: it's not amount you know, how tall I am, how 370 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 7: big I am, but me just you know, having the 371 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 7: heart and desire and I think the fuel that I 372 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 7: have for this game and the love I have for 373 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 7: is what drives me to be that way. 374 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 2: You have that aggression. 375 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 8: Being very solid. 376 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 9: That is that a particular coach that you I guess 377 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 9: credit that credit. 378 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely. My coach is at Wake. 379 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 7: The new staff that came in in twenty twenty two, 380 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 7: James Adams, my safety's coach, and the defensive coordinator Brad Lambert. 381 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 5: You know, they just honed in on the details. I 382 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 5: think that was the main thing. 383 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 7: You know, everybody's athletic at the next level, everybody's you know, talented, 384 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 7: but it's all about you know, how different are you 385 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 7: from the next person in terms of your craft, your 386 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 7: work ethic, your technique and being a technician. And that's 387 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 7: why I helped me get to the NFL and be 388 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 7: able to you know, hopefully perform at a high level. 389 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 7: So it's just all about honding on the details, the 390 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 7: drills that we did, the repetition, even the way we 391 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 7: went about walkthrough. It was, you know, same thing, repetition 392 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 7: over and over again until it was a part of 393 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 7: our nature, our culture, and our defense. So it's something 394 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 7: that definitely just elevate me as a player. 395 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 8: I don't think. 396 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 6: Every dB likes to get as close to the line 397 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 6: of scrimmage as you do, obviously because a lot more 398 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 6: contact there. How far can you trace that back into 399 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 6: your career? Have you always been a guy that loves 400 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 6: kind of being in the middle of the fray? 401 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean it was something because I didn't convert 402 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 7: to defense to a high school and I was really 403 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 7: a corner before I was a safety. So I think 404 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 7: a mix of that was just you know, the off 405 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 7: season when I was just trying to get bigger, being 406 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 7: being on the smaller size and then being able to 407 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 7: understand my body once I started getting bigger, and you know, 408 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 7: being able to keep up with the best of them. 409 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 7: You know, now I'm able to you know, just be 410 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 7: able to utilize my my strength, my speed, my ability 411 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 7: and be able to enforce that onto the offense. So 412 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 7: it was definitely something I had to learn how to do. 413 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 7: But once I once I you know, kind of made 414 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 7: that into my game. It helped me kind of become 415 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 7: that player. 416 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 8: Did you have any ACL recovery discussion? Have any a 417 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 8: recovery discussion? 418 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 5: I actually meant to talk to him. 419 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 7: Was a crazy day when I got drafted, so I 420 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 7: didn't get to it, but uh yeah, definitely something I'm 421 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 7: gonna want to talk to him about because you know, 422 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 7: I'm pretty sure with him, I don't think that that's 423 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 7: gonna slow him down at all. And even with me, 424 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 7: it was something that, you know, it was something I accepted. 425 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 7: You know, this recovery's gonna suck. You know, this recovery, 426 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 7: you know, can make or break you, and you know 427 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 7: the strongest word will prevail. So it was something that 428 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 7: you know, I was blessed to come back in a 429 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 7: short period of time and be able to play a 430 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 7: full season, and you know, it's just all about you know, 431 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 7: you know your purpose and your why, and you know 432 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 7: your mentality, how you approach things, and that's just life 433 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 7: in general. So it was just a hump in the 434 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 7: road that helped me build my character and. 435 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 8: My play before you felt like not. 436 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 6: Thinking about it as much. 437 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 7: I think I got chopped blocked, like in the third game, 438 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 7: and I got up and I was like, I didn't 439 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 7: feel anything. 440 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 5: So that's when I knew. I was like, okay, I'm good. 441 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 5: So yeah, yeah, that's all it takes. Man, So it's cool. 442 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 1: Faithful, Thanks for tuning into the forty nine ers. You've 443 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: got Mail Podcasts presented by Delta Dental. Don't forget to 444 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so 445 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: you can be the first to listen to our latest episodes. 446 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: Check back in with us later in the off season 447 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 1: for our next installment.