Donovan Ezeirauku is the big BC name at the NFL Combine this week in Indianapolis, but Cam Horsely, Drew Kendall and Ozzy Trapilo are all there as well.
Old friend Andy Backstrom (the only reason I'm part of EA) is helping us out for New England Football Journal this week and was part of the media scrum, asking most of the early questions you'll see answers to below.
Here's everything Donovan had to say in the roughly 15 minutes of availability on Wednesday:
On what he would tell his 10-year old self
"I would tell myself to continue to follow God's plan for you. There's been some trials, tribulations, some adversity as we all face in life, but everything's going to work out. It's a dream come true, but this is also one of the goals I had for myself and I'm happy to be checking that one off the box."
On where he feels like he needs to improve in the pre-draft process
"I don't think there's a specific area I need to get better in the pre-draft process. But, you know, keep my body right, of course. Keep working on football, doing what I've got to do (at the combine) with the drills and stuff like that, I think I'll be in good shape."
On where in general he feels like he needs to improve to have an immediate impact in the NFL
"Like I said, there's a lot of areas I can improve in my opinion. I think transitioning my pass rush, getting a little more speed and power, I think that's an area of improvement for me."
On his transition from junior to senior year at BC
"Just having a lot more fun playing free in Coach Lewis' scheme. Just not putting a lot of pressure on myself to chase plays. Just doing what I had to do trying to perform to the best of my ability so my team could do our best on Saturdays. That's all it was. Going back to what got me here in the first place and just having fun, violent to the football and playing free."
On his run defense
"I think I have a knack for the football. I never really had...my career at Boston College, I always took pride in playing the run game. I understand you can't pass rush on third down until you win on first and second down and I take a lot of pride in that. Like I said, there's areas to improve in all parts of our games, but I think I play the run pretty darn well. Obviously, it's going to be different going to the NFL, but I think I'll be just fine."
On what weight he wants to play at
"I play at 247, especially this past year. I think as time goes on and my body develops with age or whatever the case may be, I think I'll be able to put on more weight. 250, 255 maybe in the future. But, I think my frame can hold that weight and still be functional."
On how Cam Horsely helped him have the career he did
"Yeah, because he does what he has to do in the middle. He stops...he clogs up the middle for me. He lets me be free on the outside. I definitely appreciate Cam. He's been consistent his five years at Boston College."
On if he met with Tampa Bay
"Yes. I met with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That was a formal (visit)."
On what it would mean to go to Tampa
"I don't mind it. I think any team that drafts me, it'll be a blessing. I just can't wait to see where I end up."
On if he met with the Patriots
"No, I haven't met with the Patriots."
On what it would mean to go to New England
"Like I said, any team that decides to draft me, it'll be a blessing and they'll be getting a good person and I think, a great player as well."
On the 'ghost' move he hit at the Reese's Senior Bowl in 1-on-1's
"The ghost is, it's a move that not everybody can do, but I'm blessed to have the ability, the ankle mobility, the hip mobility, the bend to do that. It's just a change up. I wouldn't say it's my go-to move. But, when you're going against a taller, bigger tackle that struggles to bend, it's a move that can work...it's a move that you gotta set up, for sure. When I flash a long arm at a guy, you'll make him want to sit down, so they go hand-in-hand for sure."
On the difference with how he was used this past season
"It wasn't too big of a difference. Obviously, I played a lot more snaps this past year as opposed to previous years. But, I was used on the edge. I was used to drop in both systems. But, I floated around a little bit more, stand up a little more this past year. I would say that's the biggest difference with how I was used."
On Ray Brown going to San Fran
"He's a very energetic coach. He's a guy that he grabs his room with his energy and his knowledge for the game. Congratulations to him of course, for getting that job. I think he'll be a great fit for the 49ers."
On how he separates himself from all the other talented players at the combine
"I would say my mentality. My mental toughness, as well as I'm a great person at the end of the day. I think all teams want to invest in a great person as well as great talent. But, I would say my athletic ability as well. I take pride in stopping the run game and I can pass rush for sure."
On how he could change a defense that's struggling
"I bring that element to the game. I've shown that I can finish and pass rush and disrupt a quarterback. I think that's really important in today's day and age with it being a passing league."
On watching O-line tape with Doug Marrone
"Yeah, that started in camp, honestly. He was watching defensive line drills and I just asked him for his thoughts, what he was watching. From there, ti kind of grew. Now, we're on to Wednesday's watching film to study and create a rush plan for that week. He's a very knowledgeable coach. He's been doing it for a long time. It was really cool to have somebody of that caliber a dial away. We could sit in a room for a couple of hours and just study and diagnose things."
