Q: Congratulations. What was the initial reaction and I know you had a visit up here, was this something you expected, to come into the Patriots?
MJ: Yeah. My first and initial thought was, it was definitely a dream come true to just be in a situation to be able to be in that certain percentage of being in the NFL. So, that was definitely a surreal moment, and I was actually here with my parents and everything. I had a lot of family down, so just spending this opportunity with my parents and seeing this is definitely a dream come true.
Q: On the kick return side of things, you played a little receiver at Houston, but were you a two-way player in high school and how'd you get so comfortable with the ball in your hands?
MJ: In high school, I played a lot of positions, wherever they wanted me at. Usually over time, whenever I played, coaches would ask me what I would be down for and however I could help the team, I was always down for it. So, whether coach wanted me to be offense, I'd do that to help the team or defense, I'd do that to help the team.
Q: I wanted to ask you about your shoulders and how the recovery process is going with that?
MJ: My shoulder's doing very well. Just staying on top of doing what I can to make sure I'm fully healed. So, just staying on top and making sure that I'm staying conditioned and working out. That's the main thing I'm doing.
Q: Do you feel like you'll be good to go by the time training camp rolls around?
MJ: Yes, sir.
Q: I wanted to ask you based off of the conversations maybe with the team and with other teams around the league, if they talk to you mostly about playing in the slot or playing outside, or really not getting too into too much detail with those combos yet?
MJ: Not in too much detail about it. Like I said before, however I could help the team, I'm definitely down for it. So, wherever they need me to be. Whenever I'm in new England, wherever they need me to be, it's the same way with my mindset. So, whether that's outside or inside or a safety or wherever, I'm definitely down, however I could help the team.
Q: How would you describe your style of play?
MJ: I would definitely describe it as, I'm a competitive guy. Definitely want to make sure my football IQ is high, but that just comes with the competitive nature that I definitely like to play by. I'm a next play mentality type of person.
Q: In terms of cornerbacks that maybe you follow or potentially model your game after, who might be a player or two that stands out?
MJ: I honestly don't have a person to where I kind of model my game because the main thing that I try to do is, I play a lot of positions, like I said, so I just try to get different tools and just work on however my coach teaches me and use those ways to help me on the field.
Q: I've seen some interviews and the competitive nature that you have. What is your mentality that allows you to play as physically as you have and then regarding your football IQ, when you have played offense, how did you manage to balance all that?
MJ: The main thing that I always pride myself in is in controlling what I can control. So, controlling the controllables. So, that's definitely getting in with the coaching staff and my position coach and watching film, watching with my teammates, doing things like that and just helping out as a collective group because it's not only me, you know, it's also the other guys and when you've got all 11 guys working hard and dialing in on the scheme and everything that we have going on, then the team collectively works better as a whole. So, it's me doing those things and like I said, controlling and controllables helps out with everything else.
Q: Would you describe yourself as a coachable player?
MJ: Yes, sir. For sure.
Q: Glad that we'll be getting to meet you soon, Marcus. I was curious what contact you had with the Patriots in the pre-draft process? Were you in touch with them much?
MJ: I was pretty much in touch with all 32 teams. There was no specific team that I was higher on or had more contact with another team and everything. So, it was 32.
Q: Do you remember who you were chatting with or what you talked about during the pre-draft process with the Patriots?
MJ: Honestly, I talked to everyone for all 32 teams. So, whenever it comes to that, it's kind of hard to remember because during our process we go from all types of ways.
