Q: Opening Statement
Blalock: It has been a long process but I am glad that is over. I cannot wait until I get back on the field and get everything started.
Q: Thoughts on starting on the offensive line?
Blalock: It sounds really good to me because I know teams don't pick players on the first day and expect them to sit on the bench. I am excited about the opportunity to come here and play right away.
Q: What was the biggest transition switching from the guard to the tackle position?
Blalock: The biggest thing was just getting comfortable. After playing so much at one spot and changing positions in midseason, there was not a whole lot of preparation. But for me, I am able to pick up things pretty quickly. And it's to the point that the guard position is as natural as the tackle.
Q: When was the position switch made?
Blalock: It was halfway through my senior year. It was because one of our guards got injured and I filled in so that we could have the five best players on the field.
Q: Have you ever played on the left side of the line?
Blalock: Yes. I did back in my high school years and my redshirt year at Texas, where I played both of the guard positions.
Q: Thoughts on and anchoring the interior part of the pocket
Blalock: It is a big deal especially competing against edge rushers. It is important for a quarterback to know that he can step up in the pocket and feel protected when rush-ends come around the corner and not have to scramble all the time. Hopefully, I can be a big part of the process of helping our quarterback in any way.
Q: What nuances did you learn protecting for a quarterback that has scrambling abilities?
Blalock: The biggest thing is to know that the play is never over until the whistles blows. Not knowing exactly where the quarterback is at a given time is also something which you have to learn to adjust on the fly. I imagine I will be in the same type of situations with our quarterback, but I am excited to be a part of it.
Q: How was competition in college?
Blalock: We had pretty tough competition week after week. Especially in our conference schedule, there were very few games that I was not tested.
Q: Did you ever play against Jamaal Anderson in college?
Blalock: No, because I believe he would have been a freshman the year we played Arkansas. He was not playing at the time when we played them.
Q: Thoughts on being selected in the second round?
Blalock: I am excited on being picked on the first day. This is right where I imagined and it is a great position to be in.
Q: Do you graduate and if so, what was your major?
Blalock: Yes. I graduated in December and I majored in youth and community studies and minored in business
