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- The Dude
(On what they think about their first picks)
Snead: “Grades? We made the picks. We’re jacked. We’d probably give ourselves an A.”
(On if they were surprised DT Aaron Donald was available at No. 13)
Fisher: “We were. Les’ guys did a great job with the research and we felt like there was a pretty good chance that he would disappear, and then a couple things happened. We were rubbing our lucky coin and he was there.”
(On if Donald was one of their top eight players)
Fisher: “Yes.”
(On if the Rams got better with the first round picks)
Fisher: “We’re a lot better now. We all know what (OL) Greg (Robinson) is capable of doing. He’s an outstanding young man, and that workout last week was really, really impressive. We’ll plug him in where we feel he’s got the best chance to be successful right now. We don’t know exactly where that is, but he may start out inside before we move him back outside. You talk about an athlete. Powerful, quick, great quickness and strength. He’s got a chance to be a dominant player inside initially. Then of course, (DT) Aaron (Donald) is very, very productive; he’s an outstanding young man. He’s way ahead in hand use on the line of scrimmage. He does an outstanding job with his hands.”
(On Robinson’s athleticism)
Snead: “Obviously the power is … a big man, that tall, that big, can bend. That means he can get under defensive linemen’s pads, very quick first step to go reach people. And then a dancing bear, he’s a dancing bear, there’s no doubt about that.”
(On if Robinson can play guard)
Fisher: “Yes. He may initially have a little trouble blocking Aaron.”
(On if they were interested in other offensive linemen besides Robinson)
Fisher: “There were and we actually made an effort just a few minutes ago to go back up to try to get (OL Zach) Martin but we were unsuccessful…after Donald.”
(On how they felt seeing T Taylor Lewan, T Zach Martin, LB C.J. Mosley and Donald still on the board when they were two picks away from making their selection at No. 13)
Snead: “They all went. I had left and then I came back and said, ‘Mosley went right after Martin.’ When we got down to two, it was those three. Donald was No. 1 and it worked out for us.”
(On possible trades with the second pick)
Snead: “When we got to two, I think there was a few calls. Buffalo goes up to get (WR) Sammy (Watkins), they were probably the one team that was the most motivated. We felt like Greg is a piece of the puzzle that’s going to help us control the line of scrimmage because in our division, you have to be physical. All three of those teams have really good front sevens.”
(On possible trades with the 13th pick)
Snead: “Really at that point a couple teams called but I think we were set on the pick. We were jacked he was there, so it was really ‘Hey we’re not doing anything. We’re done.’”
(On how far they were willing to trade up for Martin)
Snead: “I think it was, if Martin went to Dallas (Cowboys), Baltimore (Ravens) were right behind Dallas.”
Fisher: “We were talking with Baltimore. It would’ve been pricey but worth it. It was a good pick for the Cowboys.”
(On Robinson’s pass blocking)
Fisher: “Their system is an explosive, exciting system. He did more down blocking and run blocking, and turn protection than he did kicking at the tackle position. He’s very, very athletic and learns very well. (Offensive line Coach Paul Boudreau) ‘Bou’ will get him going quickly.”
Snead: “On that note, he was redshirt in…what is he a redshirt sophomore? So, his redshirt freshman year he played out of three-point stance, more pro system, so he pass protected against some pretty good players like the LSU kids that came out a year before. So, he’s done it. He just went to this year where they ran the ball, what 90 times a game.”
(On if there is a chance to try to move back up in the late half of the first round of the draft)
Fisher: “As soon as we get back upstairs.”
(On how Fisher and Snead’s ties to Auburn University helped them gauge Robinson’s character)
Fisher: “We got a lot of valuable information, but anytime you asked a question, everything was positive – it was always a positive response regarding his character and his football character and the way he was, the way he practiced, the way he is in the locker room. He’s just an outstanding young man.”
(On adding Donald to the already stout defensive line)
Snead: “Feed the beast. Feed the beast.”
Fisher: “We’re excited, very excited. We’ve got to get better and we did today.”
(On Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams’ reaction when Donald was available at the 13th pick)
Snead: “I don’t think we can quote that. (laughs)”
(On what they would say to people who were hoping for a greater offensive impact with their first round picks opposed to a ‘meat and potatoes’ strategy)
Fisher: “We still have an opportunity to do so, to make some choices along those lines. We felt like we definitely address both sides of the ball up front. Now, there were some other options there had Donald not been there. We could’ve gone another direction, but I really felt like this was the best thing for this football team right now.”
