On how much he has improved since his first day at rookie camp: "I've improved a whole lot from day one. I wasn't really getting off the ball as fast as the older guys were but now it seems like it's becoming a repetition thing for me. I'm getting off the ball a whole lot quicker."

On what he's working on in particular: "Getting off the ball is the main thing. Just getting adjusted to the technique also because a few things were different than I did under (Mississippi State defensive line) coach (Chris) Wilson than under (defensive line coach Jim) Washburn."

On his impressions of Washburn: "He is what I thought he was. He gets after it like he said he would. I tell him that he reminds me a lot of coach Wilson."

On the differences between playing defensive line in college and in the NFL: "Just lining up. Sometimes where I started from, we played with a tilt and we didn't play in a three-point stance. There are just a few things that I'm learning like not playing with a tilt and not getting reached."

On whether he finds it a little awkward still and needs more time to adjust: "I'm getting used to it because I come out before practice and get a little bit of work done before the older guys get out like my stance and get-off. That's a lot of tips that (defensive ends Jason) Babin and Trent Cole told me to do. I just started to do it every day."