Former Notre Dame OL Jarrett Patterson spoke to reporters this morning at the NFL Combine. Below is a transcript of the media session.
Questions may be paraphrased. Answers aren't.
JARRETT PATTERSON
JARRETT PATTERSON
How much of a selling point for you is being versatile?
“I’d say every team I met with, formally and informally throughout this process, my whole thing has been talking about my versatility and being able to play all three interior spots. That’s been my biggest selling point. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care where I’m at. Get me somewhere inside, and I can play to the best of my ability.”
What did you get out of the Senior Bowl experience?
“Busy week for sure. But it was cool. Great offensive linemen there from all around the country competing against the best every single day. It was a good learning experience learning an NFL-type playbook and being around NFL coaches. It was a good time and a really good learning experience.”
What was it like being part of ND OL tradition?
“Thinking about all the years I’ve been there and always seeing the alums coming back, it really is a brotherhood and a special place. I encourage all the guys who are being recruited there to give it a serious look and visit, because it’s a great group of guys and great coaches. You won’t find any offensive line experience around the country like Notre Dame.”
What’s your relationship with Robert Hainsey like?
“That’s my guy. We started two years together, essentially, at Notre Dame. I still text him every now and then asking how it’s going, talking about the process I’m going through right now and just learning everything I can from him, because he’s a great man and really great leader.”
Met with Bucs?
“I had an informal with the Buccaneers. It would be great to reunite with Rob. I know he would do everything he can to help, me because that’s who he is. He’s just overall a great person.”
What your relationship with Liam Eichenberg like?
“I’ve talked to Liam on the phone a few days before coming out here talking about his experience, how’s life going for him, things like that. Similar to Rob, he was a mentor for me at Notre Dame all throughout those years and throughout this whole process and being a captain at Notre Dame. Up to this point now, he’s provided so much great advice for me. Always talking to him whenever I can.”
Met with Dolphins?
“Informally, yes.”
How about Washington?
“I have not met with Washington.”
What kind of things has Eichenberg said about his experience with the Dolphins?
“It was tough initially. There’s a lot going on his rookie season, but at the same time, there’s more staff all in place to support you. Just relying on people. Like myself, I lean on Liam, Rob and all those other guys I played with. He did the same with other guys he played with at Notre Dame like Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey.”
What’s it like playing offensive line in Tommy Rees’ offense?
“Coach Rees’ offense, it’s a run-first mentality. He put that on us this season. He told us we’re going to run the football. He wants to run the football. But at the same time, we’d run a simple inside zone play and he could sprinkle in all these kinds of motions to throw defenses off and RPOs. He’s a really smart man. He’s a good person.”
What’s Rees like behind the scenes?
“Behind the scenes, he’s a coach, but he’s also at that point where he’s kind of young almost like a player still. You respect him as a coach at the same time. He understands how the guys are, how it is in college. He’s fun to be around.”
Are you scheme versatile?
“One-hundred percent. In 2020, outside zone was our main play we ran. This past year, a lot of inside zone and gap schemes. I’m comfortable in any scheme. It doesn’t matter. Just what position am I going to play inside?”
What would it be like to play with Banks?
“That would be an awesome experience. We started right next to each other at Notre Dame for 20-something games. I was center. He was at left guard. He’s a big, powerful man. He just loves the game of football. He’s a competitor, and I’d love to play next to him.”
Formal meeting with 49ers?
“I have not.”
Informal?
“I don’t think so.”
What was your reaction to Harry Hiestand retiring?
“It definitely was surprising. I was caught off guard. But at the same time, he has to do what’s best for him and his family. I know he’ll be missed around there, but all the things he taught me and those guys are still there. I know they’re going to keep after it and keep pushing each other every single day. They’ll be in good hands.”
What did Hiestand do to develop you in the last year?
“It's always the little things, and being on the details, especially technique-wise. It's almost like borderline perfection with him when it comes down to O-line play. But it pushes you to get to that point.”
Where have you been training for the NFL Combine?
“I've been training at Sports Academy in Frisco, Texas. We have a whole bunch of O-linemen here that were all training together. So it's been cool to hear about their experiences at other schools and learn technique from them as well.”
Was there someone you looked at to help you switch to guard?
“Really just the Notre Dame guys that all played. Going back to the previous years' film and watching guys like Q, the Martin brothers, the guys I played with. That was just the biggest since the offense, for the most part, has been pretty similar every year at Notre Dame — a run-first mentality. When you have coach Hiestand and coach (Chris) Watt working with you, you can really learn anything on offensive line play.”
What impact did Chris Watt have on you?
“He was huge. Coach Watt played center and guard in the NFL, so he played all three interior spots. So being able to talk to him about his experience, being around at center and guard in the NFL, and what he had to do to learn those positions, it was invaluable for me.”
Could you play tackle in the NFL?
“I would give it a shot. I played it my freshman year, but no, I'm probably going to stick inside.”
What things were easily translated when moving from center to guard?
“As far as it relates to playing center or guard, everything's just going to happen fast, especially compared to tackle. Really the only difference is pass setting, pass pro at guard can be a little different than center. At the end of the day, you're inside, you're setting up double teams. You're always kind of working with someone. Really the only difference is at center you're snapping and at guard, you don't have to.”
