Included below are select quotes from interviews with the following Browns players during today's media availability:
- DB Trey Caldwell
- WR Corey Coleman
- TE Seth DeValve
- OL Spencer Drango
- WR Rashard Higgins
- QB Cody Kessler
- DB Derrick Kindred
- WR Ricardo Louis
- OL Mike Matthews
- DL Carl Nassib
- LB Emmanuel Ogbah
- WR Jordan Payton
- LB Joe Schobert
- LB Scooby Wright
DB Trey Caldwell:
On how much of an adjustment it is to be in an NFL defense:
"It's a huge adjustment. Going from college, you have a little bit of an install package and the Day 1 install (here) felt like it was pretty much my whole season full of coverages. I know I am just going to keep working hard, go through the playbook on a daily basis, learn from the coaches, learn from the vets and do the best I can."
On being a sponge and learning from the coaches and veterans:
"It's very important because once I soak in that information, I just have to play fast on the field. The plays will come. I just have to go hard and make the best of this opportunity."
On if his mindset changes knowing that there could be an opportunity to highly contribute in the Browns secondary, given recent personnel changes in the group:
"I wouldn't say it changes the mindset. I always have the mindset that I am trying to take a spot. I am trying to make something out for myself. I want to be a starter. I've just got to put in the effort and learn from the vets. Learn from Joe Haden – he's an All-Pro corner. It's kind of surreal to think about that – I am one of his teammates now. I've just got to learn from the vets, take advantage of this opportunity and do my best."
WR Corey Coleman:
On if route running comes naturally to him, despite a limited variety of routes at Baylor:
"I have to say it kind of does, but I can always get better at stuff. Technique is not going to be perfect, but the route itself I can run. Any route you tell me to run, I can run it. It might not be perfect, but that's why I'm here. We've got the top receivers coach (Al Saunders) in America here teaching us. I'm just taking it all in so I can get better."
On his impressions of the Browns organization and Cleveland:
"It's amazing. Just a beautiful thing. Got the best coaches here. They tell us what we've got to do, and we understand it. We've got the best fans here, which is just impressive to have a great fan base like that. You know they are always going to be there for us."
On how competitive he is:
"I like to compete. I like to win. I don't like losing, and you can see it in my game and play. I just like to have fun, and everybody has fun if you win."
On having a reputation of possessing a competitive fire and where it comes from:
"Like I said, I don't like losing. I don't take it well. I was losing a lot of stuff when I was little, and it really just carried on. I just don't take it too well."
On if there is a Browns veteran that he particularly looks forward to working with:
"Really all of them. I can learn from each and every one of them. They've been here before. They've all got experience. It never hurts to pick their brain and learn a little off of them."
On the first thing he thinks about when trying to turn around an organization like the Browns:
"Change, definitely. Like I said, it's a great draft class and it's going to start with us. We can bring our spark to the team and (Head) Coach (Hue) Jackson, he brought in some great people to get us rocking."
TE Seth DeValve:
On if he went to Princeton with a specific career in mind, given now he is a professional football player:
"I went to Princeton with a specific major in mind, not necessarily a specific career. I knew that math and science were the things that I enjoyed the most. There wasn't anything else I wanted to major in besides engineering, and I knew actually that going to Princeton was one of the only places in the country where I could realistically study engineering and play football at a high level for four years and not have conflicts."
On what positions he played in high school and his playing mentality:
"My high school identity was a quarterback. As I got to be a junior and senior, on defense I was a safety, as well. I was actually more highly recruited as a safety than as a quarterback. I turned out to not play either of those positions. I went to Princeton because they offered me the offensive side of the ball and I wanted to stay on offense. I love offense. I knew that is one thing that I wanted to do so I walked into the wide receiver role and it has led to tight end."
On his transition from QB to now TE:
"I did love playing quarterback, and the head coach at Princeton Bob Surace had to twist my arm a little bit to get me to play wide receiver. I am glad I trusted him. He saw something in me that I would have never seen in myself. It was the right move."
