(on what position he prefers to play) "It really doesn't matter to me. Wherever I can help the team is where I will play."

(on his interceptions during his college career) "I really try to stay around the ball and it's a tribute to having a great defense around me."

(on whether or not he was surprised by the Jaguars' pick) "I knew it was a possibility if my name was still on the board that Jacksonville would take me. I met with the scouts and we kind of know each other personally because we've seen each other so many times."

(on who called him and told him he was the pick) "I talked to head coach Jack Del Rio and the new DB coach, Alvin Reynolds."

(on his recruitment out of high school) "Out of high school I was recruited very heavily until I broke my leg. That's how I ended up at Bethune-Cookman. It happened my senior year. All the major schools recruited me, Florida State and Florida. When I broke my leg, they backed off."

(on how he broke his leg) "I broke it returning a kickoff."

(do you know Micah Ross?) "I don't know him personally, but I know of him."

(on his family in Jacksonville) "I have my mom, my sister and my auntie. I have a couple of relatives here in town. I was born in Adel, Ga. I moved to Jacksonville in middle school, in fifth grade."

(do you have a favorite in playing either corner or safety?) "I just love to be on the field. So regardless where I play, I plan to make plays."

(are you more comfortable playing safety, having played that position more?) "I played that more in college, but since the NFL draft neared I thought I might be playing cornerback. Since then I've been spending my time working on that."

(working on what?) "Like one-on-one coverage in the receivers, things like that."

(is that your agent?) "No, Doug Henderson is my agent."

(have you ever attended a Jaguars game?) "Yes, I have. My sophomore year in high school, I think."

(when the draft started, were you hoping the Jaguars would take you or did you think it would be best to go someplace else to eliminate distractions of being close to home?) "I really didn't try to guess which team I was going to be, being that there are 32 teams and that's not a high percentage that you have a chance to pick the team that's going to draft you. When the phone rang and I knew it was them, it was a good relief. So, it wasn't that I wanted to stay home, but it's good I'm not leaving."

(what are your 40 times at now?) "Electronically, I ran a 4.41 at the combine."

(are you aware that this is a new era in Jaguars football?) "Yes, I am aware of that and I'm glad it's beginning to be a new era and I'm looking forward to it, the whole ordeal."

(what does it mean to you that you're the second pick of the new era? Does it give you more in the way of opportunity?) "I guess you can say that in a sense. I was in a new era when I came into college, too, because we turned the program around in college. So we're looking to do that as well in Jacksonville."

(are you looking to come in and start this year?) "I think any player would be lying if they didn't want to start."

(do you think you have a shot at starting?) "I'm looking to be very competitive."

(why didn't you attend Florida or Florida State?) "Like I told you, my senior year I broke my leg. So after that, it was pretty much me walking on. But my mother, who's a single parent, said if there is someone offering me for a full ride, I should take the full ride."

(did a lower Division I-A school offer you a full ride?) "Not really. I guess some people would say I shot myself in the foot because once I visited Florida State, I pretty much turned down everybody else. I visited Florida State prior that year."

(were you heading to Florida State when you broke your leg?) "Right."

(did you harbor any bitterness when Florida State pulled the scholarship offer?) "No, because I couldn't be in a better position right now. I don't regret anything. I'm not saying I want to get hurt again, but I don't regret the situation that I'm in now."

(on playing in your hometown area in front of family and friends) "It's great. You can't paint a better picture."

(what is your mother's name?) "Oletha Mathis."

(what is mother's reaction?) "She's very excited. When the phone rang, she and my whole family were screaming. So they're very excited."