Did you have an idea that the Niners were selecting you here? You came here for the local Pro Day. What were your thoughts on that and what kind of interaction did you have with them?
"I had a great time at the local Pro Day just getting to know the coaches. I feel like going out there being able to show coach what I can do, kind of move around and really see that trust as a guy that they wanted to get. It's exciting to kind of build that relationship and then have a team select you."
It's a little odd when a guy who is going to be taken high in the draft works out at the local Pro Day. Was that sort of an arrangement that you had made with the 49ers that you would come there and workout and show what you can do beforehand?
"Yeah, I definitely wanted to go in and show coach what I can do and show him how I move around in his area. He had come to the pro day at Stanford and I kind of just wanted to go to San Francisco and go down there and show him, ‘Hey, I'm still working on the kind of things you've been asking me to work on.' I wanted him to be able to get his hands on me one more time."
Can you play either side?
"Oh yeah, definitely. I can play wherever coach needs me to play."
Do you see yourself strictly as a guard or do you think you can possibly have the quick feet to kick out to tackle as well?
"Yeah, I think it's wherever coach sees me fit at. Wherever I can help contribute to the team the most, help put the team in the best situation, is where they are going to put me at and I'm going to work my hardest to get concrete at that position and do whatever I can."
You probably saw that the 49ers took DL DeForest Buckner with the 7th overall pick. What are your recollections of playing against Buckner?
"I was excited once I saw that I was going to be able to play with guys like [DL Arik] Armstead. I went against Armstead in college also and DeForest too. Those are two great D-Linemen. What more could you want than going against top-caliber guys? Especially offensive linemen, we're going to be working and getting each other better. DeForest is a great player. I'm excited to be able to go head up with him for a long time."
You made it clear at the local pro day you would really like to be with the 49ers. They gave up, I think, three draft picks to move up nine spots to get you. Did you have a sense that they shared your interest?
"You never know. It's tough, but I was excited going and meeting with the coaches and seeing kind of the relationship we built and the bond that we had. It's definitely great to know that they believed in me like that, but it also shows me that they believed in me, that I've got to put in that much more work to prove them right that they made the right decision."
In today's NFL with all of the dangers, you obviously have a bright future outside of football. How much did you have to convince teams or convince the 49ers that you're in football for the long-haul?
"Yeah, I think that that's why the coaches know, talking with them, that I'm a football player. [49ers head coach] Coach [Chip] Kelly has known me for years now from the days of trying to recruit me to Oregon and now the 49ers. He knows I'm a football player and I want to play football. I think being able to show him that and convince him that, it was definitely beneficial. They all know that the style of play that I have, the way that I play, especially in the run game, that I love football and put everything into it."
Was that something, did you feel like you had to convince teams of that?
"No, not too much. Based on the film and people watching me, they could tell that this is a guy that loves football and that he pours his heart on the field and that he's going to do everything possible to show everyone that, ‘Hey, I'm a football player and I love playing football.'"
Is that a Stanford stereotype that sometimes you guys have to fight in the run up to the draft that you guys have other options besides football and that you have to convince teams that that's what you want to do?
"Yeah, definitely a little bit. But, the way that Stanford played pro-style football, teaches you kind of get off the ball. Everything that offensive line coach wants, they want guys that fire off the ball and do all that. So, that's why I am excited to join the organization and be like, ‘Hey, I'm going to try to do whatever I can to contribute and put myself and the team in the best position I can."
You mentioned playing in a pro-style offense. Obviously coming to a Chip Kelly offense, it's mostly a zone-oriented blocking scheme. How much of an adjustment do you think that's going to be for you?
"It's going to be an adjustment obviously for anybody, no matter what team you're going to just from the speed of the game. You're in the NFL now, but regardless you have to work your craft. You're a professional now. Whatever coach wants me to do, whatever [49ers offensive line coach Pat Flaherty] coach Flat wants me to do, I'm going to do it to the best of my abilities. I'm going to work day and night, 24/7 until I can perfect it because that's just the player that I am and the person that I want to be. I'm just excited that they are giving me the opportunity and they believe in me and that what they saw from the tape and the Pro Day at Stanford and the local Pro Day at San Francisco, that they feel like a guy who runs power, they believe in me in a zone scheme."
Last time that you were here at the local Pro Day you told us that your family is actually a bunch of 49ers fans and they asked to take a picture of you with your hat on. What was your mom's reaction when she heard your name being called by the team?
"Oh, yeah, my mom definitely started crying. Dad had to hold her up from fainting. She was excited and everyone is real excited. I'm excited that the family is able to be excited and have me be on a team that everyone has loved for so long and has supported, it just makes it even more sweeter."
With the problems they had at right guard last year, they are only going to move back into the first round like this because they expect you to start. Are you ready for that challenge?
"I'm ready to come in and do whatever I can, learn from the older guys. You have some great players on the offensive line on the 49ers right now. So, I'm ready to come in and contribute and I'm going to learn. That's the biggest thing for a guy who they expect to come in and play. You have to learn the offense. You have to learn from the older guys, the guys who have been there already. What are they going to be able to play? I'm going to have my notebook and my hard hat on and I'm going to keep learning and learning as much as I can and soak up as much as I can so I can do whatever it takes to contribute to the team's success."