Q. Blake, the Eagles said you were a favorite player of theirs in the draft. Did you know that going in, and what kind of exposure did you have with them?
BLAKE COUNTESS: I had a pretty solid idea about how they felt about me. I mean, they brought me in I want to say kind of late actually for a visit, but when I got down there on my visit you could tell they had really done their homework and looked into me a lot. I really felt the love on my visit more so than on some of my other visits. I definitely knew how they felt. They felt pretty strongly about me, and they said they had a few picks, and they didn't know when or how it was going to shake out, but they told me that I was definitely one of their guys.
Q. Did you enjoy or prefer playing corner or safety in college?
BLAKE COUNTESS: I enjoy playing football. Corner and safety are very similar, and defensive back. I felt like when I was at Auburn, we kind of had a need at safety, and I could affect the game a little bit more at safety, so the coaches were thinking of moving me and playing safety my last year at Auburn. But I'm comfortable playing both positions, and I love playing football, so either way it goes, I'm going to be happy.
Q. For no invitation to the NFL Combine, how did you take that?
BLAKE COUNTESS: Personal, very personal. As a competitor, you want to be at those events competing with the best. They say combines are -- they try to invite everybody they think is going to get drafted. Not getting invited, I took it very personal, but you can only control what you can control, and I had to keep reminding myself of that throughout the process, and those type of decisions were out of my control. So at the end of the day, while I did take it very personal and I was upset about it, I didn't let that stop me. I continued to work as if I was going, and I had a pretty solid showing in my pro day, and ultimately got drafted.
Q. Did you get a sense for why the Eagles seem to like you so much? Is there something about your game that translates well to Jim Schwartz's defense?
BLAKE COUNTESS: I think just the versatility in my game. I know they're getting a guy that is comfortable playing outside, comfortable playing inside, comfortable playing the free safety position, and then just a guy that's tough and a guy that understands the game of football. And those are all things that I really tried to make apparent on my visit and things I think I accomplished, but you know, those are some of the key things in my game that I think they really liked.
Q. The decision to transfer from Michigan to Auburn, what went into that?
BLAKE COUNTESS: You know, it was really a family decision. With the four years at Michigan, graduated, a new coach came in, my coach was fired, I went through the spring and just wasn't really on board. I wouldn't say I wasn't on board, but I was just feeling like I needed a different scene, change of scenery. Ultimately made the decision and went to Auburn, and couldn't ask for a better year at Auburn. I was defensive Player of the Year by my teammates and coaches and had a solid year, showed some versatility, got to play a lot of different positions, got to help on the special teams, which was huge. So I think I helped myself.
Q. How do you expect to be used here?
BLAKE COUNTESS: I expect to be used on special teams first and foremost, and then kind of whatever -- you know, wherever I'm going to fall on defense. I don't know just yet. We talked about playing outside, playing inside. So we'll see how it goes. I honestly could not tell you right now.
Q. Did you talk to Eagles special teams coordinator Dave Fipp when you were here?
BLAKE COUNTESS: I did not. When I got into Philly, like I said, it was the last day for visits, and when I got into Philly, they were actually heading out to practice, so I spoke with the defensive coordinator [Jim] Schwartz very briefly and then [Eagles defensive backs] coach [Cory] Undlin very briefly. They spent a little time with me before they went out to practice, but I didn't get to talk to everyone. That was one of the coaches I did not talk to, but I'm excited.
Q. How many visits did you take?
BLAKE COUNTESS: Just two visits. I had two visits and two workouts -- actually four. I had the Giants, the Ravens and the Redskins.
Q. What are your height and weight? You obviously did not go to the combine, so there's no official measurement. What's the last measurement for you?
BLAKE COUNTESS: The last measurement I had was five-foot-nine and three quarters and 184 [pounds].
Q. You're from right down the road here in Baltimore. How well do you know Philadelphia?
BLAKE COUNTESS: I know Philly pretty well. As a little kid we went on field trips to Philadelphia. I haven't been there much, but I have been there before, and I'm excited. I can't wait to get down there.
Q. Now your pro day 40-yard dash, what did you run? Do you recall?
BLAKE COUNTESS: I heard times from 4.46 to 4.51, so in that range. Best time was a 4.46 I heard, so that's what I'm going with, a 4.46.
Q. Now your family lives in Owings Mills?
BLAKE COUNTESS: Yes.
Q. You're pretty close to the Ravens' facility?
BLAKE COUNTESS: Yes, sir, probably six miles out from the Ravens' facility.
