Q. I know you started out as a defensive lineman and then you eventually switched over to offensive lineman. What was that transition like for you, and what takeaways did you use from being a defensive lineman to help you out in your position?
TYLER STEEN: Yeah, I think just getting that experience on D-line was great, just getting the experience to play SEC football early on. I think it just exposed me to just the physicality of the SEC, and I think just being exposed to that and having that experience helped me out on the offensive line, just understanding how physical you have to be and what mentality you have to bring.
Q. Did you get an opportunity to play guard at the Senior Bowl, and were you comfortable moving inside at all?
TYLER STEEN: Yeah, I did. I got an opportunity to play guard at Senior Bowl, and I felt pretty good over there.
I feel like I could play across the offensive line, so getting the opportunity to play guard at the Senior Bowl was pretty good. I felt pretty comfortable over there. I took the same approach as playing tackle, and it felt pretty comfortable there.
Q. You probably weren't at Alabama when Landon Dickerson was there, but what do you know about the Eagles, their offensive line and their offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland?
TYLER STEEN: Yes, I know they've got a great coach over there with the Eagles. I know they've got some really good players across the offensive line, one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and it's a great honor to be a part of that, get the opportunity to be a part of that. I know Coach Stoutland is an incredible coach. I know he's got a lot of respect across the country. I can't wait. I can't wait to be a part of that.
Q. Playing in the SEC, how much do you think that prepared you for this level, both when you were at Vanderbilt and when you were here, and also if you went against some of the Eagles defensive linemen who were from Georgia at all during your career?
TYLER STEEN: Yeah, I know I went against Jordan Davis and Nolan Smith and those guys in college when I was at Vanderbilt. I know we played them pretty consistently on a yearly basis. They've got a really good program over there, really good players over there, so I can't wait to be a part of that and join the team with them.
Q. Just curious what you learned most from the one season you spent at Alabama.
TYLER STEEN: Yeah, I think I learned -- what I learned the most is just the level of competition and practice and in the weight room and in the meeting room. It's high. I think that's kind of what I realized when I was at Alabama, and the fact that in order to be a really good player, obviously you can show your stuff play in and play out, but it's really about the consistency and being able to perform well on a play-by-play basis.
I think that's one of the main takeaways I took from Alabama.
Q. I'm curious, how were you shaped by growing up in a military family, and your grandfather, what type of inspiration is he to you?
TYLER STEEN: Yeah, my grandfather is a great inspiration to me. He sacrificed his life. He was selfless, and knowing about that and learning about that as I grew up, that obviously had a huge impact on my life, and the fact that he died for his country, I take great honor in that.
Growing up in a military-based family, obviously there's still a lot of discipline and stuff like that, and I think that honestly prepared me to enter college football and go to Alabama, and I think it's prepared me to enter the NFL.
Q. I wonder if you could paint the picture for us. Where are you and what did you do for the draft? Who was with you? Tell us all about that stuff.
TYLER STEEN: Yeah, I'm at a restaurant. Honestly, I don't even know what it's called, to be completely honest with you. But yeah -- Dragonfly. I'm at a spot called Dragonfly in Miami back home, that's where I'm from, and really just a good amount of family and friends, just people that have been around me my whole life, being able to celebrate this moment.
Q. What was the reaction when you got the call?
TYLER STEEN: Man, it was great. It was honestly a dream come true. Really a sigh of relief for sure, really relieved, but also like a moment of great gratitude and appreciation. It was pretty awesome.
Q. You talked about those Georgia guys, Jalen, Jordan Davis and Nolan Smith. What do you think practices will be like going against those guys, especially in training camp every day? How much better do you think that'll make you?
TYLER STEEN: Yeah, I think it'll definitely make me better. Iron sharpens iron at the end of the day, and I think at Alabama obviously we had great players on the defensive line and the defense in general, and getting a chance to practice against them every day made me that much better of a player, so I can't wait to get down there and practice every day against those guys and get the opportunity to just become that much better of a player, so I'm very excited about that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports