Opening Statement:
"I just want to say something real quick. I want to say thank you to, he made me call him AP [General Manager Adam Peters], I like to call him Mr. Peters, but I'm going to say thank you to AP. Thank you to [Head] Coach [Dan] Quinn, [Managing Partner Josh] Mr. Harris, for you guys believing in me, put a lot of faith in me. You know, I think when I came in this building, you guys talked about like, just scratching the surface. You talked about how there's so much more to unlock and, you know, I see it, I see the vision. I'm excited to be here. I've been telling everyone this is where I wanted to be. So, I'm super excited to be here and just can't wait to get to work."
On his transition from safety to linebacker:
"Yeah, so when I came in at safety my first two years, it's kind of what I've been playing my whole life. Switched to linebacker my sophomore year. You know, I think when I got to the end of my sophomore year, I really wasn't where I wanted to be and I ended up switching, sitting down with the coach, head coach, coordinator, felt like it was best for the team. It felt like it was best for me, and, you know, I was happy to do it. You know, I tackled the role, maximized the role, just wanted to help the team win, and I think it worked out for me."
On advice he's gotten from his father, former St. Louis Rams linebacker Lorenzo Styles Jr.:
"Yeah he talked a lot about finding a vet in the room whether it be on my side of the ball, on the offense, just finding a guy that you admire, the way he works, and you know, kind of learning from him. You know, getting all the little, little nuggets from him and just being a, coming in with humility and the willingness to learn open-minded."
On who helped him the most during his transition from safety to linebacker:
"Yeah, I'd say it helped me the most, I would say [Ohio State linebackers coach] Coach Laurinaitis and then my dad. Spent a lot of time watching ball with them. You know, my dad, he got his own stuff going on, but he'd come in the building and watch tape with me. You know, obviously he's a former linebacker, but then, Coach Laurinaitis, obviously my position coach, you know, he put a lot of belief in me, you know, when I switched the linebacker, he texted me, he said, 'Hey, you're going to be a first-round pick'. And, you know, for him to say that after like my first years of playing safety, like it was okay, like I wasn't on projection to be that yet. And you know, to hear that from your coach means a lot. So, you know, I was super happy, super happy when he did that. And yeah, I think those two guys are a big reason why I succeeded at the position."
On building chemistry with his defensive room teammates at Ohio State:
"You know, I think it starts in the off season. You know, just training with each other, working out, getting to know each other, hanging out outside the building. But I think, you know, at Ohio State, we had like-minded people. Guys who love football, love to win, love their brothers, and, you know, I'm sure it's the same thing here. At least from what I see from the staff. So, you know, I think we have guys who are good people off the field and like-minded on the field, good things happen and it's easy to gel."
On what he's learned about himself throughout the draft process:
"You know, for me it's been fun. Combine prep was awesome out in California, training with guys, training with my brothers, some of my teammates. Some other guys from across the country. That was fun. Then you go to the Combine, you could go out there compete, meet with a bunch of coaches, talk ball, talk about yourself. Go to Pro Day, go on these visits and then obviously, you know, the draft day. So, it's been fun. It's been great. And, you know, I think I learned by myself that I'm not anxious for the moment. You know, I'm excited and I think, talking to my dad you can be excited and be anxiety free when you know, you put the work in. So, you trust that work and then get to this next level, you know, create a routine, create a regimen and trust that work and just trust the process."
On the last 24 hours:
"Yeah, yesterday morning, just hanging out with a bunch of family. My guys from Vayner [Media], just soaking it all in, just enjoying each other, you know, I think, Pittsburgh was only a three-hour drive, so I had a bunch of family down there and that was awesome. Then you go to the red carpet, green room and you know, honestly, everyone asked me all day like, am I anxious? And I told everybody 'no'. Like, I was just excited, you know, I had a feeling, I knew where I was going and it happened just like it was supposed to. So, it was a dream come true and obviously celebrate with the family after seeing all my other fellow Buckeyes get drafted was awesome. You know, we think we were all genuinely just super happy for each other. You know, everyone ended up right where they're supposed to be."
*On getting to play against former teammates LB Arvell Reese and S Caleb Downs this upcoming season: *"Yeah, I saw him after in the hotel. We, you know, we're excited for each other. Can't wait to get to work, you know, obviously we're going to get after him, so hopefully I can see him out there on the field."
