DT Tommy Togiai (5.1.21)
On how good it feels to stay in Ohio:
“It is great. I love the state of Ohio and my time at Ohio State and Columbus, and now, I am going to go onto another [Ohio] city in Cleveland. I am excited to get up there.”
On going from a program that annually plays for the national championship to a team that has Super Bowl aspirations this season:
“It is exciting. I am excited to be part of their organization and so blessed to have them pick me in this draft. I am just really excited to get to work and get up there.”
On how he will fit into the Browns defense and how the Browns OL can help make him better:
“Just with the organization, I know they have history, and I know these last couple of years they are on the rise. You see what they did last year. With their D line, too, I think I fit well with them. I can be a diverse player with them, playing inside. Going against their O line, they have a great O line and being able to go against them in practice is only going to make me better. I am just really excited.”
On describing himself as a player:
“I think the thing I do best is being physical at the point of attack, using my hands and being able to lock out O linemen, especially in the run game. I think that is what my best attributes are. The stuff I have been improving on and been working on this offseason in my pass rush is using my hands better, using some more moves and incorporating more moves that I can use.”
On how much pride he takes in his bench press numbers and his strength translating to the field:
“I take big pride in that, just being able to be strong on the field and not letting O linemen being able to move me. I take pride in that, being able to move my ground, push the line of scrimmage back and make plays in the backfield.”
On his reaction to the selection being announced by Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry:
“It was crazy. We got on a Zoom call right before they picked me a couple of minutes before that. Just to be able to talk to the higher ups who are part of the organization is just a blessing. To be in Ohio and see the excitement they had in choosing me, I am just so blessed and grateful for them picking me.”
On his decision to enter the draft this year:
“Making the decision to come out was really just my health. I was healthy coming out after this season and did not know what next season would look like risking injury and then with the pandemic still around. Just kind of that risk factor also is kind of the reason why I came out early.”
On when he expected to be drafted and the experience this weekend:
“I always had a feeling that I was going to go later in the rounds, but I did not know yet exactly where. That is the kind of risk I took going into this year. I was betting on myself, and it worked out for the best. Whatever decision I decided on was the best decision for me, and I am sticking with that. I know this was the best decision for me and I am excited to get to work.”
On joining a Browns DL with DEs Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney:
“It is exciting, especially with what those guys have done with their years in the NFL so far just to be able to go in and learn from them, pick up tips from them and be able to play with them maybe side by side. It is just really exciting. I am blessed with this opportunity to be able to learn from them, pick up anything I can and try to soak in all the information I can from them.”
On if he can pick up pass rush moves from Garrett and Clowney despite having different body types:
“Definitely. Anything I can. I am definitely going to be in their ear, just watching them in practice and try to pick up anything they tell me. It is just going from what they give me, the advice taking it by heart and just trying to use it the best I can.”
On if he can bench press more than the impressive number he did at his pro day:
“I have done more. Previously in my training, I did more. In my training, no one is yelling and cheering, and in that moment, it is kind of just crazy. I think I kind of maybe rushed it a little bit too much trying to get to what I wanted to get. I am still happy, just to be able to have my teammates cheer me on is still a blessing. Just to have them there cheering me on like that was crazy to see so it was good.”
On the biggest strength in his game and if it is in the run or passing game:
“I would definitely say the run. I think I can make an immediate impact with the run. I think that is my No. 1. I think that I can pass rush, as well. I think I am underestimated in that area, but I am still improving that, as well, this offseason. Just excited to get to work.”
On if his best football is still ahead, given he was a one-year starter:
“Definitely. I think my ceiling is really high, I think my potential is through the roof. What I did this past season is only the beginning. Yeah, this was my first year starting so I think the best football of my career is still ahead of me, and I am excited for it.”
On making Ohio his home permanently after going to Ohio State:
“When I first made that decision to go to Ohio State, there are two NFL teams in Ohio so there was a possibility of that, but I never knew that this would happen. I am excited. I love Ohio and my years at Columbus, and I am excited just to get back to Ohio and get back to work.”
On if he hoped to be picked earlier in the draft or if he went around where expected:
“Obviously, everyone would want to go earlier, but I am happy just to be drafted to be. This is kind of where I where I was falling in the second to the fourth – in the middle rounds somewhere in there. I am just blessed that I got drafted and getting ready to go to work.”
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