(more)
Questions may be paraphrased. Answers aren't.
JARRETT PATTERSON
JARRETT PATTERSON
How much of a selling point for you is being versatile?
“I’d say every team I met with, formally and informally throughout this process, my whole thing has been talking about my versatility and being able to play all three interior spots. That’s been my biggest selling point. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care where I’m at. Get me somewhere inside, and I can play to the best of my ability.”
What did you get out of the Senior Bowl experience?
“Busy week for sure. But it was cool. Great offensive linemen there from all around the country competing against the best every single day. It was a good learning experience learning an NFL-type playbook and being around NFL coaches. It was a good time and a really good learning experience.”
What was it like being part of ND OL tradition?
“Thinking about all the years I’ve been there and always seeing the alums coming back, it really is a brotherhood and a special place. I encourage all the guys who are being recruited there to give it a serious look and visit, because it’s a great group of guys and great coaches. You won’t find any offensive line experience around the country like Notre Dame.”
What’s your relationship with Robert Hainsey like?
“That’s my guy. We started two years together, essentially, at Notre Dame. I still text him every now and then asking how it’s going, talking about the process I’m going through right now and just learning everything I can from him, because he’s a great man and really great leader.”
Met with Bucs?
“I had an informal with the Buccaneers. It would be great to reunite with Rob. I know he would do everything he can to help, me because that’s who he is. He’s just overall a great person.”
What your relationship with Liam Eichenberg like?
“I’ve talked to Liam on the phone a few days before coming out here talking about his experience, how’s life going for him, things like that. Similar to Rob, he was a mentor for me at Notre Dame all throughout those years and throughout this whole process and being a captain at Notre Dame. Up to this point now, he’s provided so much great advice for me. Always talking to him whenever I can.”
Met with Dolphins?
“Informally, yes.”
How about Washington?
“I have not met with Washington.”
What kind of things has Eichenberg said about his experience with the Dolphins?
“It was tough initially. There’s a lot going on his rookie season, but at the same time, there’s more staff all in place to support you. Just relying on people. Like myself, I lean on Liam, Rob and all those other guys I played with. He did the same with other guys he played with at Notre Dame like Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey.”
What’s it like playing offensive line in Tommy Rees’ offense?
“Coach Rees’ offense, it’s a run-first mentality. He put that on us this season. He told us we’re going to run the football. He wants to run the football. But at the same time, we’d run a simple inside zone play and he could sprinkle in all these kinds of motions to throw defenses off and RPOs. He’s a really smart man. He’s a good person.”
What’s Rees like behind the scenes?
“Behind the scenes, he’s a coach, but he’s also at that point where he’s kind of young almost like a player still. You respect him as a coach at the same time. He understands how the guys are, how it is in college. He’s fun to be around.”
Are you scheme versatile?
“One-hundred percent. In 2020, outside zone was our main play we ran. This past year, a lot of inside zone and gap schemes. I’m comfortable in any scheme. It doesn’t matter. Just what position am I going to play inside?”
What would it be like to play with Banks?
“That would be an awesome experience. We started right next to each other at Notre Dame for 20-something games. I was center. He was at left guard. He’s a big, powerful man. He just loves the game of football. He’s a competitor, and I’d love to play next to him.”
Formal meeting with 49ers?
“I have not.”
Informal?
“I don’t think so.”
What was your reaction to Harry Hiestand retiring?
“It definitely was surprising. I was caught off guard. But at the same time, he has to do what’s best for him and his family. I know he’ll be missed around there, but all the things he taught me and those guys are still there. I know they’re going to keep after it and keep pushing each other every single day. They’ll be in good hands.”
What did Hiestand do to develop you in the last year?
“It's always the little things, and being on the details, especially technique-wise. It's almost like borderline perfection with him when it comes down to O-line play. But it pushes you to get to that point.”
Where have you been training for the NFL Combine?
“I've been training at Sports Academy in Frisco, Texas. We have a whole bunch of O-linemen here that were all training together. So it's been cool to hear about their experiences at other schools and learn technique from them as well.”
Was there someone you looked at to help you switch to guard?
“Really just the Notre Dame guys that all played. Going back to the previous years' film and watching guys like Q, the Martin brothers, the guys I played with. That was just the biggest since the offense, for the most part, has been pretty similar every year at Notre Dame — a run-first mentality. When you have coach Hiestand and coach (Chris) Watt working with you, you can really learn anything on offensive line play.”
What impact did Chris Watt have on you?
“He was huge. Coach Watt played center and guard in the NFL, so he played all three interior spots. So being able to talk to him about his experience, being around at center and guard in the NFL, and what he had to do to learn those positions, it was invaluable for me.”
Could you play tackle in the NFL?
“I would give it a shot. I played it my freshman year, but no, I'm probably going to stick inside.”
What things were easily translated when moving from center to guard?
“As far as it relates to playing center or guard, everything's just going to happen fast, especially compared to tackle. Really the only difference is pass setting, pass pro at guard can be a little different than center. At the end of the day, you're inside, you're setting up double teams. You're always kind of working with someone. Really the only difference is at center you're snapping and at guard, you don't have to.”
(more)
