I'm not one of those guys that focuses much on individual stats because my main goal is to be at my best physically and mentally.
You don't realize how long that NFL season is. It's a long season, especially in your first year. Not only do you spend a lot of time preparing for the draft and working out, but they you have OTAs, minicamps, training camp, preseason games. By the time you get to week six you've already had one of the longest years of your football life and you still have 11 weeks to go, plus the playoffs.
I don't know how much things have changed. You still need to be able to run the ball, pick up blitzes and catch the ball out of the backfield. Perhaps you need a running back to do a little bit more or be more versatile today but that is a good thing. People say we get hurt and don't last as long, but it's still an important position and you need everyone in the backfield to be able to contribute.
I've never really seen myself as one of the premier guys. I work hard and strive to be one of the best at my position, but never do I tell myself, "I'm one of the best guys." I'm just excited that Vita Coco invited me to be a part of their team with guys like Lynch and Jones. Any time you can be mentioned with guys like Jones and Lynch it's an honor.
I'm expecting a lot from myself, I have set the bar high and I want to do really well for my teammates. I love working out and preparing so I have spent a lot of time doing that.
I've just been training and working on my speed. I want to be faster, Everyone knows that the more speed you have the more of a threat you can be in the NFL. For me I have been working on my speed and being more explosive. Everyone knows I can get the 10- or 15-yard runs, but I want to have the 60- and 70-yard runs.
Every team in the NFL is hard, but when we play our own division it's a fight. Our goal is to make it to the playoffs and to do that we have to win games within the division. We match up well against this division, it's just a matter of getting on the field and doing what we know we can do.
I think the biggest thing for me now is that I have a better understanding of what to expect as far as things go and the scheduling. Your first year is a little crazy because you are preparing for the draft and don't know where you will be playing.
When I'm not working out, playing football or working with Vita Coco, I'm a video game nerd. I love playing video games. I'm really good at FIFA. I'm not one of those guys that uses Barcelona or Real Madrid to win. My skills are real, so I don't need a loaded team to dominate. You don't want to play me in FIFA.
I would have to say that first preseason game. Just to put the pads on as an NFL player for the first time. It's a humbling experience because you realize that you are here and now you have an opportunity to go to work and continue to better yourself as a player. It's what you work for as an athlete and you know once you get there the real work begins.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis was great to me. He's the type of person that you want to learn from because he understands the game and he's been in the league for a while. He's a great role model to a lot of guys on the team, including myself.