On how many different alignments he played at Princeton:
"I was always a big wide receiver, even from my freshman year. In the Princeton offense, they moved me around quite a bit. There is a specific role in that offense that gets one singular guy into a lot of different positions, and that is what I did increasingly as my career went on."
OL Spencer Drango:
On if he had identified when he might be selected heading into the NFL Draft:
"Coming in, my agent got a report from everybody and my window at best was late third, depending on if there was a run [on offensive linemen], but there was a run on corners so that kind of pushed everybody else back. Late third and my sweet zone, so to speak, was the fourth through fifth. I was picked up right in the zone we thought I'd be picked up."
On if he spoke with the Browns prior to the draft:
"I did. At Senior Bowl, I talked to them a lot. At the Combine, I talked to them, as well. I had a few phone calls with them, as well, but no workouts."
On if the Browns have identified if he will play guard or tackle, given he played tackle in college but draft analysts projected him as a guard:
"At Baylor, I was nothing but tackle. I called coach just to look at the playbook and kind of see what I should be looking at, and he said, 'Look at guard.' Today, we get out there about four plays in and they put me at right tackle. I think for the remainder of camp I'll play tackle, but I am flexible to play anywhere to get out there. Anywhere I can help."
On what he enjoys about playing offensive line:
"You get a sense of camaraderie and a brotherhood because if one person on that offensive line messes up, usually, it's not a good play. You all have to be connected and you all have to communicate. You get pretty close knit. From what I have heard here, we have a good group of guys here, and I can't wait to be a part of it and help the team win."
WR Rashard Higgins:
On how things have been so far:
"It's good. We just had our walkthrough. Just getting everything, all the plays down, meeting all the coaches. It's been great. I couldn't be at a better team. I'm ready to win. That's a great group of guys in the locker room, and I can't wait until we all get together."
On Head Coach Hue Jackson being able to get through to players:
"I can just tell when we were out there at the walkthrough, he's just calm and collected, but he also wants to get the job done and he wants us to get it going right. I love the hard coaching that he brings to us, and I can't wait until the season starts."
On how he got his nickname 'Hollywood':
"It came from when I played pee-wee football, just growing up. This coach, his name was Coach Chris. I remember I played defense and I drilled a kid, and just after that game, he was like, 'I'm going to call you Hollywood.' For some reason, that name just stuck around and now people call me 'Wood' for short, or if they don't know me, they just call me Hollywood. I've got a lot to live up for. I know this is a dream come true. Who would have thought I would have come to the Browns? I don't know, but God put me in this position, and I couldn't be more excited for it."
QB Cody Kessler:
On Head Coach Hue Jackson saying that Kessler was the most accurate passer in the 2016 NFL Draft and if that brings pressure:
"For me, I've always prided myself on my accuracy, and the biggest thing for that was I played at USC with guys who are athletes, guys that can make plays. I always wanted to make sure that I got the ball to them at the right time and let them be the guys that kind of, I guess, made me look good and made the rest of the team look good. I really always believed it got started with my feet, and I've always taken pride in just the small details of everything it takes to be an accurate quarterback. It's something – just went out for walkthrough today – that I really wanted to show and something I want to keep improving on."
On what goals he has set for himself as a rookie:
"I think, first and foremost, is just get together with these guys and know that we're in it together. That's something Coach Jackson is preaching that we'll work together. Our biggest goal is to work hard and win games. Our guys have done great, just so far these last few days we've been here kind of hanging out as a team and hanging out as a draft class. Even the guys that came in for tryouts, the undrafted guys, we've all been hanging out in the locker room. It's been cool. It's been awesome to really connect with these guys. We just went out for a walkthrough and it felt like a practice. Guys are excited, guys are going after it and guys are competing. For me, personally, I just want to keep improving myself and make the guys around me better."
