Potential Patriot: Boston Globe’s Price Talks to Georgia WR McConkey
(PHOTO: Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK) 🕑 Read Time: 4 minutes
Posted Under: Patriots News
(PHOTO: Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK) 🕑 Read Time: 4 minutes
New England Patriots > Patriots Blog
(PHOTO: Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK) Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey is a player who many believe will be among the list of receivers taken early in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
The Boston Globe’s Christopher Price caught up with Georgia Wideout Ladd McConkey in a recent The Patriots Report with Price & Hogan podcast, with McConkey talking about a variety of topics, including his impressions after meeting with the New England Patriots.
We mentioned it in this space yesterday, but here’s the full transcript of that interview:
On how he would characterize his conversation with the Patriots and if he’s had any conversations since then:
“More of the Senior Bowl, kind of their first time talking to you. They really wanted to get to know about your family, what made you want to go to Georgia, just getting to know the person not the player. So, met with them since then a couple times, and it’s been great every single time.”
On what the conversations he had were like:
“Sometimes, they’ll give you their install, put some of their formations, their plays in, stuff like that. Try to memorize it, take it all in. Then they’ll take your mind off of it, and go watch my film. So then they want to know if I can tell you what everybody’s running, what the play call is, what the reads are, and then after I do that, they’ll come back and [ask], ‘OK, what was that play that I taught you again?’ So, little stuff like that. Just kind of see if you can recall information and if you can understand football.”
On his takeaways from those conversations:
“Meeting with them, I feel like it was solid every single time. Seemed like great people, great coaches. They want the best for me if that was to happen and all their players. So, nothing but great things to say about them and their organization.”
On how he deals with going through everything, and being at the end of the pre-draft process:
“Just kind of take it all in. It can be stressful or hectic or whatever. But at the end of the day, I get to go through this one time, so enjoy it. I’m getting ready to live my dream out and play football for a job, so I can’t be too mad about that.”
On the biggest change he’s anticipating:
“I mean, you know, it’s being in a whole new environment. I feel like you get drafted, and then you’re there. There’s some change in that, and then obviously, there’s no school anymore, no classes, no mentor tutoring sessions, whatever you’ve got going on, it’s just strictly football. A lot more, just kind of taking care of business yourself. Obviously, you’re there with coaches, but we’re a professional now, so there’s some different stuff that comes along with that.”
On what the biggest surprise that made him go, ‘Wow, I didn’t really anticipate that?’
“The speed dating. All the teams, 10 minutes, and then move on to the next one, just rolling, rolling, rolling. Like at the Senior Bowl or the Combine. I knew I was going to meet with teams, but I didn’t really know what to expect too much, just from what people had told me. So that was a different feeling than I’ve had.”
On the question he’s the most tired of hearing?
“I don’t know, I guess if someone’s kind of like, ‘Hey, what team do you want to go to?’ At the end of the day, I mean, I don’t have that decision. Whoever drafts me, I’ll be happy with it. It’s crazy because with college, I get to pick where I’m going, that type of recruiting, but now it’s kind of flipped.”
On who the guy or guys he’s tried to model his game after?
“Honestly, not anyone specific. I don’t just watch a certain guy and try to match everything. I like to see what works for people. I don’t know, if a release looked good by this guy, or the top of a route looked good by that guy, just use that and add it to my tools. But not anyone really specific. Honestly, there’s so many great receivers in the league, I feel like I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t try to watch some of everybody.”
On if he’ll be at the draft?
“No, sir, I’m going to be at home.”
On if that was his decision, or how that works?
“That was my own decision. I just wanted to stay home and be with my family. I know they’re going to be there supporting me. It would be a lot easier sitting in Chatsworth (Georgia) in my living room than it would be going out there. So it’s just something I want to sit there and be able to be comfortable and enjoy it with all them.”
On his work with Six Star Pro Nutrition:
“You know, partnering with Six Star, and their new Six Star Protein shake that they have coming out. It’s really been essential. It’s made it easy for me throughout this whole pre-draft process, whether it’s been with strength, endurance, recovery, and it helps that the flavors are really good as well. Kind of get the best of both worlds from that aspect.”
Both Price and former Patriots receiver Chris Hogan often have some good stuff in their weekly podcast, so be sure and add that to your weekly list of shows in whatever app you use to listen to them.
Also, here’s a video of McConkey from his coach’s Twitter account, with the receiver reposting a great shot of him making a nice one-handed grab during a recent workout this week.
Juss Chill 🫣😂 @laddmcconkey02 pic.twitter.com/kHui6FOwvV
— Coach Steph Brown (@CoachBrown_MDN) April 11, 2024
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