PATRIOTS 2025 FIFTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK BRADYN SWINSON
PRESS CONFERENCE
APRIL 26, 2024
Q: I'd love to hear what type of contact you had with the Patriots leading up to the draft, and if you sort of thought this was a place you might end up?
BS: I had contact with the Patriots twice. I had two Zoom calls with them. One prior, like last week, and then I had another one probably during the pro-day time, when I was working out during that time. I had a few contacts with them, and I had an informal with them at the Combine when I met them.
Q: I was just curious, what was your reaction to getting that phone call from the Patriots and your level of excitement to play for New England?
BS: At first, my phone wasn't ringing, so I had to go with my dad's. I just heard my dad shuffling around in excitement and everything. I'm sitting outside on the deck just trying to get my mind right. He comes in here talking about [inaudible], so when I saw him moving around, I got real excited. Just to even be picked to the organization like this is just amazing to me. Cried real tears when I got there. Cried real tears when I got there. It's just a surreal moment. It's just a moment where I worked hard for everything I did in my life. I worked hard for it, and it's been a journey. Just because what pick it was, I don't care what pick it was, I got picked, and I'm just excited to be here and work.
Q: What can Patriots fans expect from your game? What are you bringing to this team?
BS: A player that's going to do whatever the team needs. You're going to get a dog, though. You're getting a dog. That's off rip. You got a steal. Honestly, just a guy that's going to work hard every day, and is going to handle his 1-11, and is looking to help change the culture there, and add to the winning that's going on. You're getting a dog, for sure.
Q: You talked about this being a special moment for you, getting to join one of your teammates from LSU in Will Campbell. What's your reaction to that? Have you talked to him since you found out?
BS: I haven't even got a chance to really talk to Will, yet. I'm waiting to call him. I had to jump up, and this is the first thing I did. I jumped on here with you guys, just to meet you guys. I haven't even really looked at my phone or anything, just been embracing time with my family. Just to be on the same team with Will again, is just—he's an amazing player. It's right back to battling how we used to do in the old days. We were at the same school for two years. It's exciting to get back to work with him.
Q: Is it true that you carry an NFL football with you everywhere you go, and what's the story behind that?
BS: Yes, I do. It's actually upstairs right now, but I can't walk around with it anymore, it's a Washington Commanders ball. I need a Patriots ball. Every year, I had a guy named Sherman [Wilson]. He gave me a ball at LSU. I got it from Jayden Daniels, because Jayden Daniels used to carry his dream everywhere. You always want to carry your dream everywhere. I started doing it my last year at LSU, carrying it around with me everywhere. When I go to the grocery store and I go to the mall, go anywhere, I have a ball with me. Keeping the ball close. I just believe the ball is the program. When I started doing that, got to game days, everything started getting surreal. When you start punching the ball out of you, you're used to seeing the ball. When you holding the ball so much, you get to know the different spots on the ball.
Q: You ever get any funny reactions when you're carrying a football in a grocery store?
BS: Oh, yeah. I always get some type of reaction. They always look at me like I'm crazy. Like, 'Okay, yeah, you must be obsessed or something.' They'll be like, 'Is that your child or something?' I just always have it. Bring it to the pool. Bring it anywhere.
Q: What are the biggest keys when it comes to getting to the quarterback, and what do you do well to get in the backfield and tackle the QB for a loss?
BS: I win my 1-on-1's. That's what I do. I pass rush. With Coach [Mike] Smith, I'm going to a great coach that really knows how to teach the position. That's just something I'm really looking forward to doing because I already know how to get to the ball. I really just know how to find my ways and just get around the ball. I think that's the big thing with me, my pass rushing. Just showing my capabilities and just being able to pass rush. That's the big thing for me, getting to the quarterback. It's just winning your 1-on-1's. I think that's the big thing about me.
Q: I wanted to ask you, as we get to know Will Campbell a little bit, you saw him in practice day after day after day. Give us a little scouting report. What can fans expect from Will at left tackle?
BS: All right, you all are going to expect the guy that isn't going to let his quarterback get touched for sure. You all got a guy. That's a blue-collar guy. Head down, working. Everything Will do is about work. Hard work. That's a guy that's going to do everything right. I know you all can tell by his voice, he's going to be a 10-year vet. By his voice, he's got one of those 15-year player voices already. He's just one of those guys that you got that's just going to keep his head down and work and just handle his business. That's my guy right now. I can't wait to get on the phone call.
Q: You talked about how you excel as a pass rusher. I'm curious, what's your go-to move and what kind of work do you put in so you can hone it and perfect it?
BS: I'm trying to get swoller right now. Guys are saying I'm undersized at about 255. right now. I like to do speed-to-power. Just getting my speed-to-power and also just setting them up with the speed off the power. A cross-shot comes in from time to time with a double hand swipe. Majority of the time, I like to run into somebody's face and just go make that play. That's all the moves you really need.
Q: Mike Vrabel played your position when he was in the NFL. What's your relationship like with him so far? And have you ever watched any of his old highlights or anything like that?
BS: All right, you all need to send me a link to that. I didn't even know he played there at my position. I've known a little bit about him when he was at the Titans and everything. I know he's a good guy. I got to talk to him today when I got the phone call. That's probably when I shed tears, when I heard his voice. Looking forward to it. Send me that link. If you all can, send me the link to watch it. I want to see some of his clips so I'm on my game by the time I get up there.