On Jackson telling people to trust him when drafting Kessler and when the two of them clicked:
"Our visit. When I came for a visit in March, it was just one of the better meetings I've had throughout the whole draft process, probably was the best meeting I had for sitting down with him in his office one-on-one talking football, talking what he expected from me and different things and what he expects from the quarterback position. A lot of that kind of leans towards perfection. He wants guys who play at a very high level, and I've always taken pride of that in myself. I've always been hard on myself. Something that I wanted to do was show that, show I could come in and play as hard as I can and show that I can come in and take constructive coaching, take criticism, take things and learn from it. That's what's great about Coach Jackson is we had a walkthrough today; it was real short, but at the same time he gave me probably 20 different pointers just to learn from and get to. I think his mindset for the game and the position is second to none, and that's something I'm really looking forward to work with."
DB Derrick Kindred:
On everyone essentially having a fresh start in Cleveland and what he can do:
"It's just going to help me get better and better each day. Right now, I am just trying to learn from the vets and come out here with a winning mentality."
On what he knows about the Browns secondary:
"I don't know too much about the secondary right now. They are older guys so they know what is going on around here. I am just going to master my game from them and just learn from them."
On if he has been told he can compete for a starting spot:
"I haven't been told that. All I have really been told is to come in here and work hard. That's all I really know. If you work hard, things will happen the way you want it to. I am focused on learning my playbook and my plays and those things will take care of themselves."
WR Ricardo Louis:
On Head Coach Hue Jackson's message to the Browns and rookies:
"Win. His message is all about everything we do before the season and now is all about winning. That is our mindset right now."
On the chemistry at Auburn prior to the team's turnaround season:
"Everybody was hungry. The year before, we went 3-9 and we had this bad taste in our mouth. We didn't want that to happen again. (Auburn Head Coach Gus) Malzahn came in and jumped right in, and he was hungry, too. We just turned it around. We didn't want to lose. We weren't into that anymore, and we took it all the way. Unfortunately, we lost in the championship game, but to turn around the program from 3-9 and not win an SEC game was very big for us."
On if he notices any similar traits with Cleveland's rookie class:
"The receivers that came in, we were talking and we are all hungry. We all want to come in and make a huge impact. The word around the locker room is that everybody wants to win and everybody's mindset is focused on getting better and turning this thing around. As a rookie, that is the mindset that we are coming in with so we are going to fit right into the mood that Hue Jackson has put in."
OL Mike Matthews:
On if he expects to play more center or guard:
"Right now, I am definitely focused on the center but I am willing and ready to go wherever they need me to go. Just whatever helps the team out the best, whatever gives me the best opportunity to get on the field or however I can help the team."
On how the past 24 hours have been to start rookie minicamp:
"Pretty hectic. A lot of paperwork and stuff like that and pretty grueling – just stuff that takes a long time to do. It made it a lot easier with the guys that are here. I know a lot of guys here. I have trained with a lot of them with my agency and then a couple guys from the NFLPA Game. It definitely made the transition a lot easier. I feel like I am coming into a group of friends already. It has definitely made it easier."
On if he has spoken with relative and former Browns LB Clay Matthews:
"Right after I signed with the Browns, he called me. He told me I was going to love it here, that the people are awesome, the fans are awesome and the weather is beautiful, except in the winter. I told him I loved the cold, but I figure I will be regretting that 10 days into a snow storm. He called me and told me that I was going to love it and was excited for me."
DL Carl Nassib:
On what he expects to bring to the team:
"I just want to give my team and this organization the best that I possibly can. I want to get better and learn from the vets."
On what the first Browns meetings have been like and if it is similar to Penn State:
"It's a whole new system so it is taking me back to when I first got to Penn State, learning a whole new regime. It's been a challenging and I like challenges. It's been fun."
On his personality on the field:
"I just love football. I love playing against other teams, and I love winning."
On Head Coach Hue Jackson changing the culture with the Browns:
"Coach Jackson is really big on character. He's really big on hard work and accountability. He's a standup guy. I've been around him for a couple days, and from what I can tell, I am really excited to be a part of his team, learn every day and play for him."
LB Emmanuel Ogbah:
On if the transition to LB is difficult or if it's something he can do easily:
"It's new. I came from a 4-3 defense. Basically, the only thing that I'm doing is standing. It's pretty much the same. It's not complicated is what I'm trying to say."
