2009 NFL DRAFT

SCOTT PIOLI: “We selected Tyson Jackson out of LSU, a defensive lineman. You’ll hear him referred to as a 5-technique defensive end who we think has versatility on first and second down situations, can play outside for us, and on sub situations can play inside. He’s been a very good player down there on a very successful team and a very successful defense.

“Todd and I spent a lot of time looking at a lot of these players at the end and we’re really excited to have him.”

Q: Was this a difficult decision over all the other available players?

PIOLI: “I don’t know if it was difficult. Here’s where it was difficult: there were a number of players there that we liked. We spent quite a bit of time the last several days and weeks watching all the players. I don’t think it was a difficult decision in the end because of all the work we put in here the last few days. We felt this was a player we wanted.”

Q: Was he head and shoulders above anyone else still available?

PIOLI: “I don’t know about head and shoulders, but there were a couple of players we liked at this spot. This is the player we liked the most. The question was asked the other day and it was asked before: do we do things based on need or best player available. I think this is a very good case and a situation that explains what I was trying to say the other day. We have a number of positions of need and there were a couple of players we felt were very good at this point in time that were available at number three. We valued a couple of players very similarly and for different reasons they had different strengths and ways to help our football team. In the end in this particular case when we factored in need and we see where we’re at from a front seven standpoint, so we felt that the need also came into the equation.”

Q: Does he come out of the game on passing downs?

TODD HALEY: “No, we look at Tyson as a three-down player and we actually think that he probably gains an advantage on third down if he moves inside and is over a guard. He’s got some pass rush skills, there is no doubt about it and that’s one of the things that excited the coaches about him. When you can take advantage of some match-ups inside it may really help him and us.”

PIOLI: “In a ¾ defense even though he’s playing defensive end and more outside in the regular (defense) in sub packages he has the skill set to move in and potentially to have a mismatch, not necessarily on the edge.”

Q: Did any team contact you wanting to move up?

PIOLI: “We didn’t receive any calls on trades once we got down near the end.”

Q: Were you pursuing any calls?

PIOLI: “No, because we felt good. There were a couple of players when we went into today knowing that we would (pick) three. There were a couple of players depending on what would happen on one and two that we felt good about. We felt good because we were committed to picking at number three and were very, very happy with a couple of players and one player in particular.”

Q: Was it a little different this year doing the draft in your new positions?

PIOLI: “It wasn’t for me. It’s very similar in that the drafts that I’ve been involved with in New England it was Bill (Belichick) who was the face in press conferences, yet it was a partnership where all the discussions went on very similar to what’s happened here in the past couple of months since Todd’s been hired. In some places there are two people and sometimes there is one, but in most organizations and contrary what is seen, there is a leadership group. This leadership group has made the decision.”

Q: Are you projecting him different than what he played in college?

PIOLI: “In college he was a defensive left end and then in sub situations and against different offenses he would move inside.”

HALEY: “There is some versatility with this player in that he’s been outside and he’s been inside and you can get him in some potential match-ups that will work in your favor.”

Q: His (Scouting) Combine numbers weren’t great, so was it a case where you focused more on the games and what you saw there and not what he ran in, say, the 40 (yard dash)?

PIOLI: “We’re most concerned with how a football player plays football and his Combine numbers were certainly acceptable. We don’t get overly enamored by great numbers. Now, you’re concerned if there are bad numbers and you’d want to find out why. But his numbers were pretty strong. You can see how strong he is and how fast he plays if you watch him on tape.”

HALEY: “He is strong and he’s a big man who can run and move around on the football field and that’s exciting stuff.”

Q: Based on your history in New England, did you think you might be bold or make a big splash? There were some fans and media who thought you might trade this pick.

PIOLI: “Any time you want to make a trade you have to have a partner to make a trade. If there is no partner to make a trade you can want all you want. There were no partners in this case who wanted to talk about trades. That’s why you have to approach it and be prepared. It’s why you spend the extra time if you’re going to stick and pick; you have to be prepared if there is opportunity for trades, and then calculate into the whole thought process if you’re going to trade back to a certain point. We still better know the rest of the first round and the players we might project. We may have ended up there but we didn’t.

