take us uh take us back to draft day kind of what who'd you spend it with when you got your call the fifth round to the seahawks was that expected or were you expecting to be drafted from someone else

Um, yeah, so I was expecting to go a little earlier and maybe day end of day two.

Um, so I was sweating it out the entire time, just staring at the screen, like exactly what people told me not to do.

It's just like, they told me it was like the worst decision they made.

And it's like the anxiety the entire time was terrible.

I did it.

I couldn't keep off the screen.

yeah exactly that and when they drafted you i mean i was like yeah this guy fits what these guys want to do i mean got to be quick on your feet go with your hands climb to that second level um you know what's it what's it like explain what it's like for an offensive lineman because y'all don't get enough love it's not football without the o-line and the d-line it's seven on seven and that's not real football Right? So just what's the day in the life of an offensive lineman that's enlightened some people? Any nuggets that you have for the folks?

Right here.

Um, he's got little, like, traditions or little bits that we do.

Um, every once in a while we'll go on Google Earth and just search up somebody's [laughs] like old college town or stuff like that.

I had to show off my, like, hometown.

Um, I got fined a lot from that just because people were saying that I was being a rookie and shouldn't have been saying things I said, but, um, no, it's, he's got little things to kinda keep you, um, while you're out of the fire of practice to kind of just bring you out that, have a little fun.

So-

... what are you looking forward to accomplishing or what are your goals here over this next few weeks with the preseason here? What, what are you hoping to prove here with this game action?

Um, that I can put in, like, like, the, the film and the, what I've learned actual, like, playing, you know? Um, and that I can be more consistent.

Okay

... and they would just throw me in there.

Um, so like I had one move, and that was run forward, you know? And so it's like only until c- into c- uh, like couple years into college whenever we had Logan Jones switch from defensive tackle to, to O line, did he really get me into, like, the idea of their moves and, um, h- what their counters are to certain things you do, uh, what they read whenever it's a pass set, um, stuff like that.

And um, but yeah, in high school, yeah, it was literally just run straight forward, hold your gap.

Um, and even then it was still just go chase the ball, you know?

Uh, how did these two days go for you?

Uh, I felt, I felt we were pretty good.

Um, as, as the playbook, like, kinda gets into my brain, you know, um, you start to see things a little differently.

For, for fans who haven't, uh, watched a lot of Iowa football, what kind of player are the Seahawks getting?

You know, you're gonna get a mauler in the run game, um, technical in the pass game.

Um, loves, loves going to hit.

Um, I'm not one to shy away from contact for sure.

Um, but just more of that, more o- more, more overall just a professional type person, you know? A person that takes things seriously and, um, a guy that's from Iowa who's always considered an underdog, you know, always has that chip on their shoulder.

Um, there's never, the hay is never in the barn, is what Coach Ferentz says.

Um, that's just the kind of mentality Iowa culture has and what I've kind of embodied.

What is it about that program that produces so many good offensive linemen?