Transcriptions from the first night of the NFL Draft.
Senior Vice President & General Manager Jerry Reese
Evan Engram, tight end, H-back, Ole Miss. We think that this guy can be a dynamic weapon in our offense. Obviously he has great speed for the position – we think that he can be a matchup nightmare for teams trying to cover him with linebackers and safeties, so he was a guy that we liked a lot. Our coaches liked him a lot and it seems like they can use him in our offense in a lot of different ways and we think that with this addition as a fast receiver down the middle along with some of the other receivers we have, that we can help the offense out some. I will take any questions.
Q: Did you try and trade up for O.J. Howard?
A: No.
Q: Did you try and trade up for anybody?
A: I am not going to talk about – do you want to talk about our pick or not? We are not talking about who we tried to trade up for.
Q: Did you value his big play ability over a tight end that was maybe more well-rounded as a blocker?
A: I don't think that any of the tight ends block that great in this draft. Most tight ends in these receiving offenses in college these days are not true to what we call, wide, wide type receivers, end of the line guys. Most of these guys are H-back types and we think that he is a tough, hardnosed, H-back type blocker, yeah.
Q: What is his comparison to a Reed or Gronkowski
A: Well, we see him as a weapon. You guys can talk to our coaches. I think Ben will come in here and see you guys a little bit later, but we see him as a weapon and we will take all of the weapons that we can get.
Q: How do you make sense of his skillset when he doesn't have the blocking aspect?
A: Like I just said, I think that the tight ends that come out of the offenses nowadays, these college offenses, these guys are more H-back type players. He is not a traditional end of the line tight end, but we think that he can do things in the blocking game. He is big, he is fast, he has big hands, he is smart, he will help you on special teams – he is a well-rounded, versatile football player.
Q: You added Brandon Marshall. This guy is similar in size, right?
A: I don't think Brandon is – what does Brandon weigh? Brandon is a big man, I can tell you that. But this guy, we are calling him a tight end. You guys can call him an H-back, call him whatever you want to call him.
Q: Do you see him as a guy that is going to be in the slot?
A: You guys can talk to Ben about that. We see him as a guy that can line up anywhere at any of the receiver positions, tight end, in the slot, outside – he can line up anywhere.
Q: How do you think the first round played out?
A: Well, it played out just like most first rounds. This draft was a little different because we thought that guys would come off of the board all over the place and it did that. There were a lot of uncertainties about a lot of players with respect to some off the field issues, some injury issues, different issues like most drafts have, but I don't think that anyone was surprised about anything that happened.
Q: In the media and mock drafts, Engram was a guy that people saw as a second rounder or late first. What do you think was the difference between what you guys saw in him compared to the mock drafts?
A: Well, we liked him because, again, we feel like he is a weapon in the offense. We think that this guy can be a weapon and he is versatile and you can use him in a lot of different ways and our coaches are extremely excited about getting a guy like this in our offense.
Q: Ruben Foster was on the board. Is that a guy that you didn't target because of his off the field issues?
A: Well, we had (Engram) in a good spot and we picked him and I am not at liberty to talk about what we have working right now. (Foster) is still on the board.
Q: With the receivers that you have, does that help your offensive linemen because you have quick guys that can get open faster?
A: We hope so. We hope that everyone we pick can help our offense in some kind of way, so we feel that this guy can come in and again, you play two-high safety in this league and if you have a guy who can stretch the defense down the middle, we think that is a tremendous weapon for the offense.
Q: You struggled to score points last year. How important was it to get an offensive weapon in this draft early on?
A: Yeah, we are just trying to help the offense any way we can and help our team anyway we can, so that is important for us, just to get a good football player and we think that we got a tremendous football player.
Q: Was this just not a year that you felt an offensive lineman in the first round was going to work?
A: There are some offensive linemen that we think are good football players, but we stay true to our board and we picked the best player that was up there.
Q: How do you think that Evan Engram fits in with your current set of tight ends?
A: That is a good question for Coach McAdoo. We think that he is just a dynamic football player who will help our team. You guys can talk to Coach McAdoo about how they plan on using him, but he has a skillset that you can use him in a lot of different ways and I am sure that coaches will be creative in using him that way.
Q: Do you think he is a guy that will open up the red zone?
A: I think that he opens up a lot of things. We just feel like – Jordan Reed is a good example of a tight end that is hard to handle, one of those undersized tight ends that is hard to handle for linebackers and safeties and this guy is probably cut in that same kind of cloth and this guy is really fast. This is a fast, receiving tight end.
Q: You mentioned the two-high safety look as something that you struggled against last year. Is this pick kind of a response to that?
