Jimmy Garoppolo NFL Draft 2014 New England Patriots QB Interview

Jimmy Garoppolo Highlights NFL Draft 2014 New England Patriots QB Interview

Jimmy Garoppolo is the New England Patriots surprise pick and admission that Ryan Mallett’s not working out. (Zennie62Media coverage sponsored by Courtyard New York Manhattan Central Park).

The prediction here is Jimmy Garoppolo, from Eastern Illinois, will be the number two behind Tom Brady.

Here’s Jimmy Garoppolo:

Q. What did you think when it was the Patriots on the phone, especially growing up modeling your game after Tom?
GAROPPOLO: It was unbelievable. I was sitting down with my brother, Tony and my agent, Steve, and it’s one of those experiences, you don’t know how it’s going to feel until you’re actually there.
You try to prepare for it and everything, but that moment, I was speechless for a second, I’m not going to lie to you. It’s a very awesome scenario to go into.

Q. What did they say when you got the call?
GAROPPOLO: Coach Belichick was on the phone and asked if I wanted to be a Patriot. Obviously I was ecstatic about it and can’t wait to get to work.

Q. What are your initial thoughts on being Tom Brady’s backup and are you content to be in that role for a few years?
GAROPPOLO: Yeah, I’m going to go in there, and you have to make yourself better first. By making yourself better and better each day, you make the team better. That’s what I’m going in there to do and that’s the mind‑set I have right now.

Q. How did your private visit or your visit a couple weeks ago, how did that go with the Patriots, and did you think they would be a team that might draft you?
GAROPPOLO: It went really well. It’s an unbelievable facility they have down there.
I don’t know, going into this draft, I tried to not have too many expectations. Kind of wanted to sit back and let the chips fall where they may. Some people are trading all over the place. You don’t know who is going where. So if you start thinking about it too much, you start getting nervous and putting stress on yourself so I tried not to do anything like that.

Q. What was it like for you in the Green Room? Did it seem like an extremely long night?
GAROPPOLO: Today seemed long. Yesterday was just so cool just being there and everything and just enjoyed the experience.
You know, today, I don’t know, it was different in there because there was less people, I’d say. It was an unbelievable experience, though. I’ve never been to New York before, so me and the family, just out here enjoying it really.

Q. What do you think about backing up Tom Brady?
GAROPPOLO: It’s going to be a great opportunity. I’m going to go in there, and you know, I have the mind‑set that I’m going to prepare like I’m the starter. That’s how I’ve always played going into Eastern ‑‑

Q. Say that again. You’re going to beat Tom Brady as the starter?
GAROPPOLO: No, I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that.

Q. Wanted to make sure.
GAROPPOLO: No, I didn’t say that. I have the mind‑set that I’m going to go in there and prepare every day as if I was the starter, and just try to get better each and every day.

Q. Did William give you any advice after you shook hands and everything?
GAROPPOLO: Told me that Patriots are a blue‑collar organization. You have to get to work immediately, and that’s what I’ve all done and that’s how I was born and raised, so I’ll have no trouble with that.

Q. Had you met Brady before?
GAROPPOLO: No, I haven’t. Looking forward to it, though.

Q. Are you visiting? Are you travel to go New England tonight? What’s your plan?
GAROPPOLO: I’m not even sure yet. Just kind of doing the media tour right now, so I don’t know, we’ll see what happens.

Q. What was your earliest memory of Tom Brady?
GAROPPOLO: My best memory?

Q. Earliest.
GAROPPOLO: Earliest, when he won his first Super Bowl and driving the team down, I think it was like a minute or something he had left on the clock and everybody thought he was going to kneel and take it to overtime; and he took the team down there and Vinatieri put it through the uprights. That was unbelievable to watch.

Q. How old were you when you watched that?
GAROPPOLO: I don’t even know. I was young. I’m not sure how old though.

Q. Is Tom a quarterback that you modeled your game after growing up?
GAROPPOLO: Yeah, I started quarterback in junior year of high school.
So it was during Tom ‑‑ right when he started, got started. His poise in the pocket, just the way he takes control of the entire offense is something I’ve always tried to emulate.

Q. When you went to New England to visit and you did the chalkboard sessions, what impression was left on you about their offense and how you can conceptualize working it?
GAROPPOLO: It’s a fun offense, a lot of different variables to it and everything and it’s an offense that fits me. Like I said, this is a picture perfect fit for me.

Q. What originally led to you Eastern Illinois, and how many offers did you have coming out the high school?
GAROPPOLO: Only had three offers, all FCS schools. When I set up all three visits to go to all three schools and went to Eastern first. I don’t know, something about the coaching staff there ‑‑ I mean, I was lied to a lot during the whole recruiting process.
They were so honest with me, telling me they were recruiting other quarterbacks and everything, and just kind of ‑‑ that honesty and everything, that’s how I am. So I saw that in them and fell in love with the school, the players and coaching staff and canceled the two other visits and committed to Eastern and that’s it.

Q. Did you obviously know that Romo had gone there, did that play into it a little bit?
GAROPPOLO: I never thought about it that way but I thought Tony Romo went there, same offensive coordinator, Coach Wittke who recruited me, coached Tony Romo. So if he coached Tony Romo; he’s doing pretty well in the league, so I’m trying to get there myself.

Q. Do you know anyone from the Patriots?
GAROPPOLO: Just names of guys, watching them on TV and everything. Looking forward to getting to know everyone, though.

Q. How does it feel to be a Patriot?
GAROPPOLO: It’s unbelievable. Excited to get down there and excited to get to work.

Q. The next starting quarterback for the Patriots, that’s going to be you; how do you feel being that person?
GAROPPOLO: I love the opportunity. That’s why we all play the game. You want to be the starter. You want to get out there and play, and so you know, that’s the mind‑set that I have going into it.

Q. How does it feel to be the highest‑drafted guy out of Eastern Illinois with all the guys that have come from there?
GAROPPOLO: It’s an honor. Eastern, we have some good roots there. Small school and small town in Illinois. Don’t get too much recognition, but they did so much for me, and it’s nice to get their name out there and just represent Eastern.

Q. What family members did you come out with?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: They are all sitting behind there. Got Mom, Dad, brother Tommy, Mickey, Billy, all my friends from school, John, Adam, Pete, Nico, Jerome back there. So we got the whole crew back there. I appreciate them coming out. This is awesome having them here, too.

Q. What was your freshman year like?
GAROPPOLO: At Eastern? It was a rough year. Going into the year that Coach told me I was going to redshirt. So trying to just learn the playbook and everything, get my feet wet in practice. One thing led to another, and coaches wanted to start me, I think it was after the fourth game.
I jumped in, and it was a lot of learning experiences, that’s for sure. Saw a lot of things I wasn’t used to seeing but took all those things and applied them to the next three years and it turned out pretty well.

Q. What are your hobbies?
GAROPPOLO: Recently I got into golf lately, past couple months.

Q. That’s not a hobby; that’s a torture.
GAROPPOLO: If you’re good at it, it’s a hobby. That’s what I’m trying to get to now.

Q. Are you good?
GAROPPOLO: I wouldn’t say I’m good. Getting better, though. As long as you’re getting better, you’re doing it right.

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