OFFENSIVE TACKLE TRENT WILLIAMS
Opening Statement:"First off, I just want to thank Coach [Mike] Shanahan, Mr. [Daniel M.] Snyder and Mr. [Bruce] Allen just for bringing me in and having enough trust in me to take me with the fourth overall pick. I'm just blessed to be a Redskin."
On his emotions over the past 12 hours:"It's been a whirlwind. It's a life-changing event. Emotions kind of get overwhelming at times but I feel like I did a good job so far holding it in and looking at everything in perspective. It was a dream."
On if he was surprised when the Redskins drafted him:"I was pretty surprised but I know I had a great visit, me and Coach Shanahan. We had a great talk. I had a great talk with Mr. Allen. I felt comfortable with the Redskins. It was a matter if they would pick me or not. Thankfully, they did."
On if he ever felt he needed a stronger work ethic in order to fully develop as a player:"I did. I knew I hadn't given my 100% all in my first couple of years at Oklahoma. There is always room for change and always room to get better. I just kept that in mind and worked hard to get better."
On if he ever imagined he would pass protect for quarterback Donovan McNabb:"Never in my wildest dreams. I will probably be starstruck for the first couple of hours when I get around him. He's a great quarterback, future hall of famer, and it's my job to keep him clean."
On his decision to stay at Oklahoma for his senior season and playing left tackle:
"I talked to my family about it. I prayed on it. It just felt like the right thing to do to stay in school. I didn't feel quite ready for the next level. I knew I could improve my stock by moving to the left side and being on the left side the whole season. It turned out to be a great move for me. I am thankful for that."
On playing against the elite defensive players in the NFL:"I have thought about that since I was in college. Just seeing how I would fare against the next level of competition. I have been playing this game my whole life. I think I can adjust to anything. It's going to take hard work. It won't be easy but I'm ready for it."
On his relationship with wide receiver Malcolm Kelly:"Malcolm and I have been close for a long time. He's kind of like a brother to me, a big brother when my big brother isn't around. He is always given me advice, great advice when I was in college and high school. He advised me to come to Oklahoma. He told me that I would have a great career and I would play early. I took his advice and I went to Oklahoma and it happened. We joked around with the possibility of becoming Redskins together. It finally happened. He was happier for me than I think anybody else. He has been a great driving force in my career and I am really blessed to have him around."
On his familiarity with the Redskins' current offensive line:"I am very familiar. I just got done talking to Mike [Williams] and Dock (Derrick Dockery) out in the hall way. They are fellow Texas guys, so they really embraced me really well. I am looking forward to it."
On his conversation with Chris Samuels last night at the draft:
"I talked to him directly after I got drafted. He just embraced me and told me he was there for me. He was going to be, in a sense, the O-line coach and that he was going to share his knowledge with me. I told him I was going to be like sponge, soaking it up, ready to play for him."
On how the Oklahoma football program prepares players for the NFL:"I just feel like we have a great coaching staff. Coach [Bob] Stoops, Coach [Kevin] Wilson, they do a great job of getting guys ready. They run it similar to a pro program. I think that's why we turn over well in the NFL. Just the way we run things. The way we run our camp, what they expect out of us. Coach Stoops, he's really a smart man, all about morals. He kind of helps us become men, also."
On what he is looking forward to the most about playing in the NFL:
"I'm just ready to play. I want to get out there on Sundays and be able to compete with the best of them."
OFFENSIVE LINE COACH CHRIS FOERSTER
On what the scouts said about Trent Williams and if he was lacking in strength:
"I didn't see anything on tape that says he's lacking in strength. All of our guys, they are part of the off-season program and they are always working with our strength staff downstairs to get stronger. That'll obviously help him become an even more effective player than he already is. I really didn't see that as being real issue when evaluating him on tape. He'll work real hard and he'll obviously gain the strength that he needs to continue to compete at a high level."
