On whether he was surprised about becoming an Eagle:
Jeremy Maclin: “I guess you can say that based on the amount of contact I had with them throughout the whole process. I’m happy as can be. I couldn’t ask for a better situation.”
On whether he has ever been to Philadelphia:
JM: “This is my first time stepping foot in Philly. I’m excited to see the city once I actually get down there.”
On whether he will stick around for a few days:
JM: “I’ll go back home for a little bit and then I’ll be back up.”
On his opinion of Darrius Heyward-Bey being the first drafted wide receiver:
JM: “That’s an Al Davis-type pick. I’m happy for him. Credit to him for running the fastest time at the combine. I think that I’m in a little better situation here in Philly and I’m going to make the best of this. That’s all I can base it off of.”
On WR DeSean Jackson’s impressive season last year and whether that will reflect on him:
JM: “I think in a way. Obviously, he’s a tremendous player; he does a lot of the same things. I’m a little bit of a bigger guy than he is. I’m a little bit of a bigger target and I can do some different things than he can do. I’m not saying that I can do more things, just a little different. I think that having him on the field, me on the field, [Kevin] Curtis and the rest of the guys. I think that can definitely be a good fit for us and also scare some defenses.”
On whether more pressure will be put on him because of Jackson’s rookie season success:
JM: “If it is, so be it. I’m going to go out there and play football regardless.”
On who has influenced him over the years:
JM: “There’s a lot of people in my life who have influenced me to get to this point. Obviously, the family I live with; they definitely played a big part of why I’m here. I learned a lot of things from my real family, too. Obviously, the One Above is the real reason why I’m here in the first place. All those people prepared me.”
On whether he met RB LeSean McCoy along the way:
JM: “Yeah, we were actually on a visit together. No, it was coming home from the combine at the airport. We were talking a little bit; getting to know each other.”
On whether he has any similarities to RB Brian Westbrook as a runner:
LeSean McCoy: “I think so. The ability to catch the ball in the backfield, a playmaker, do different things with the ball; running it, spreading them out. Kind of like [Brian] Westbrook, just to learn from him. He’s obviously one of the best backs in the league. Just to learn from him, kind of coach me up, do some things and get me better.”
On whether he has talked to Ricky Watters recently:
LM: “It’s been so busy. So busy with this whole draft, and all the family and everything celebrating. I didn’t get a chance to talk to Ricky [Watters] yet, but I’m sure down the line I’ll get to talk to him because he’s so familiar with Philadelphia.”
On how Maclin’s experiences on and off the field have prepared him for the NFL:
JM: “I feel like I’ve gone through a lot of stuff in my life, throughout my childhood, growing up. I feel like there’s not much that can really faze me. That’s why I feel like I’m fine with anything that’s thrown out there against me. Unfortunately it did happen, but fortunately I’m here in the great city of Philadelphia with a team who contends every year and that’s what I want to be a part of.”
On whether making the jump from college to the NFL takes longer for guys who leave school early:
LM: “You just have to be patient and take it one day at a time. That’s where your preparation comes in, with training and going over things with the coaches and looking to the older guys helping us out. That’s how you prepare. Like [Jeremy] and myself, we’re competitors. We’re going to compete every day to get better. We’re going to try and help this team out the best we can.”
On Maclin having the opportunity to play with DeSean Jackson:
JM: “I’ve definitely had a chance to think about it. Like I said earlier with DeSean and Kevin [Curtis] and with [Brian] Westbrook and obviously one of the best passers in the league that’s going to be scary for some defenses. It’s definitely something that I’ve thought about and adding LeSean [McCoy] to the mix now, it will be fun. I’m excited to see what we can do and I’m excited to see how I can grow to be a part of it.”
On whether Maclin ever met Kevin Curtis while he was with the St. Louis Rams:
JM: “No, I’ve never had a chance to meet him.”
On the challenges of playing in the NFL for a player that left school early:
JM: “I wouldn’t say it’s more of a challenge than [it is] for a guy that’s played four years. I understand it’s college ball but when you look at the stuff that LeSean and I accomplished in college playing on the collegiate level - I was a two-time All-American, he’s put up All-American type stats, All-Big East - You have to look at it like, well those guys were very productive in college as well. Why do you think it would take longer for us to get to the next level and transform or adapt to the NFL than anyone else who’s played four years in school? I take that as a challenge. If you think it’s going to take me longer then I’m going to make it my job to make it a lot easier on myself.”
On McCoy’s ability to pass block and protect QB Donovan McNabb:
LM: “They definitely stressed [blocking ability] when I came in for my visit. Meeting with [head] coach [Andy] Reid we went over some things and meeting with [running backs] coach [Ted] Williams, that’s probably the biggest thing in my game that I need to improve on is my blocking. I know you can’t go out on the field without protection, so that’s something in my game that I can improve on. I’m a hard worker, I’m a hard worker and I’m going to get it done. I know that’s what I have to do to be able to get on the field. At Pitt I wasn’t really required to do it as much, being there for only two years I haven’t had a chance to do it as much, but here I will get the right coaching to get it done.”