A: Again, we think he will help us. That is for sure. We think that if you can stretch that two-high safety look with speed down the middle and you have speed on the outside, I think that helps us.
Head Coach Ben McAdoo
Excited to add Evan Engram to the mix. Talented player out of Ole Miss. Length, speed, playmaker, special teams contributor. We're excited to add him to the mix and hit the ground running with him.
Q: He has drawn comparisons to Jordan Reed, a big tight end/receiver type. Do you envision him to be that kind of player that can play multiple positions within the offense?
A: Yes. He played multiple positions at Ole Miss. I think we can bring him up and move him around a little bit. He needs to play special teams out of the gate and move him into our offense to see what he can handle. Push him that way.
Q: Where do you think he is as a blocker?
A: I think he's a willing striker. We need to refine his fundamentals. He does what he's asked to do in their offense and does it well at a high level. We have some things that we're going to have to work on with him.
Q: Does he have that competitive nature?
A: Yes, he's a competitor.
Q: Is he more of a slot weapon to you as opposed to a guy that's going to be in line with bodies?
A: Again, we'll get him here and play with him in a variety of ways but he'll play with his hand on the ground.
Q: Because of that flexibility, what does that do for you as a play caller?
A: The fastest way to the end zone is down the middle of the field. Anytime you can add someone to your offense that can run down the middle of the field with that type of speed and length, it stresses the defense.
Q: The consensus was that the top TE in the draft went a few picks before you. Was there any thought in your mind to try and push to go get him?
A: I'm not going to talk about any of those strategies.
Q: Do you feel that Engram can make an impact in the run game?
A: Yes.
Q: How much contact, if any, did you have with him during the pre-draft process?
A: Limited.
Q: How surprised were you entering today that this is the way it turned out?
A: Nothing surprises you. You just go in and take it one pick at a time. See who's on the board, a top guy on the board. You have to be confident. It's all about doing the work going into the process. Trusting what you do, trusting your work, trusting the group, trusting the room.
Q: Did you like that Foster was there? Were there two or three guys you were looking at that were still available.
A: I think there were a lot of good players still left on the board.
Q: Does Engram have good yards after catch ability?
A: I think he's a threat after the catch, yes.
Q: Did you see him as the best player available there or was he the best player for the need?
A: I saw him as the best available player.
Q: How much did you look at him before the draft?
A: I spent a lot of time on him. Just like a lot of scouts, other coaches and personnel people. I spent a lot of time.
Q: What was it that stuck out to you when watching him?
A: I think he's a guy that's played multiple positions. He has special teams versatility. He has some snap to him, snap to his body as a blocker. He's willing as a blocker. Again, the speed just jumps off the tape. The yards after a catch just jumps off the tape at you.
Q: How does he fit in with the current set of tight ends you have now?
A: We're going to put him in the room, teach him the offense and get on down the road. Again, we're just adding another player to the mix. A good player that has a lot of potential.
Q: In going to Ole Miss, does he know Eli?
A: That's a better question for Eli.
Q: With the addition of him, Marshall and Ellison, how much versatility does that give you going into next season?
A: We're very happy with the players we've added to the tight end room and very happy with the players we have in the tight end room. It does give us some versatility and some flexibility. We need to get them all together. We haven't hit the field yet; we need to hit the field.
First Round Selection, Tight End Evan Engram
Q: How does it feel?
A: I can't put it into words. Honestly, I dreamed of playing for a couple of teams. I had it in my mind and New York was at the top. This is an amazing feeling. I'm so blessed. I can't even find the words to describe it. I'm just very thankful and blessed to be a part of just this night. I have my family and friends. It's a real blessing. I feel really blessed.
Q: Were you surprised when you got the call from the Giants?
A: I sat here and I saw it was Miami the pick before and New York just a little bit above it. I was just like, alright let's see, Miami could call and New York could call. As soon as the Miami pick went in, I got the call. I saw the city under the number and I knew it. I wasn't expecting it. I felt that it was coming but it was just, I was kind of surprised by it but I felt it in my dreams.
Q: Do you feel you are ready to come in and make an immediate impact?
A: I know I'm ready to come in and make an immediate impact. I know for a fact. I've been watching the Giants, they're on TV all the time. I sit down and watch them, especially this past year. I've been really analyzing teams and certain offenses. The Giants have been missing a piece like me. They have a great quarterback and I think Tye, 45, was great for them. I felt that I could be another more dynamic piece at that role. I just always felt that they would look at a guy like me to come in and contribute. I know my skillset. I'm confident in my game and how hard I work. Just the weapons around me, I can't wait to come in and contribute. Learn from all those guys and take advantage of the opportunity to be a great player for this team.
Q: Being a fellow Ole Miss alum, has Eli Manning reached out to you before or after this process?
