Journal
Now A Saint
4/23/05
Q and A with Jammal Brown (By NewOrleansSaints.com)
Q: What made you consider New Orleans a good situation for you to come into?
A: "Just how they like to throw the ball and run the ball, with the Quarterback Aaron Brooks and the running back McAllister. It just felt like a good situation for me to be in. And they brought in Jermaine Mayberry, but then he's supposed to play right guard, so I knew there would be a spot there for me, so I'm just looking to come in and help the team, you know, get to the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl, because that's the ultimate goal."
Q: Jammal, did Carolina show interest in you?
A: "Yes."
Q: When did you get the feeling that they might take you, did you feel like they might take you if you didn't go to New Orleans?
A: "Yes sir, that was the feeling but I'm glad New Orleans did what they did. I talked to my agent and he thought Carolina was going to take me, and I guess you guys had the same feeling too, so that's why things worked out the way they worked out."
Q: How flattering is it to you to be the first offensive lineman picked in the draft?
A: "That's a great accomplishment. I would've been blessed to go anywhere in the draft, but to be the first offensive lineman off the board is a big deal. All that stuff is behind me now though, and I'm just looking forward to getting into camp in two weeks and getting on the right track so we can win a bunch of ball games."
Q: Jammal, what do you think are your strengths?
A: "My strengths are I have great footwork and I play till the end of the whistle. I try to punish every defender. And that goes along way. It wears out defenses, it wears out defensive ends. So, when the forth quarter comes, we can just run the ball down their throats. I think that's just something I enjoy doing, and it's something I have practiced a lot this year. I just try to be as physical as possible, and just block until I hear the whistle."
Q: You mentioned that there is an opening. Is that the way you feel, that you have a spot on the team and can play right away?
A: "Yes I feel that way, that I can come right in, and just learn the system and stay in New Orleans as long as I have to. I can take coaching very good. I've learned two or three offensive systems here at Oklahoma, so I'll just have to come in there and work hard and learn the types of things the Saints like to do. I'll hopefully step in to the right tackle stop, and just get after it."
Q: Are you in shape?
A: "Yeah, I've been working out since January 5th. I'm tired of lifting weights, I'm ready to get in there and play football."
Q: How much do you weigh?
A: "Right now, I weigh 320."
Q: Jammal last time you were in New Orleans, did you get a feel for the city at all? Do you have much experience down here in the city?
A: "I'm not really a big city guy, but we only play in the city, so that's the important part. I know I can make the adjustment, and everything will be alright. Last time I was in New Orleans, we lost a championship game, but this time I look forward to winning a bunch of games."
Q: Jammal, who'd you go against in that game?
A: "I went against Marcus Spears."
Q: How did you do?
A: "I did good. He didn't touch my quarterback and didn't make many tackles. I think he had an interception because he realized he couldn't get to the quarterback so he had to drop into pass coverage."
Q: Jammal, when is the last sack you gave up?
A: "The last sack was against Texas (in his junior season). There were ten seconds left on the clock and we tried to spike the ball, but it didn't work and Jason White had to roll and he got sacked near the sideline."
Q: Was that this past year?
A: "No, that was my junior year."
Q: How many have you given up in your career?
A: "Probably either one or two."
Q: A concern was your score on the Wonderlic. How important do you think that was, obviously it wasn't too important in your selection?
A: "The Wonderlic asks me about stuff that has nothing to do with football, I'm a football player. I think maybe they should change the Wonderlic to be about football plays instead. If they were asking me about defense or offense, I think I would have been a lot better off."
Q: You won't have any trouble with the playbook?
A: "I've learned two or three different offenses, and that's also coming from defense. I'm a guy that will have to work at it and learn, but that's not going be a problem."
Q: Jammal, do you think your background in defense and that mentality will help you now?
A: "Yes, that will help me a lot because I've played defense my whole life and having that mentality on the offensive side of the ball. That aggression comes with you and helps to dominate and destroy so I think that's one of my advantages."
Q: Jammal, how are you going to celebrate?
A: "I'm just hanging with my family, that's about it."
Q: Where did you watch the draft? Are you at home?
A: "Yes."
Q: How many people? Do you have friends are family there?
A: "Yeah, about 15 or 20 people, that's it."