PATRIOTS OL WILLIAM SHERMAN – 2021 DRAFT, PICK 197
CONFERENCE CALL
May 1, 2021
Q: How much contact did you have with the Patriots throughout the process?
WS: Yeah I'd say a good amount. I've had a meeting with the assistant o-line coach, I talked to a scout. So I talked to the team a good amount. I was definitely hoping that this was the organization that would pick me, just with the given history and the great coaching that's available. So I'm very excited and thankful.
Q: Have you watched much Patriots football the last few years and are there any players in particular that you like and try to model parts of your game off of?
WS: Definitely. It's kind of hard not to watch the Patriots in the postseason because they're so consistent in getting there and I'm excited to now be a part of this. It's crazy because one of the guys who I've watched is Isaiah Wynn just because he's about the same size as I am, still playing left tackle too. So just trying to watch him play left tackle, mirror his feet, his technique, his hands and all that stuff. So it's crazy to actually get drafted by the Patriots now just because he was definitely a guy who I used to watch in college a lot.
Q: It's funny to hear you mention Isaiah because when he was drafted a few years ago, a lot of us wondered if he was going to play tackle or guard. He had played tackle at Georgia and played it really well. I know you played pretty much exclusively tackle at Colorado. What do you think you'll be playing at the next level?
WS: Definitely played left and right tackle. I got some practice as a guard and I'm confident that I'll be able to make the switch to guard. Really throughout this draft process, I've been snapping the football so I've been able to show teams that I can play all five. So really at this point, whatever position the coaches feel comfortable with me playing, I'm going to be excited to play there. I really don't limit myself to one position now just because I've been really good at snapping so far and I'm confident in my ability to play guard and tackle. So now it's just where the coaches see me, whatever helps the team. So, looking forward to it.
Q: Can you explain what led you to start snapping the ball during the draft process?
WS: So, I talked to my agent and we both had a talk about the high probability of me moving into the interior and we thought it would be really good for me to be able to advertise myself as someone who can play all five. Me having film playing left and right tackle in college and with our knowledge of me moving into the interior, we thought it'd really be a good idea for me to start snapping. So, I got on the board and started learning from a center's standpoint, would do all my position drills snapping the football throughout this draft process. Really once I declared, we thought it would be best for me to start snapping just because of the high probability of me moving into the interior.
Q: How did you start watching Isaiah Wynn? How did that happen that he was a guy you were drawn to watching?
WS: We actually had a coach come from Georgia and he talked to me about how Isaiah was the same size as me, played tackle and was really successful in playing tackle, so I just started watching him a lot. He was right, he's not the prototypical 6'6"-type of tackle but great feet and great technique, it does wonders for him. So that's what I plan on doing as well if tackle is the position that I play.
Q: How much do you think your versatility is going to help you joining an organization like the Patriots that values versatility?
WS: Exactly. The Patriots were a team that I was definitely excited about and a team that I really wanted to go to just with the great coaching staff and the great history of the organization. So, I'm so excited and blessed to have gotten the call from the Patriots. Really just throughout the draft process, I really wanted to show that I could play all five. I'm glad I was able to show that, I'm really glad the Patriots picked me and realized the significance in that. At this point, it's just figuring out which position the coaches see best for me and see fit best for me. Whichever position that is, I'm going to be very excited and put my head down and work so that I can help the team be successful.
Q: Reading a little bit about you, it seems like you take a lot of pride of being able to block in the running game and it looks like the way the Patriots are built, they're going to be a pretty run-focused team. Does that excite you and how would you describe your on-the-field demeanor, especially when it comes to blocking in the run game?
WS: Definitely. Running the ball is everything and when you can run the ball, you can do anything. You can pass, play-action pass, run screens. So I'm definitely excited for whatever scheme is drawn up and I look forward to giving it my all to be successful and help the team win games. I'm really excited. If running the ball's our identity, that's something that I'm going to look forward to. I'm sure the o-linemen that are there now are already excited about that and looking forward to that.