A: No, I haven't talked to him before. He texted me after they announced it and everything. He told me to enjoy the moment and that he's looking forward to getting to work with me. I just told him thank you. He said he'll be in contact to catch up in a couple of days. He hit me up after the pick went in.
Q: Have you ever met him?
A: Yes. He's always around Ole Miss in the offseason. There's been a couple of times I've caught a couple of balls for him. Just servicing him and running some routes that he needed. It kind of manifested in those moments I guess, this moment right here. I can't wait to play with him, learn from him and just be a great player for this team.
Q: All along did you expect to be a first-round pick?
A: I knew I deserved to be and I knew I should be. It's just what I bring to the table. I'm so dynamic and so confident in myself. I'm not trying to be cocky or anything because that's 100 percent not it. I'm just really confident in what I can bring to a team. I definitely believe that I should've gotten a call in the first round and that someone was getting one of the most dynamic players and best players in the draft. I knew that I should be and I was just praying that I was. I came back for my senior year and that was one of my goals to solidify a first round pick. God has led me through all of this and to hear that tonight with the New York Giants, I knew that it was going to happen, I knew it should happen and I'm blessed that it did.
Q: Do you feel you can be effective in the slot or at wide receiver?
A: Yes. I feel like I can be a threat anywhere. I definitely have a lot to learn. Being out wide, I didn't do it as much in college so I'm definitely ready to learn more about that, but in the slot, attached, in the backfield I feel like I can be a threat anywhere. I can't wait to just get in there, learn, work and earn my way up into the offense and into making plays. Yes, I know I think I can be a threat anywhere around the ball.
Q: Do you create mismatch problems for the defense?
A: Yes, I guess from a coach's standpoint, they love to move me around to make those mismatches. I know that my coaches at Ole Miss did and I kind of get excited when I see some big linebacker that is trying to man me up or some big safeties with bad hips – I just get excited when I see those guys trying to man me up. I do feel like I am a mismatch problem and I guess I am a huge plus for an offensive coordinator to have.
Q: You played in the SEC, which is regarded by many as the best conference in the country. How do you think playing in the conference prepared you for the NFL?
A: Man, look at the numbers that the SEC puts into the league. We are playing the best players in the country every week and just game planning for that, practicing for that and competing with that, it definitely helps us translate to the NFL. Just look at the numbers and it proves it. So just playing the likes of LSU and the Bama's and the Arkansas' and Auburn's and Georgia's and there are just so many athletes and so many talents make their way to the league from those schools – it definitely gives me an advantage going into the league and playing some more against some of the best athletes in the world.
Q: Where are you right now and who are you watching the draft with?
A: I am in my hometown, Powder Springs, Georgia, with all of my best friends, my family, people who have helped me get to this point, and it was tough because I got invited to the draft and I was torn because I wasn't sure if I was going first round and that was the only way I wanted to go, so I decided to stay home. I couldn't be more excited just being around my people and where everything started, it is just a huge moment. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change one thing.
Q: You have gotten some comparisons to Jordan Reed of Washington. How does that make you feel?
A: I have been looking up to him for so long. He was such a huge talent at Florida that I didn't think got used enough, so when he got to Washington and got used to his abilities, he has been doing such great things in the league. So just watching him and studying him and I would love to work with him some day because he is such a threat, so savvy with his routes and so precise and he gets physical after the catch. Being compared to that is what I want. I want to be better than him, but that is going to be a tough task. But being compared to him and being able to bring to the table what he does for a team like the Giants is a blessing.
Q: How much contact did you have with the Giants during the pre-draft process?
A: Honestly, not that much. I talked to them at the Senior Bowl briefly; I talked with them at the Combine. I didn't have any visits with them; no workouts and it just really came out of nowhere. I kind of felt myself being a threat there and being a possibility there, but it really came out of nowhere. I didn't talk to them as much, but I kind of felt that they had their eye on me, so I guess it worked out.
Vice President of Player Evaluation Marc Ross
Q: Was he your top tight end on your board?
A: Maybe.
Q: The way you guys viewed him, was it a situation where you walked in this morning and you thought there would be a pretty good chance that Engram would end up being your guy?
A: We talk about a lot of different scenarios, a lot of different players being in position to take at 23 and he was one of those guys.
Q: Very few tight ends combine blocking and receiving, how do you differentiate between guys who are primarily pass catchers at that position? What separates one ahead of another?
A: Well you have to see their skillset, their speed, their hands, their body control, their routes, their feel for the game, so those are the things you look for in a receiving tight end. Evan lines up a bunch of different places; they used him a lot of different ways, so he just seems to have a natural feel as a receiving tight end.