On if he pulled other teammates into those film sessions with Marrone
"Of course I did. At some point in started being most of the D-line room and I think that was important. Guys were getting a different perspective on offensive and defensive line play."
On what he and other Philly/South Jersey players representing at the combine means for that area
"It's a lot of talent down there...a lot of us coming out this year. It shows that we got some guys in South Jersey and that Philly area. We tend to get...we have that argument with North Jersey guys, but the South Jersey and Philly area has been putting on, for sure."
On how important it is for him on being a first rounder and if he's talked to other recent BC draftees Zion Johnson and Zay Flowers
"It would be important, obviously a dream come true. Something I've been wanting to do since I was six, seven years old playing this game. At the end of the day, it's on God's timing. I can't really control that. I gotta do what I can do, control what I can control. But, yeah, I talked to Zay for sure, and Zion. They pretty much - and Christian Mahogany, Elijah Jones - they pretty much told me this is the time to lock in. Take these couple months, it'll go by fast but it's going to be the longest year of your life. Especially because you're coming from the season to this season then minicamp, OTA's, things like that. Enjoy it though, at the same time."
On something specific Marrone brought to the room
"He has a very detailed eye for offensive line play as well as defensive line play. There was a moment early on where...frame by frame on the film, 'did you see that?' And I was like, 'what are you talking about?' And he was like 'he can't take inside power because of the way he drops his foot here.' It was just those small details that he caught that I didn't necessarily catch and I think that's what helped me."
More on the meetings with Marrone
"He gave me the blueprint and he would add his notes on the film and I would watch it on my own as well."
On how going against BC's O-line every day in practice helped his game
"It's definitely sharpened my game a lot. Going against Ozzy Trapilo since the first day I stepped on campus as a 17-year old. We've got up-and-coming guys like Jude Bowry as well. It really helps. iron sharpens iron. I don't think I would have been as prepared on a weekly basis if I wasn't going against those guys every single day."
On if he's a first round pick and why
"I believe so, yes. Like I said, my mentality, my mental toughness. A great player as well as a great person. I think I've shown I have the attributes. I can rush. I can win and I can play the run as well at a high level."
On if he's met with Denver
"No, I haven't."
On how his 'Next Level' 7-on-7 team shaped him early
"It showed me what it was to compete with the top in the country. We traveled around doing 7-on-7. Granted, I'm a defensive lineman trying to do 7-on-7, it wasn't my strong suit. But, it just showed me there's talent out here, but I can play with that talent."
On something he noticed on film that he was able to take and correct this season
"So, with film, you're able to see...you can't hide. We pick up on things like whether tackles are giving away run/pass keys, that helps you pre-snap, whether or not they're waist benders or they kick and keep their chest tall. I think when you take those things and you're studying those things, it's easy to have a plan in-game. So, I definitely use that to my advantage."
On leaving the Senior Bowl early
"That was the biggest thing, I felt like I showed what I had to show, so yeah, that's what went into leaving the Senior Bowl early."
On what made his final year at BC special and if he feels like the program is on the precipice of breaking through
"Yeah, I think so. I think Coach O'Brien and his staff is on the cusp of that. What really made it special, after my last game playing at Boston College, it made it special that younger guys on the team, freshmen, sophomores came up to me and were like 'Don, I really appreciate you for everything.' The type of person I am, I didn't really understand like, 'what are you talking about?' I'm just being who I am. If I can talk to you and give you a little wisdom that's what I'm supposed to be. That means I had an impact on the guys. That speaks to who I am as a person and why they elected me as captain. But, it was kind of like a surreal moment in a way to understand like ok, I actually had an impact at this school."
On if he's met with Dallas
"Formally, no I have not met with the Dallas Cowboys."
On an informal meeting with Dallas
"Yeah, I have. It was good. Definitely talked a lot of football, drew up some things, whatever the case may be. It was a very good conversation."
On if he met with Seattle
"No, I haven't."
On if he met with Houston
"Yeah, I met with the Texans."
On the meeting with Houston
"It was really good. We had a really good conversation. Sometimes I wish these meetings could be a little bit longer, everybody's on a time crunch. I've had some really good interviews (Tuesday) and (Monday)."
On O-lineman at the Senior Bowl highlighting him as one of the hardest to go against
"I actually didn't know that, so that's pretty cool. Just to gain the respect from my peers...being at a bowl game where it's the best of the best in the country, it definitely means a lot. I think it'll carry dividends."
On if he learned anything about himself at the Senior Bowl
"It's not that I learned something about myself. I'm very confident in my game and my ability. It was cool to go up against other top guys of course. But, I know for a fact I match up very well and I would bet on myself going up against the top guys."
