New England Patriots’ Rookies Talk Adjusting To The NFL, OTA’s, More

May 27, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots first-round draft choice defensive lineman Malcom Brown speaks with the media following an introduction ceremony at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

The 2015 New England Patriots’ rookies have finally broken their silence with the media. Malcom Brown spoke on Wednesday, and the rest spoke yesterday.

Here are the official transcripts: (Brown’s is separate)

Malcom Brown

Q: What are your thoughts on being a New England Patriot?

MB: It’s a great honor to be here, just to contribute to a team that’s hard working and just to get in the program and work hard with them.

Q: Does all this make it more real for you?

MB: Yeah, it does. We got in here two weeks ago on Thursday. Just right away from the get-go you see the hard work and you see everything just thrown at you, so you’ve got to grasp it and go.

Q: What’s your life been like since the day you were drafted?

MB: I’ve just got to focus and get ready to go to work.

Q: What’s the acclimation process been like for you?

MB: Really just getting in with the guys, everybody is taking me under their wing and everybody just wants you to work hard. Really you don’t have a choice but to work hard because everybody’s going to compete.

Q: Did you say you arrived Thursday?

MB: Yeah, May 7.

Q: What did you do between the draft and May 7 when you were in Texas?

MB: Just worked out and got my mind ready to come here and go to work.

Q: How welcoming have your new teammates been to you?

MB: Very welcoming. Everybody wants you to work hard and help the team win games. As long as you’ve got that mindset, everybody’s happy with you.

Q: What has the learning curve been like for you?

MB: Everything is fast, but everybody helps and contributes to helping you learn and get on track with the vets.

Q: When we talked to you on draft weekend, you said you wanted to be one of the best Patriots draft picks ever. Where does that confidence come from?

MB: I just really want to work hard and just become the best player I can be. Wherever that may lead me, that’s where it will lead, but right now I’m just trying to work hard.

Q: What has the reaction to that statement been?

MB: You know, there is a lot that’s been going on with all that, but I can’t focus on it. I’m not trying to. Like I said, I’m just trying to work hard, contribute to the team and do whatever I’m asked to do.

Q: Did you get a lot of grief from your new teammates for saying that?

MB: Not really. Everybody’s just really focused. There’s a lot to learn and there’s a lot going on right now with OTAs, and everybody’s just trying to learn, get better and work hard.

Q: Did Tom Brady have anything to say about that statement?

MB: No. I actually just walked up to Tom and shook his hand and we just went to work. Everybody’s trying to work right now. It’s a learning experience. It’s easy to learn right now because you’re doing everything stage by stage. Everybody is trying to focus and work towards getting better next year.

Q: Are your wife and kids here or in Texas?

MB: They’re in Texas. Whenever we have time I’ll get them up here and we’ll look for houses and stuff, but as of right now I’m just trying to work and focus on what I’m doing.

Q: What does your family mean to you?

MB: It means a lot because I have more than me to support right now. A lot of people depend on what I have to do, and it motivates me to play hard and just to work harder because I’ve got people leaning on me.

Q: Has coming here been what you thought it would be? Is it easier or harder?

MB: Coming into this process you hear a lot from guys who come back from college and guys that you talk to. Everybody said you’re going to have to compete and you’re going to have to work, and so far everybody was right. You have to come here, you have to work hard, you have to compete every day. You have to pack your lunch and come to work.

Q: Has there been a wow moment for you yet, like, ‘This is the NFL’?

MB: I don’t know. Everything is just on the fly here. Everything is on the go. You’ve got to learn, but you’ve got to take time out of your day to learn the stuff, too. You can’t expect to get it all in during meetings. You’ve got to be able to manage your time and learn everything.

Q: Is there one specific teammate that you’re leaning on more than other ones?

MB: There’s not just one. Everybody is contributing to me learning, everybody on defense – linebackers, safeties – I can talk to anybody and they’ll give me advice on something.

Q: Coming to a team that has controversy surrounding it, have you been given any advice on how to deal with the media or the distraction?

MB: Not really. I haven’t really been focusing towards that. Like I said, I’m just here to work. That’s all I’ve been focusing on is getting better every day and learning the material and getting better and working hard.

Q: What are your first impressions of Coach Belichick?

MB: Great guy. He’s my new coach now and he shows everybody a lot of love – tough love – and sometimes you need that.

Q: What’s your mindset on not trying to do too much and not trying to replace Vince Wilfork?

MB: Not really. I haven’t really thought about replacing anyone. I’m just here to work. I can’t stress that enough, just compete every day and work because nothing is given to you.

Q: What jersey number will you wear?

MB: I really don’t know right now. All we are in is blue shirts and grey shirts.

Q: With those blue shirts and grey shirts, is it hard to get to know your guys?

MB: It just forces you to learn everybody’s name. It forces you to know people because, how are you going to communicate with people you don’t know.

Q: Your defensive coordinator at Texas said you have a lot of skills needed to succeed in the NFL, but that you need to work on your pass rush. What are some of the things that you want to work on?

MB: Obviously there is not one perfect player in the NFL. But you could also work and get better at many things. As we practice, whatever my coaches think I need work on, I’ll take it to head and spend my own time working on that with the weights or after practice or something in my own time.

Q: How helpful was it to learn a different defensive system last year at Texas in preparing you for the NFL?

MB: It’s just reality now. I talked to some guys before I came in here, and they were like, you could be here one day and you’re gone the next. That goes for anybody in the building, so there’s not one person that’s safe. You’ve got to just keep your mind open and be adaptable to what’s thrown at you.

Q: Have you thought about what it will be like to run on to the field at Gillette Stadium for the first time as a Patriot?

MB: I’m not really focused on that right now. I’m just out there trying to practice with the guys, getting to know people and making sure I’ve got everything down.

Q: Did you have a fan moment when you got here, kind of amazed at the famous players around you?

MB: Not really. I can’t be a good teammate if I’m focused on all that stuff, this and that. I just go to work. I just use their work ethic to help mine and adapt to theirs because they work hard every day and go to work.

Q: What was it like to walk through the offices with Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft?

MB: It was great. Those guys are at the top of the food chain. It’s great being around those guys. They sign my paycheck. It’s fun when you have somebody that’s like that, not just stuck up in an office and won’t to talk to you. They’re guys that will just sit there and talk to you.

Q: What has Foxborough been like?

MB: It’s great. Foxborough is a great place to be – quiet, country. You know, I’m from the country, so I’ll adapt to this area real well.

Q: Will your friends switch allegiances now that you’ve been drafted by the Patriots?

MB: Everybody was happy. I’ve got to let all that go. That was a one-time thing, the draft day, and I’ll just focus everything on coming in here and going to work.

Q: How are your friends going to handle this, though?

MB: They can handle it how they want. I’m not with them right now. I’m up here with my new teammates and guys that I have to become friends with now. That’s all that really matters to me.

Q: Your old coaches say that you’re a family man. Where does that come from and how does it help you on the football field?

MB: It just motivates me to play harder and just work harder every day. Family is a real important thing to me because I believe family should stick together. People rely on me, and I want to rise to the occasion.

Q: Have any teammates talked to you about the experience last year in the Super Bowl?

MB: Not really. They’re just like us. They come here to work every day and they want us to have the right mindset going into next year. Nobody is really talking about last year; they’re talking about the now and the future. They want to work hard, going forward and getting better next year.

Q: Are there any expectations for you to come in and contribute to a championship defense?

MB: Not really. I think the only expectation for me is just to work hard, just as it is for everybody else on the team. They just want everyone to work hard and give it all every day and to leave it all on the field or leave it all in the weight room.