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Saturday Press Conference: CB Eli Apple

Eric from BBI : Admin : 7/30/2016 5:54 pm
Q: How has the rookie class come together? It seems like you Darian and Sterling are in position to make a pretty early impact on this team.

A: "Yeah, We are really close. We always talk about what we can do to help this team out. We are talented and we know that, so we are just trying to push each other every day."

Q: Does it mean anything to you in camp when you push Odell off his route and force an incompletion?

A: "Nope, The only thing it means is it was a flag. That is what it meant, but I’ve just got to be a little more disciplined with my hands, know when I have to take them off, but I just learn from things like that."

Q: That was one of the things they said about you coming out of Ohio State, right?

A: "Yeah, I am a little bit to handsy sometimes. I was trying to read his route and I was thinking it was going to be this back-shoulder fade and it wasn’t, so I just can't guess. I just have to react."

Q: Is that the kind of thing where you just chalk it up -- rookies are going to make mistakes -- and hope tomorrow you don't do it again?

A: "Exactly, I got with my coach and he told me to just react on the play and don't guess and anticipate the receiver."

Q: Have these first couple of days been what you expected in your first NFL training camp.

A: "I guess so, everything is happening really fast. The meetings are really long but I am having fun with it. The veterans make it easy to have fun and keep a loose environment but at the same time still serious."

Q: How long were you here until last night?

A: "We left around 9:15."

Q: Are you pretty tired at the end of the day?

A: "Oh, of course."

Q: There are times you and Sterling go one on one; what do you see in him?

A: “I see a competitor. He is someone who does not like to lose a rep. He does not let you get hands on him, he is quick off the line and does not like to lose. You can tell by his reaction if he does lose. He's a great receiver and I expect big things out of him."

Q: Coach McAdoo is talking about the corners being able to be versatile. Are you just as comfortable playing in the slot as opposed to playing on the outside?

A: "I am working on it, for sure. I am trying to get in my playbook and become comfortable everywhere. I can be all over the defense, so I just have to be prepared and know every position and have great awareness out there."

Q: Is that a new position for you at the slot?

A:"I have been there a couple of times, but I guess you can say it is kind of new."

Q: How much were you there today?

A:"I did not get any reps there today. I was mostly outside, but during camp I should get a couple more reps."

Q: It seemed like you spent most of your time rotating in there with the first team. Is that accurate? Do you guys have a 3-man rotation? How did they describe that to you?

A: “Yeah, something like that. I just go and do whatever the coach tells me to do. When he tells me to go in, I just go in. I don't know how it goes."

Q: Coach McAdoo was saying you can't tell much about the guys in the slot until the pads come on because it is much more physical. Are you sensing that when Tuesday starts it will be a whole different ball game?

A: “Of course, it's football. It's a physical sport, so when the pads come on, it's going to be a lot different. You can just tell the mentality and everything changes."

Q: Especially at slot, what is your anticipation with that? There are a lot more bodies in there.

A: "Right, we are going to have to blitz and take on some pulling guards and linemen, so you have to be smart out there because you don't want to get your head taken off. It's about having awareness and knowing where your help is and just being smart."

Q: How much experience did you have in the slot in your time at Ohio State?

A: "Not much experience, but that is what practice is for."

Q: How much more challenging is it playing in the NFL at a position that is a little bit foreign?

A: "The NFL, in general, is pretty challenging, just different from college, of course. It's all about studying your playbook so you can make everything a little slower out there on the field."

Q: Sometimes the guys in the slot are smaller and stocky and you are not that guy. How do you think your body type will work in that spot?

A: "I think I’ll be fine doing that. You just have to be smart. It's all about thinking and being one step ahead of your opponent, knowing where your help is and playing to that. Also having a lot of awareness and playing to your surroundings.

Q: You have to know more, don't you?

A: "Yeah, I would say so."
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