On the difference between what he's being asked to do with the Browns compared to his role in college:
"What they asked me to do here is drop. That's the only difference. In college, I didn't drop that much, but I still dropped a little bit. Here, I'm dropping a lot more than I did in college. That's the only difference."
On his impressions of defensive coordinator Ray Horton:
"He's a smart coach. He knows what he's doing. He tries to educate us as fast as possible because we have to pick up the plays before the veterans get here. I'm doing the best I can, taking notes, going home, reading the plays and studying the plays so I can be one step ahead."
On if his goal is to start in the first game of the season:
"My goal is to do whatever I can to play on the team, whatever I can do to contribute if I might not start. If I start, I'll still be the best I can for the team, play special teams, wherever I can."
WR Jordan Payton:
On if he competed against many WRs during his college career, given the Browns drafted four WRs in addition to those previously on the roster:
"Everywhere you go, you are going to walk into something where there is tremendous talent around you. For me and for myself, it is about building the best person I can be and the best teammate I can be and ultimately helping Cleveland win a championship."
On what he is looking forward to most as he begins his NFL career:
"There are a bunch of things, but I am just excited to be here, to be in Cleveland. Cleveland is an amazing place. When I touched down, I was like, 'Wow.' To be able to wear this [Browns logo] and to go out every day and work is amazing."
On if he became concerned or nervous as the draft continued and he had not yet been selected:
"Obviously, there is a whole bunch of nervousness and it's a whole mix of things, but for me personally, it was more excitement because even if you know, you don't know and you're hoping that you get picked. When my name was called, it was a tremendous opportunity for me."
On if he knew the Browns were interested:
"The draft is a beast of its own. I had no idea. I had interviewed with them at the Combine. I got the call, and now, I am here."
On how much the four WRs the Browns drafted have bonded:
"We are a great group and we are excited for this opportunity. We have been with each other now for 24 hours and we all understand that there is one common goal, and that common goal is to help this team win. Everything that we do and everything that we have been doing together is to help Cleveland win games."
LB Joe Schobert:
On if OLB in the Browns scheme is similar to what he played:
"It's pretty similar. It's mostly the terminology of things and technique wise, but we haven't really delved into too much so far. In terms of the 3-4 scheme, it's not very different."
On if his mindset has changed because the Browns drafted so many players and no one is guaranteed a spot:
"I wouldn't say it has changed my mindset at all. I think no matter where you get drafted, you have to know that you have to come in and earn your spot. You are not given anything. (Head) Coach Hue (Jackson) and the defensive coordinator coach (Ray) Horton have done a great job of explaining that and sending their message that if you want to be a Brown, you have to want to be able to put in the work to do the most important thing which is win."
On his expectations for this year and an increasing role going forward:
"My expectation is to be as successful as possible in my role, no matter what it is in the first year and as it increases in the future. We have a bunch of great guys at outside and inside backer to learn from – how they do things, how they have been successful. (LB) Nate Orchard came to a luncheon yesterday and was extremely helpful with 'Whatever you need, come and ask' and all that stuff. Just to be as successful as possible is my goal."
LB Scooby Wright:
On why he's confident he'll be able to overcome doubts at the NFL level like he did in college:
"Just do what I'm asked to do. It's not that hard. If you can play football, you can play football. It's not too complicated. Just do what you have to do and play hard and be aggressive."
On if seeing players get hurt in college went into his thought process at all when considering whether or not to enter the NFL Draft:
"Yeah, kind of. I just felt it was felt it was the right time for me. I didn't try to compare my situation to anybody else's. I just sat down with my family and some people who are close to me and made the decision to declare."
On if he feels the urgency to make a first impression this weekend in rookie minicamp and how does he do that:
"I wouldn't say it like that, to make a favorable impression, because when you're out there playing football, you're not thinking about how you're going to impress somebody. You just go out there and do what you're asked to do by your coaches and your teammates and play hard and do what you need to do."
