Q. What's tonight been like for you and what was it like to get the call?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: It was wonderful. I was stoked. I was excited. Just happy to see my friends and family here happy for me. I'm just enjoying the moment right now. It's big for me.
Q. What were your exposures like with the Giants during the process? I know you came for a visit. How did all that go?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: The visit was great. The visit was awesome. When I got there I loved it. My teammate Diontae Johnson, he played there, so me and him talked about it a little bit.
The meeting with Coach Dre and Coach Cox was wonderful. I got to go in there and talk to them guys about ball and what I could do better as a player, and then after the meeting Coach Dre told me, hey, if you're still on that board and I can get my hands on you, I'm coming to get you, and he came and got me, so I'm excited.
Q. Did you come into today thinking that this was your most likely landing spot?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: No, sir, I didn't, but I'm thankful and I'm blessed.
Q. Where did you think you might end up?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: It doesn't even matter to me no more. I'm happy to be here.
Q. You talked about things you need to get better at. How would you describe your strengths?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: I'd say a strength of my game is pass rushing. I feel like that's somewhere I excel at. And I have a willingness to keep going and playing this game every day, so I think something I do good in.
Q. What do you make of being paired with Dexter Lawrence?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: What I make of it, I think it's a great thing. I think if they get two guys out there who want to go play hard, play balls to the wall, because to be able to go in there and learn from him and be able to pick up things from him and instill into my game to see how I can use it as a weapon on the field is what I'll be looking for. I'm just excited to go out there and compete with another great guy, so I'm looking forward to that and I want to have fun.
Q. I had guys telling me down at the Senior Bowl that you were unblockable that week in practice. Did you go in there wanting to prove something because you were not coming necessarily from a power conference and show that you can hold up against the bigger guys?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: Yes, sir, I definitely wanted to get down there and show that. I feel like a lot of people had me underrated, thinking I couldn't play with the best of the best or go out there and compete. So that week I wanted to go out there, show I could dominate the game and dominate other players out there, as well, and show that I could compete against the best of the best, and I think I did that well.
Q. Darius, you spent six years at Toledo in the NIL era. Why? Did you have schools trying to poach you? Was it a loyalty thing? Were you a late bloomer? Why were you six years at a MAAC school?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: I definitely had a lot of teams trying to come and get me, but it was a loyalty thing. Coach Candle was my first offer out of high school coming out, and then for him to stay with me throughout the whole process when things weren't going my way in high school and signing me on national signing day was a blessing for me.
My last six years there, it means everything to me, everything in the world to me. I'd never trade it for anything in the world. I got to spend a great time with my players and my teammates and my brothers, and I made great bonds out there, and then to Coach Candle, I thank him for everything. He gave me a chance, and I appreciate that a lot.
Coach Vince Kehres has been in my corner my whole career since I've been there. Just to play under that guy, high-energy guy, high-savage guy. I just love how he approaches the game, how he coaches the game, how he teaches it. He helped me a long way.
A big shout-out to my old D-line coach Frank Okam. He helped me put my game together my last two years. So staying there at Toledo for my last year was perfect for me, and I didn't want to be nowhere else.
Q. You started on the offensive line when you got there, right?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: No, sir, I started off on defense. I switched to offense once I got there.
Q. Then how did you get back? How long did it take you to get back to defense?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: So the way I got back to defense, Coach Vince Kehres came in from Mount Union. He seen my tape from that season before he was the coach, like y'all need this guy. He said, I don't know what we're doing with him on offense; I need him over here on defense. That's how I got back on defense, so I appreciate Coach Kehres a lot.
Q. Did you ever think of where you'd be if you never made the switch?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: No, sir, I don't know where I would be, but I'm glad I did and I'm happy to be here.
Q. Darius, how much did you know about Dexter Lawrence? Did you study his game at all, watch and see how he dominates at D-tackle?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: I definitely watched film here and there on Dexter Lawrence. I like to see how he plays with power. Even though he's a bigger guy, he's still got some quick twitch to him. He's able to be elusive out there and make plays in between every gap. I love watching how dominant he is and the force he is that puts guys back and they can't stop him.
Q. What does Diontae tell you about the Giants and being in New York?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: He told me being in New York, it's like home again. He loves it down there, and more than anything, we've got savages on that football team. We've got guys ready to go down there and play balls to the wall and play with their head on fire. So he said when it's my turn and I come down there, I've got to be willing to do the same thing, and I'm willing to do that.
Q. Not only do you have the veterans here, but you add probably the best defensive player in this draft, no disrespect to you, but having Abdul Carter get here last night, what do you think of Abdul Carter being here and you coming in in the same rookie class?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: I think it's wonderful. I like to watch what he did on tape. He's a wonderful and great player, so just pairing us two together, I think it's dangerous and I think that as soon as they let that happen, we're going to tear it up, sir.
Q. Looking at your background, it seemed like you moved around a little bit on the D-line. Where do you think is your home? Where do you feel most comfortable?
DARIUS ALEXANDER: I feel most comfortable anywhere, but I love that 3 tech spot.
DraftScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports