Zac Taylor
Head Coach
Initial comments ...
"I'm really excited about the six players we drafted. I think they all fit us really well from a player standpoint, with what their abilities are, and from a character standpoint — how they're going to fit in the locker room. I'm really impressed with this class, and I think we walked away (from the draft) having made our team a lot better over the last three days. I'm really excited about it."
Two things that seem to stick out would be the character, as you said, and physicality. Was that the theme?
"I think the theme is that they love football — all six of these guys — as I've gotten to know them. That's what you take away. They just love talking football, they love being around football, they love being around their teammates. They made huge impacts at the programs that they were at. And by huge impact, I mean not only on the field, but the way that people talked about them off the field. You could feel the impacts they made there. That means something to us."
Did that shift a little bit with this draft class from maybe some previous ones?
"No, I can think of several classes that fit the same description. It's just the way it fell at the times that we were picking. But again, it's a group of six men that I'm really excited about."
What did you like about Tahj Brooks that made you feel like you wanted to pick him?
"Tough, great lateral quickness, good ball skills, can protect for us as well. Really, just a good all-around player. Our running backs coach (Justin Hill) knew him from the pre-draft process years ago. This was a good class (of running backs), and Tahj was one we were really, really high on from a scout's and coach's perspective. For him to be there in the sixth round when we got him, we're really lucky that he fell to us at that point."
How important was it to get a little bit of a bigger running back?
"I think that we have a good mix of running backs in our room — all shapes and sizes, all abilities. So it's really good to get a mix of those guys in there."
Is there an update for Zack Moss?
"Progressing along. I'm excited about where he's at."
Are you deep enough at safety right now, or are you looking to go to free agency for that position?
"College free agency? We'll see."
Can you describe went into the decision to double-up at linebacker?
"They were two really good players that we were really high on, in Demetrius (Knight Jr.) and Barrett (Carter). We just really felt like they could come in a affect us. We had high grades on them. They really fit needs for us, we felt."
Did drafting two linebackers like that feel like 2020, when you drafted two linebackers fairly high?
"There moments like that, yes, very much so, where you're really crossing your fingers for a lot of picks (in a row), waiting for Logan (Wilson) and Akeem (Davis-Gaither) in 2020. And now, we get these two guys in Demetrius and Barrett, that I feel like will impact us, and we're excited about that."
Did you think at any point in the offseason that you wanted to do a culture reinvention, or a culture recycling?
"I think that adding good people that have leadership qualities is never a bad thing for us. I think these guys will have to prove themselves first and foremost to this team, but I believe that once they do that, they'll be able to take on roles for us."
What do you like most about the way you guys have attacked the offseason and how you've concluded the reinvention of the defense?
"We can go play football now. Obviously our players don't know any of the scheme yet — we haven't gotten to that piece yet (laughing) — but we can put a depth chart out there and feel really good about where we're at. That's a big piece that helps us sleep well at night now. And it's with guys that we're excited about. We already had guys currently on the roster that really got us excited, then we just added these three on defense. We feel really good about it now, let's go implement the scheme, get guys comfortable and go play ball."
Is there something about the personnel that you added where you feel like you have specifically added across all the positions that it feels like makes the defense feel a little different?
"I think this year there is great hunger and urgency to be great as a unit. As a unit, as a position group, as an individual, I think you look across the board at every single person that's on that board in there. They all fit those same characteristics, same description, and that's got me fired up."
How different does your offensive line room feel now with the addition of Jalen Rivers and Dylan Fairchild?
"I think those guys will come in here and compete. It's really good. Obviously, Dylan is more guard. Jalen, as you've heard, has flexibility. He'll come in and provide that for us as well. I think those are two guys that we spent a lot of time on. Jalen came in here and we got a chance to talk to him face-to-face in my office and throughout the building. Dylan, obviously our guys went down to Georgia and spent extra time with him as well. We had him in the Combine formal. So, two guys that we did a lot of work on and felt really good about. So, again, we're very pleased to add them to the group."
Sometimes, a really good draft is getting other teams to react to you. Do you think with your defense, other teams are going to have to worry about your personnel now?
"I can't speak for them, but I feel really good about where our personnel is at. I walk away from this draft, I think Duke (Tobin) and his staff did a great job and I'm really pleased with where we're at as a roster right now."
How much confidence do you have in Al Golden to develop the young guys and get them in a position to play quickly?
"Tremendous belief in Al. I think he's got great conviction in what he wants to do on defense and how he's going to do it, who he needs to do it with. That defensive staff, as well — I think we've got great teachers, guys that believe in what they believe in and are excited about the players that we have in the building. That's all important. That makes me really excited, and can't wait to see these guys get to work, get these guys in the classroom first, get them on the field. But I really like the direction we're headed on defense."
It seems like things have taken a turn for the better for Zack Moss. What kind of update can you give us on his injury and how that has developed over the past couple months?
"He's progressing a lot, is the best way for me to say it."
Has he been cleared yet to practice?
"He's progressing a lot, is the best way for me to say it."
Starting this offseason process, did you feel that you had what you needed from an interior pass rushing standpoint?
"I think that's something you're always looking at. At different points in the draft, (we looked at) other spots. Again, undrafted free agency is still coming. We'll work hard to add some guys to the mix there. We feel good about the four guys we have in the room right now. We feel good about how you can utilize some of the defensive ends in the non-passing situations, as well. People don't necessarily say that's interior pass rush, but it can be for us. We've certainly got our vision for a lot of guys we had there since before free agency, before the draft, and now post-free agency, post-draft. We feel good about all that and will continue to try to add to the mix there as these hours pass here."
I know you just took them in the past two days, but is it reasonable to think your first three picks can start this year?
"There isn't a draft pick we just took that isn't going to walk in here and compete for playing time. So again, I'm not going to make any predictions about who is being a starter and who is being a backup, who is majoring in special teams. It's a group that I know is going to come in here and compete. Our vets are going to handle them the right way and let them know what we're all about in a very positive way. I'm just excited to see how that mix works out for us."
How much talk was there about adding picks?
"Always. We took a lot of phone calls. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't. It feels like every year, there's always a lot of action. Sometimes it pans out, sometimes it doesn't. I know we were receptive to a lot of it and it just doesn't always work out."
Was the thought process that Demetrius Knight Jr. wasn't going to be available if you had waited until the third round?
"Yes."
You felt like you had to go get him, and you felt good that Dylan Fairchild was going to be there in the third round? Did you feel confident that was going to happen?
"I didn't feel good Dylan was going to be there, but yes, that's how it worked out."
What do you think the biggest improvement the defense has made in the last couple days?
"We just added three guys that are hungry, love football and are excited to be in the mix. No predictions from the group, just come in here and compete, and earn some time."
