Chat with Oregon OT Tyrell Crosby | Saints Had Formal Interview

Had the opportunity to spend some time with Tyrell Crosby, LT out of Oregon who is slated to be a late Day 2 or early Day 3 selection in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Saints had a formal meeting with him at the Senior Bowl. With the health of Terron Armstead seemingly in question regularly, Crosby is one of the many prospects at the position who could hear their name called on draft day heading to New Orleans to join the Saints.

Deuce: Thanks for taking the time to talk Tyrell. We’re about three weeks away from the NFL draft. What’s the excitement level (for you) like right now?

Tyrell: Just right now, taking it one day at a time. Don’t want to get too caught up with the draft being three days away. Just really enjoying each day and enjoying the whole process even though some days are more of a grind than others. Trying to stay positive through everything.

Deuce: What makes the workouts (private workouts) different than what you’re doing at the Combine & All Star games?

Tyrell: Really, it’s just more individualized and one on ones. You just have the coach right there beside you and you just have to do what he says while no one else is there. It’s just more intimate, one on one type of things.

Deuce: The NFL Combine is a pretty big deal, and rightfully so, but there are some events (measurable ones) that tend to get over-hyped at times. One of those is the bench press. You put up 17 reps, but have over 35 inch arms. Do you think your tape speaks to a greater strength than the bench press showed at the combine?

Tyrell: Yea, I think my tape just speaks volume on how I play. I just like to finish people, and look to finish people each play. Everyone overhypes the bench and stuff and don’t really put into account natural strength and that some guys are just built differently. I’ll just say for anyone who doubts my strength just watch five seconds of my play on film.

Deuce: You were able to pull in multiple awards in 2017 (Morris Trophy, 1st Team All-Pac-12, Oregon’s Ed Moshofsky Award, etc.). Coming into the year and rebounding from those injuries in 2016 did you feel like you had to go above and beyond to prove you were one of the better lineman in the country or was this just all natural for you?

Tyrell: It was pretty much all natural. I knew going into this last season how good I could be. Just played each game like I knew I could. I didn’t allow a sack this whole past season, so those are all things I knew I was capable of and to see everything come full circle and achieve all those was just really rewarding of a feeling.

Deuce: What are you most comfortable in? Jump-Set, your 45, or your vertical in pass pro? Which one are you working on the most?

Tyrell: At Oregon we didn’t Jump-Set too much, so when I was at the Senior Bowl that’s something I really worked on. For Vertical set and my 45 degree set I feel like I’m pretty solid. Obviously, I want to work on getting better and quicker.

Deuce: Are you working with anyone in particular, (Duke Manyweather, for example), to just try and hone your craft approaching the league?

Tyrell: Yea, Guy McIntyre, he was an offensive linemen with the 49ers. He’s who I’ve been working out with the most offensive line wise.

Deuce: Talked about your strength a little bit earlier, but you show a lot of power in your drive block and that “nasty” streak a lot of people look for in OL. Do you enjoy run blocking more than pass protection?

Tyrell: Yea, it’s just a blast. I love taking one guy from one point and try to move them.

Deuce: How comfortable are you in varied blocking schemes? We see a lot of teams in the NFL who will mix zone and gap concepts. Counters, IZ, OZ, DUO, etc. can all be utilized by a single team. How well do you think you fit when it comes to being versatile?

Tyrell: I’m really comfortable, especially at Oregon we were kind of all over the place in run schemes. So if I had to down block, pull, zone blocks, drive blocks, I’m pretty much comfortable with it all.

Deuce: Who was the opponent at Oregon that gave you the hardest time blocking in college, and why?

Tyrell: I’d say DeForest Buckner in practice. That’s one of the toughest defensive linemen I’ve ever faced. I feel like I was really fortunate my freshman and sophomore year because I had him, especially my freshman year because I had him and Arik Armstead. It helped me progress quicker because those are both first round type talent defensive linemen.

Deuce: What comic book character, hero or villain, best describes you and why?

Tyrell: I’d probably say if I had to compare myself to a superhero it would be the Hulk. (Deuce: It’s the green color right, it flows?) laughs Yea that works. Also, just cause I feel I’m one of the nicest people you’ll meet and I try to really look out for other people, but as soon as I’m on the field I’m a completely different person. I’m going to try to hit you as hard as I can.

Deuce: Chocolate milk: Do you make it yourself (syrup + milk) or do you buy it by the gallon?

Tyrell: Whaa... that’s a good one. A combination of both. When I was younger I just mixed it myself, but now I’m just kind of in between the two.

Deuce: Are you a 2k or Madden guy?

Tyrell: A cross between both, but right now I’m more of a Fortnite guy.

Deuce: Everyone is on the Fortnite train right now, are you gonna call out Derrius Guice and play? Would be a good matchup.

Tyrell: laughs I’m too bad.

A big thank you to Mr. Crosby for taking the time to talk to me. Really fun individual to get to know, and in the small fifteen minute window I had with him he definitely comes across as the type of person you’d like to hang out with.