Q: The size and speed of tight ends these days is a lot different from what it used to be, does this go along with what the Giants' plan for what the offense will be?
A: You have to ask [Head Coach] Ben [McAdoo] about if he's a part of the plan, but from a scouting prospective he was a playmaker. He was a versatile playmaker, very athletic guy, clean off the field, and checked all the boxes as far as things we look for in a quality player.
Q: If you look at his numbers, he had a big jump last season. Anything happen?
A: I think they just used him more in the offense. He was a senior, you rarely see seniors anymore, he just grew as a player, he got better, they used him more and I think they both benefited, Ole Miss and Evan.
Q: David Njoku was another tight end that was on the board at the same time, what differentiated the two in your opinion?
A: I won't talk about Njoku versus what we liked about Evan. What we liked about Evan was his versatility, his feel for the game, his polish, his hands, his route running and his experience. Those were the things that we really liked about him.
Q: Was part of it adding another game breaker, home run hitter type to compliment Odell [Beckham Jr.] and to just give you more explosiveness that way?
A: Anytime you can get somebody who can make first downs and score touchdowns, that helps out the offense. It helps everybody out. The coaches are really excited to add a guy like this. The more weapons you have, the harder you are to defend, and hopefully it will come to fruition like that.
Q: He's called a tight end. The way football is played now, is he more of a weapon than tight end?
A: He's not going to line up on the line and just try to drive block people all the time. He's going to be in the backfield, he's going to be in the slot, he's going to be detached. He will be down at the traditional tight end position sometimes as well, but the way Ole Miss used him he could line up at four or five different positions. He has that versatility, he has the smarts to do that, so I would envision that we would use him in a similar fashion because that's a benefit that he has.
Q: Do you see any Jordan Reed in him, [SVP & GM] Jerry [Reese] mentioned him.
A: You can see the similarities, he's [Evan] an inch taller, Jordan was 10 pounds heavier, this guy ran a lot faster, but the way they were used, yes, very similar.
Q: Did you time him yourself?
A: Evan? No, I let my scouts do it. I just write it down and chart it. I'm too old for that.
Q: Is his speed comparable to some receivers?
A: Yes, besides John Ross, he was one of the fastest guys as far as a receiver or tight end. He might have been the second fastest guy. The receivers that were taken in the top ten, one [Corey Davis] didn't work out and he ran faster than the other one [Mike Williams]. He was about the second fastest guy as far as the skill positions on offense.
Q: [Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo] Spags calls it basketball on grass sometimes, do you guys in the personnel department look at the tight end position maybe a little bit differently now? Do you have to do that because of the way the game is played?
A: Yeah, you just don't see it anymore, traditional tight ends in college. It's rare to actually see a guy line up and do that. The way the game is played in college, it's spread out and they're catching the ball and just chucking it around sometimes. I think we'll see more and more of these guys if they have the athletic ability, the feel, the smarts, all that stuff that you do.
Q: Do you find is unusual to see two or three tight ends taken in the 1st round?
A: No, nothing surprises me. Going through the process, you knew who the good players were and you had a good idea of where they were going to go, so it didn't surprise me.
Q: You signed Rhett Ellison before this, is that a good complement? First a guy who can block and now this a guy…?
A: Seems to be. In theory, yes, it looks like that. Hopefully it plays out that way.
*Q: Did his 40 time open your eyes even more than they had been with him? *
A: Yeah, he was fast, but nobody expects the guy to run 4.42 at that size. You just never would've thought that. You think the guy would run a 4.5, 4.6, or something like that, but for a guy to jump out there and run a 4.42, it was shocking. It didn't push him up on the board anymore, it didn't change the perspective, the reports were in with what he could do with his skillset and that just added another positive value to his profile.
*Q: Can he line up on the edge and drive guys, like a traditional tight end? *
A: We'll see.
Q: What was your impression with the way the first round played out in general?
A: You go in the draft and you always expect the unexpected and right from the start, there were some unexpected things that happened and you don't know what it is but you just wait for it to happen and it did. 32 draft boards, 32 teams, they got it all different.
Q: The offensive line crop was historically shallow based on the number of players picked in the first round, did that kind of match up with your evaluation of that class coming into the draft?
A: We had some guys we liked, we had some guys we didn't like and we'll see.
Q: Not to hammer home the Jordan Reed thing, but when you have a player and you go against a player and you see how difficult it is to defend against that profile, does that add…?
A: You always draw comparisons when you play a guy. DeSean Jackson leaves Philadelphia and goes to Washington, aww man, come on. So, of course, when you play against a guy twice a year, it's more on your mind, but you don't look and say we need to get that kind of guy. It's just when you're talking about the process, you bring up the comparison.