On scratching the surface of his potential:
"Yeah, I mean, I have high expectations for myself. I don't think the goal for my career was just to get to the NFL and that was it. Like, round of applause, you know? I think it's a, 'I'm happy to be here and I'm happy for the moment but there's still so much work to be done.' You know, I was in year two at the position last year. I thought I played fairly well but I watch myself. I know I have so much more in the tank and you know, in all facets of the game, there's so much more to work on."
On if he's been prepared for this moment his whole life:
"You know, I think I can attribute that to my parents, you know, they raised me the right way and you know, I think I've worked for this moment, to get here, to get to this level and exceed at this level. So, I think that's why I feel ready and no, really no anxiety or anxiousness, you know, obviously, you know, being in Ohio State, they develop as, as men and as players. So, when you step into the building, you know, we're ready to be pros."
On how his dreams of this day compare to the reality:
"Man, I think being a little kid the draft felt so surreal and it was amazing once you get your name called and all those things but I think once I got my name called, it was like, you walked on the stage and spirits all that, and then it was, whew, now I'm ready to go to work. I'm just excited, I'm excited for the next step. I'm excited to get better. I'm excited to help this team win."
On why he wanted to come to Washington:
"I'll take it back to when I was coming out of high school and I went to Ohio State, went in that building and it was great people in the building starting with Coach Day [Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day], the whole coaching staff, the players. When I came in this building, first person I saw was Coach Norton [Linebackers Coach Ken Norton Jr.], great energy. You could tell he's just a genuine guy, great man. Then I could sit down with Coach DJ, Coach Jones [Defensive Coordinator Daronte Jones], go talk to Coach Quinn, AP. And it was just great energy in the whole building. Every single person I met with, and it just felt right and that's why when I left this building, I was like, man, this is it, this feels right. And I was hoping it was going to work out the way it did, so just super excited to be here."
On how his leadership skills can transfer for the NFL:
"Yeah, I think as a rookie, you got to earn the respect of the guys in the room first. So just coming in, being reliable, being consistent, showing up, doing my job each and every day. So, I'm just going to earn the respect of the guys around me, make them respect the way I work. And naturally, especially if you're a mike, green dot guy, if that's what the case may be, you're going to earn respect those guys with the way you command the huddle, the confidence in your communication, all these different things. And to have that confidence, you have to put in the preparation. So, I plan to prepare at the highest level that I can so I can be out there super confident and not let my guys down."
On something he really wants people to know about him:
"One of my favorite things about football is the brotherhood aspect. Especially when you're in college there's like a hundred of us on the team and I take that seriously. When I step into a building, I feel like everyone's my family and I plan to do the same thing here. I think we're all family. I know obviously we work together, we're coworkers, technically all those things, bosses and all these things. But I look at it like family, I love the people in the building and plan to get close with everyone in the building as much as I can."
On his preparation:
"Man, I've been working since I was a little kid out there with my dad, my brother, kids from my hometown, the people I grew up with. When I was little, you just go out there and have fun. You love football, you love competing, going out doing drills in the summer, racing each other. But then as I got older, talking to my dad, talking about wanting to be in the NFL, wanting to win Super Bowls, wanting to have a gold jacket, and he told me you have these big dreams, but you have to separate yourself. Everyone's going to practice every day doing the regular stuff, doing the mandatory workouts. So, what are you going to do to separate yourself? So, just always trying to outwork the guy next to me, outwork the opponent, do the unrequired work because I think that unrequired work is what gets you to these tremendous goals that you want to achieve."
On the team's new uniforms and helmets:
"I think it looks awesome. It dropped actually, I think it was my second day on my 30-visit, so I think it looks awesome. Can't wait to put it on. I think I'm going to look pretty good in the burgundy and gold."
On walking through the front doors of the building for the first time:
"I walked in the doors, it felt like the whole staff was out in the hallway. It was awesome. It felt almost like a family reunion. Everyone welcomed me home. So, it was great, super excited. Like I said, when I walked out this building a few weeks ago, I knew this was the right place. And I told Coach Quinn, I was like, hopefully I'll be seeing you soon. So, I was glad to be back."
On if he asked the team to pick his brother:
"No, I didn't do that yet [laughs]."