On whether he was required to do mostly cut blocking in college:
LM: “The thing with my team is we had a lot of different ways of getting the ball out. Our passing game wasn’t where it needed to be, we had different schemes, so I did a lot of cut blocking.”
On McCoy making the adjustment from cut blocking to stand up blocking:
LM: “I think it takes heart, heart and technique. That’s the biggest thing that coach Williams is coaching me up on now is some of the heart and the technique, that’s all you really need. The reps we’re going to be doing, I’m sure they’ll have me [blocking] rep after rep after rep preparing for it. I’m prepared. I’ll be ready for it.”
On how coming in for a workout with the Eagles helped prepare him:
LM: “[Head coach] Reid was very impressed with my football knowledge, the way I picked things up fast. We went over some board talk and I’m a student of the game. I love to play this game and I’m a big student of it. I’m learning, I learn fast and I love to play the game. That’s the biggest thing with me and the thing that he loved about it was the way I can pick up things. I’m getting that playbook and I’m studying and studying I’m going to get that thing down pat.”
On whether they are relieved that the draft process is over:
LM: “I am, it’s been a long process. From talking things over with my family about leaving or staying, then picking an agent and what team is going to draft you and visits. I’m glad I’m here and I’m happy it’s over.”
JM: “It’s a very long process and I’m definitely glad it’s over. It seemed like waiting on draft day was even longer than the whole process it self. This is something that is going to change your life forever. This is something I’ve wanted to do all my life and now my dream has finally come true and it’s my job to keep it alive.”
On how Maclin made the decision to come out early:
JM: “My biggest thing was that I had formed such a strong bond with my teammates. I think that if I had stayed another year I was doing it more so for my team than I was for myself. I think that the decision to jump from the collegiate level to the NFL level is your own decision. It’s a decision that you make and what’s best for you and that’s what [Missouri head coach] Coach [Gary] Pinkel preached, that’s what everybody preaches. It comes down to your gut feeling and how you feel in your heart. I know I wanted to stay with those guys but it was in my best interest to take it to the next level.”
On whether his coach tried to talk him out of going to the NFL:
JM: “No. He kept it straight with me and he told me that if I was his son he would tell me to leave. But he also said ultimately it comes down to how you feel inside.”
On how Maclin feels about the return game:
JM: “I enjoy it. I think if a guy can do it you might as well let him do it. Don’t take it away from him because you take away some of his value. I love doing it and it’s part of my game. I think that my whole mindset is that I am a playmaker and I make plays with the ball in my hand, whether it is in the offensive game or whether it is in the kick return/punt return game. That’s what I thrive on so if I had the opportunity to do so here then I’d love to do it and I’d be as happy as can be.”
On how McCoy made the decision to come out early:
LM: “I waited after the season to decide but up to that point I was staying. Like [Jeremy] said, I kind of had a bond with my coach, Coach [David] Wannstedt, he is a great guy and my teammates and kind of the reason I wanted to stay was for those guys, not actually myself. At my position, as a running back, you only get a certain amount of hits in this game and I always wanted to enjoy my time in the NFL. When you grow up you don’t grow up wishing, ‘I can’t wait to play high school ball or college ball,’ you want to go to the pros. That’s something I was always wanted since I was a little boy and I felt the opportunity was there for the taking so I decided to leave.”
On how they feel about their ability and what their goals are:
LM: “Everything is so busy right now. I haven’t gotten a chance to sit down and think about the goals I want to accomplish. Probably, the biggest thing right now is trying to help the team out any way possible.”
JM: “That’s it right there, help the team out. You do whatever they ask you to do. You do what they ask you to do and they have more trust in you, they get more faith in you, you get more touches, you get more timing, and eventually you work yourself into the role that you ultimately want to be in. So you cannot go in saying I am going to start day one or I am going to do this day one. That’s what people have a tendency to get from guys who are young so you go in with an open mind and attitude.”
On how the knee injury changed his outlook on football and life:
JM: “It was very humbling. It was something that I never want to experience again. They never told me this but apparently I was never supposed to play football again. Knowing that now and knowing that I was that close to damaging a nerve in my foot and have my foot drop is terrifying. So I just learned to live life day by day and don’t take anything for granted. The thing you worked for all of your life can get taken away from you the next day.”
On how grotesque the injury was:
JM: “It just snapped back on me and I tried to take another step and it snapped back again and I just fell. I did not go back and look at the surgery tape or the pictures. I kind of let that be how it is and I moved on.”
On how the knee injury happened:
JM: “I was jumping up to catch a ball and in mid-air I got pushed in the back and I came down and tried to keep my feet in bounds. My body went forward but my legs stayed in the ground and it snapped back.”
On playing in the NFL in Philadelphia:
LM: “I only live about an hour-and-a-half away from here so all of my family can come up, all of my friends can actually see me play pro ball here. All of my football actually has been played in Pennsylvania. A big star here and also in my hometown, Ricky Watters played there. The connection from Harrisburg to Philadelphia is big.”
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