I had no doubt. Watching him on tape. Talking with the kid. The way he reacted to certain questions I asked. I was pretty hard on him with some of the questions, and his reaction to those questions really told me a lot about the kid. Just a class act. Whenever you've got that much character and that much ability and the willingness to work . . . it's hard to lose.

259

He's had a phenomenal year. It's what we expected from him. Studying him before the draft, he's everything we thought he was.

243

The rap on him coming out, talking with some of the other tight end coaches in the league, they questioned his hands and I was glad they did. I had my eyes on him from the beginning and he was the one I wanted. I was just fortunate and blessed, I'd say, to be able to get him in the third round.

211

His strong-suit is blocking. He's the guy who's going to hold down the edge for me. But Alex is the guy who is going to set the tone.

209

I was praying. I wasn't thinking. I was praying.

169

They said you were soft, you won't block. Say you drop balls, and he took offense to that. I was glad to see that. The year before I had some of the same questions for another tight end, and his reactions were not pleasing. He just kind of took it and went on. . . . I knew then that I had doubts about that kid.

82