G VEGA IOANE
On if he had a feeling he was going to be drafted by the Baltimore Ravens: "For me, it was more of – that type of thing didn't really matter to me. It was all hopes of this and that, but [you] never know how the draft works. But I'm happy that's how it went."
On his emotions on getting drafted and being surrounded by family: "It's definitely a really good feeling. Everything [is] coming around full circle. God has a plan for everything, and that's how my story went. That's how it began, and this is where it's at now, for sure. Everything happens for a reason. I'm glad that's how it went, for sure."
On what his pre-draft interactions with the Ravens were like: "Yes, I had a good feeling. I went out there for a [Top] 30 visit about two weeks ago before I came home. [There's] a lot of good people, a lot of good staff members in [Baltimore]. It was more of a family environment than a work environment. That's exactly what I look for, and [I] had a good feeling [I'd get drafted there], because everybody was saying so."
On how excited he is to play on an offensive line blocking for QB Lamar Jackson: "I'm really excited. The biggest thing for me is coming in and proving myself and earning my role. When I come in there – there's a lot of great players in the O-line room, a lot of great players on the team itself. So, for me, being surrounded by great players like that, it's just going to make me better, and that's all I can ask for."
On how he feels about blocking for the Ravens and what skills he brings to the team: "For me, it's hard to not see things for how they are. I've seen a lot of mock drafts, things like that of me coming there. I definitely picture myself blocking for all those people over there; [they are] great players. But, for me, when I get there, I'm bringing my pass protection. That's something I work on every day. [It's the] same thing for the run game. In the pass game, I'm coming in with the mentality that I'm not trying to get beat. Nobody's going to touch my quarterback, and it's as simple as that. In the run game, [it's the] same mindset of being a mauler. I'm trying to open up lanes for our running back, protect the running back in that case and just play ball."
On how he feels about living in Washington state and being drafted to an East Coast team after playing for Penn State: "Absolutely, man. I have been out [East] for four years now. I just got done at Penn State. It is no different for me. That's basically my second home, and I am going to treat it as such."
On how excited he is about teaming up with QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry, and the amount of family he had with him on draft night: "Absolutely. Everybody knows what great players those guys are – Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry – all those guys. And my thing is, coming in and earning my keep. I have to earn the right to block for those guys. That's how I think about things. So for me, coming in, that's my biggest goal. But here right now, I have about 80 people here. I have a big family, so 40 of them make up my own family. Everybody else is just extended family who aren't really related, but they're my family now. That's exactly why they're here."
On his mentality on the field: "For me, it's a switch that's taken me a while to perfect. When I'm off the field, I can turn it off and be chill with the guys, be calm with the guys and just kick it. But when I'm on the field, nobody is going to stand in front of me and survive. That's my biggest mentality. I'm out there trying to move people off the ball, make them not get to my quarterback. That's always been my mentality. But, it's a switch for me that I've been working on for a while, and it's doing pretty well."
On playing in the physical AFC North: "That's exactly what I want. I don't want to go anywhere else, where it's soft football. Football is meant to be physical and all those types of things. And that's exactly where I think I can fit in."
On if he is familiar with the Ravens' history: "I'm definitely learning a lot [about the Baltimore Ravens], but there's been a lot of great names, great careers that have gone through there. My thing is coming in and trying to be one of those [players], using those [players] as an example for me to follow in those footsteps and make a name for myself. There's a lot of history [and] a lot of greatness that's been through that building, that facility, that team. That's exactly what I'm trying to do."