Snead: “It’s always interesting in the draft, and I know Jeff will tell you, football teams, you build from the inside-out. And I always say that’s when you’re building your foundation and at the end of the day, I agree, when you lay your foundation for your skyscraper, it’s probably the least exciting thing that you do but that’s the thing that holds that skyscraper up for a lot of years. I understand your question, but it was definitely a strategy that we’re going to get our foundation stronger and I think that’s going to help us.”
(On if they want Donald to get bigger and if his body is capable of it)
Snead: “His game is not size. I think his game is speed, quickness, so I think getting bigger really doesn’t help him and one of the reasons we were fine with the pick is he’s short so he always has leverage and he’s just a strong kid. He had very high, I forget his bench reps, but it translates to the field. He knows how to use his hands, get low and take on a double team. He took on those two guys from Notre Dame, Zack Martin and Chris Watt, and hung in there when those two guys were pounding him. But I don’t think you’re going to ask him to gain weight. His game is to penetrate.”
(On Donald’s run defense)
Snead: “In terms of tackles for loss, there might not be another human being in the country that’s had as many as him in his college career on the D-line. Again, he does that in a way where he penetrates and beats one-on-one blocks and gets in the backfield a lot.”
(On what they thought the chances would be of Donald being available at No. 13 overall)
Snead: “That one, I think Donald, once he went to the Senior Bowl and really stood out and as the coaching staffs got involved with scouting. He’s a guy that scouts like, but with his size you have to bring it to your staff and say, ‘Hey, we like this player. Does he fit?’. So I think what happened is a lot of teams said, ‘Yeah, he fits’. – and a lot of coaching staffs that are going to actually use him on gameday to help you win games. I think that’s why you really started seeing him really rise. He went to the combine and he had a really, really good combine and you just kept seeing him rise a little bit.”
(On if they called Robinson earlier today to confirm that they had the right phone number)
Fisher: “Yeah, you do that. It’s not uncommon for teams to try to reach potential prospects the day of the draft just to make sure that they’re there.”
(On if they gave Robinson an indication they’d be drafting him)
Snead: “That was a process that – I don’t know which one of our area scouts – we do it by (alphabetical), so those guys during the course of the week make sure they know the current phone numbers. Kids like to change phone numbers these days.”
Snead: “Grades? We made the picks. We’re jacked. We’d probably give ourselves an A.”
(On if they were surprised DT Aaron Donald was available at No. 13)
Fisher: “We were. Les’ guys did a great job with the research and we felt like there was a pretty good chance that he would disappear, and then a couple things happened. We were rubbing our lucky coin and he was there.”
(On if Donald was one of their top eight players)
Fisher: “Yes.”
(On if the Rams got better with the first round picks)
Fisher: “We’re a lot better now. We all know what (OL) Greg (Robinson) is capable of doing. He’s an outstanding young man, and that workout last week was really, really impressive. We’ll plug him in where we feel he’s got the best chance to be successful right now. We don’t know exactly where that is, but he may start out inside before we move him back outside. You talk about an athlete. Powerful, quick, great quickness and strength. He’s got a chance to be a dominant player inside initially. Then of course, (DT) Aaron (Donald) is very, very productive; he’s an outstanding young man. He’s way ahead in hand use on the line of scrimmage. He does an outstanding job with his hands.”
(On Robinson’s athleticism)
Snead: “Obviously the power is … a big man, that tall, that big, can bend. That means he can get under defensive linemen’s pads, very quick first step to go reach people. And then a dancing bear, he’s a dancing bear, there’s no doubt about that.”
(On if Robinson can play guard)
Fisher: “Yes. He may initially have a little trouble blocking Aaron.”
(On if they were interested in other offensive linemen besides Robinson)
Fisher: “There were and we actually made an effort just a few minutes ago to go back up to try to get (OL Zach) Martin but we were unsuccessful…after Donald.”
(On how they felt seeing T Taylor Lewan, T Zach Martin, LB C.J. Mosley and Donald still on the board when they were two picks away from making their selection at No. 13)
Snead: “They all went. I had left and then I came back and said, ‘Mosley went right after Martin.’ When we got down to two, it was those three. Donald was No. 1 and it worked out for us.”
(On possible trades with the second pick)
Snead: “When we got to two, I think there was a few calls. Buffalo goes up to get (WR) Sammy (Watkins), they were probably the one team that was the most motivated. We felt like Greg is a piece of the puzzle that’s going to help us control the line of scrimmage because in our division, you have to be physical. All three of those teams have really good front sevens.”