“But as far as making a trade don’t read too much into reputations. Yeah, there have been a lot of trades I’ve been involved with but it doesn’t matter if I want to trade or not if someone doesn’t want to trade. It’s a moot point.”

Q: Not comparing him to (New England’s) Richard Seymour, would you guys try to use him the same way?

PIOLI: “You’re right, not comparing him to Richard Seymour, but it’s some of what he’s done. Richard has played in the league at a very high level, but it’s also what Ty Warren did.

“I had an interesting conversation this week with Coach (Jimmy) Johnson. We were talking about defensive linemen, and I’m not comparing him to this player I’m about to speak about. I remember Coach Johnson a long time ago in conversations Bill and I had had with him and in separate conversations about Russell Maryland. That year they were due to pick the fourth spot overall and they traded up from four to one to get Russell Maryland, a player who played in the league for 10 years, had only 24 and a half sacks over the course of his career and only went to one Pro Bowl. But Coach Johnson talked about the importance of Russell Maryland – again, different positions – how he allowed him to play the defense they wanted to play and what an important component he was even though he didn’t rack up sacks or only went to one Pro Bowl. What he was as a player in a very key position allowed the defense to be what the defense was.

“Comparing him to some of the Patriots defensive linemen, having the right players allows you to play the scheme. Ty Warren hasn’t gone to any Pro Bowls. We spent a lot of time with the defensive coaches this week trying to understand how they want to play the scheme and how they need to and finding the right players to fit in there. That’s where we’re at.”

Q: Is there a guy he reminds you of?

PIOLI: “Making those comparisons before a guy has actually played in this league is… We’re going to be playing him a little bit differently than he played. I think it’s unfair to do that until he’s played in the NFL yet.”

HALEY: “He’s a big, long player that’s strong and can run sideline to sideline and those guys don’t grow on trees. When you get a chance to get a player who’s built like that and plays with the energy he plays with in a big time program it’s a big deal to get one on campus.”

Q: Did you reach a new agreement with Matt Cassel today?

PIOLI: “No, someone had told me that that report is out there, but that’s news to me.”

Q: You’ve talked about looking for smart players. Does Ty fit that category?

PIOLI: “Todd and I both spent a lot of time with him and the only measurable you have is not always accurate. We’re quite comfortable with his intelligence and the fact that he’s been versatile and when you spend time with him we’re quite comfortable with how smart he is.”

Q: So he’ll make an immediate impact?

PIOLI: “I don’t know about immediate impact but he will pick things up quickly. How quickly he makes an impact remains to be seen because the history of the defensive linemen that I’ve been with whether it was Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren or Richard Seymour people see what those players become in their second or third years. They forget what they were as rookies. Richard Seymour as a rookie struggled tremendously, as did Ty Warren, and did Vince Wilfork. All three as rookies were not the players they became. Picking the player where we did we obviously think he’s a good player but we have to be careful in terms of managing expectations of a player coming into his first year in the National Football League. It’s a longer schedule, bigger players and it’s a significant adjustment for the players. It’s a dramatic difference from the college game to the program particularly up front. They’re different players and you can’t project what players are going to be too soon.”

Q: What jumped out at you as a player?

PIOLI: “That he was very strong, very good core strength and a very good long arm move. He has very good body control and very good balance and strength for a guy who’s sub-300 pounds.

HALEY: “Rarely on the ground, very good instincts, has very good football feel.”

PIOLI: “He had very good brute strength in being able to create separation with one hand.”

Q: What side do you envision him lining up on?

HALEY: “We probably see him right now away from the tight end, on the back side, the open side. That’s a key position for the defense as far as stopping the run mainly.”

Q: A lot of guys at his position have an adjustment to make. Why?

PIOLI: “I think part of it is technique, particularly in this defense and a lot of ¾ defenses . The techniques are different and how they use their hands. There is a lesser chance of a physical mismatch. A lot of college players have some sort of mismatch because of speed and strength. As you move up a level a lot of those things level out.”

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