(On possible trades with the 13th pick)
Snead: “Really at that point a couple teams called but I think we were set on the pick. We were jacked he was there, so it was really ‘Hey we’re not doing anything. We’re done.’”
(On how far they were willing to trade up for Martin)
Snead: “I think it was, if Martin went to Dallas (Cowboys), Baltimore (Ravens) were right behind Dallas.”
Fisher: “We were talking with Baltimore. It would’ve been pricey but worth it. It was a good pick for the Cowboys.”
(On Robinson’s pass blocking)
Fisher: “Their system is an explosive, exciting system. He did more down blocking and run blocking, and turn protection than he did kicking at the tackle position. He’s very, very athletic and learns very well. (Offensive line Coach Paul Boudreau) ‘Bou’ will get him going quickly.”
Snead: “On that note, he was redshirt in…what is he a redshirt sophomore? So, his redshirt freshman year he played out of three-point stance, more pro system, so he pass protected against some pretty good players like the LSU kids that came out a year before. So, he’s done it. He just went to this year where they ran the ball, what 90 times a game.”
(On if there is a chance to try to move back up in the late half of the first round of the draft)
Fisher: “As soon as we get back upstairs.”
(On how Fisher and Snead’s ties to Auburn University helped them gauge Robinson’s character)
Fisher: “We got a lot of valuable information, but anytime you asked a question, everything was positive – it was always a positive response regarding his character and his football character and the way he was, the way he practiced, the way he is in the locker room. He’s just an outstanding young man.”
(On adding Donald to the already stout defensive line)
Snead: “Feed the beast. Feed the beast.”
Fisher: “We’re excited, very excited. We’ve got to get better and we did today.”
(On Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams’ reaction when Donald was available at the 13th pick)
Snead: “I don’t think we can quote that. (laughs)”
(On what they would say to people who were hoping for a greater offensive impact with their first round picks opposed to a ‘meat and potatoes’ strategy)
Fisher: “We still have an opportunity to do so, to make some choices along those lines. We felt like we definitely address both sides of the ball up front. Now, there were some other options there had Donald not been there. We could’ve gone another direction, but I really felt like this was the best thing for this football team right now.”
Snead: “It’s always interesting in the draft, and I know Jeff will tell you, football teams, you build from the inside-out. And I always say that’s when you’re building your foundation and at the end of the day, I agree, when you lay your foundation for your skyscraper, it’s probably the least exciting thing that you do but that’s the thing that holds that skyscraper up for a lot of years. I understand your question, but it was definitely a strategy that we’re going to get our foundation stronger and I think that’s going to help us.”
(On if they want Donald to get bigger and if his body is capable of it)
Snead: “His game is not size. I think his game is speed, quickness, so I think getting bigger really doesn’t help him and one of the reasons we were fine with the pick is he’s short so he always has leverage and he’s just a strong kid. He had very high, I forget his bench reps, but it translates to the field. He knows how to use his hands, get low and take on a double team. He took on those two guys from Notre Dame, Zack Martin and Chris Watt, and hung in there when those two guys were pounding him. But I don’t think you’re going to ask him to gain weight. His game is to penetrate.”
(On Donald’s run defense)
Snead: “In terms of tackles for loss, there might not be another human being in the country that’s had as many as him in his college career on the D-line. Again, he does that in a way where he penetrates and beats one-on-one blocks and gets in the backfield a lot.”
(On what they thought the chances would be of Donald being available at No. 13 overall)
Snead: “That one, I think Donald, once he went to the Senior Bowl and really stood out and as the coaching staffs got involved with scouting. He’s a guy that scouts like, but with his size you have to bring it to your staff and say, ‘Hey, we like this player. Does he fit?’. So I think what happened is a lot of teams said, ‘Yeah, he fits’. – and a lot of coaching staffs that are going to actually use him on gameday to help you win games. I think that’s why you really started seeing him really rise. He went to the combine and he had a really, really good combine and you just kept seeing him rise a little bit.”
(On if they called Robinson earlier today to confirm that they had the right phone number)
Fisher: “Yeah, you do that. It’s not uncommon for teams to try to reach potential prospects the day of the draft just to make sure that they’re there.”
(On if they gave Robinson an indication they’d be drafting him)
Snead: “That was a process that – I don’t know which one of our area scouts – we do it by (alphabetical), so those guys during the course of the week make sure they know the current phone numbers. Kids like to change phone numbers these days.”
