Q. What did you think about your chances of coming here? Obviously this was one of the spots on your radar. You came here for a visit?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, I mean, when I got there, I felt comfortable. The coaches were very nice to me, made me feel like they wanted me a lot.
I was very happy to be there, and I was enjoying the moment. New York is awesome to me, so I love being there, and I'm glad I'm going to be a Giant.
Q. How do you describe your playing style?
CAM SKATTEBO: Physical, downhill, get to the end zone back. I love to score touchdowns. That's what I do.
Q. Where does your mentality come from? Everything you hear about you is how hard-nosed you are, how tough you are, all that. Where does that come from?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, just growing up in a hard background and with an older brother that picked on me a little bit when I was younger. He set me up for success, and my dad also being hard on me as a kid, understanding where I could take this football stuff in life, and he preached on me every day about it, and it's now coming to light.
Q. You didn't have any FBS offers coming out of high school, I believe, correct?
CAM SKATTEBO: Correct.
Q. For you just to get to this point, what does that say about the work you put into becoming the player that you are now?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, it's been awesome. I just continue to keep my head down and work, and I'm excited. The journey that I've been on has been a long one, but we're here now, and to be a Giant, I'm blessed to be here, and I can't wait to get to New York and start playing ball.
Q. What was that like getting the phone call there?
CAM SKATTEBO: It was awesome, man. Super emotional. I've worked all my life for this, so something that I've been praying on, and it's finally coming to light, so I'm excited.
Q. There's such emphasis now with running backs certainly, 40 speeds, fast, running by guys. You're not that player. Is that something that you really appreciate about yourself, that you're not a guy who maybe is going to run past everybody but you can still get in the end zone anyway?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, I wouldn't consider myself not that player, but I can do it if I need to. I play my brand of football, and I continue to do that, and that's what given me success. I'm just going to keep playing how I play and just get better every day.
Q. Going all the way back to your early days when you first started playing, were you always that player, or was there a turning point where you decided to play more physical and be that brand that you've kind of made yourself into?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, no, you can go back, watch some film from back in the day. It's always been a very physical game for me. Since the age of six years old, I've been doing the same thing. Throughout my life I've stuck with the path that I've put myself on, and it's working out. I'm going to continue to do that because that's what is bringing me success.
Q. You put some six-year-olds in the ground back in Pop Warner days?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
Q. You brought up your family. What was it like to share this moment with them and to get to this point, especially with the relationship you have with your older brother?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, it's awesome. Just being here and having a good time with my family and enjoying it, and being able to have everybody that I want here, just for them, all the support they've given me the past couple years and my whole life, it's just been nothing but unbelievable, and I'm proud to be a Giant, and everyone loves that I'm going to New York. We're ready to go. We're juiced up, and I'm excited to be there.
Q. When you play a nasty brand of football, do you think that can be contagious on a team, and how is that contagious when you bring the kind of attitude and physicality that you do?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, physicality is definitely contagious. If someone gets ran over, it hypes the other guys up and gets them going. I'm going to continue to bring that and hopefully it feeds off on to my teammates.
Q. You posted a tweet about four years ago where you said, with the blank pick in the draft, some team selects you. First of all, do you remember that tweet, and what do you think about it now knowing that tweet has come to fruition?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, it's been awesome, man. I mean, I tweeted that almost four years ago, and I believed it and not many people did. But as long as you believe in yourself, that's what matters. It's continued to give me hope and continued to give me something to strive for, so it's been awesome that I've been able to meet those expectations of myself from the past.
Q. When did you think that was going to become a reality?
CAM SKATTEBO: I was hoping yesterday, but today was the day, and the Giants pulled the trigger. I'm glad it was today, and I was just waiting and glad that I got a call.
I thank the Giants for having me, and I can't wait to get there.
Q. You have a little bit of a chip on your shoulder about not being picked yesterday?
CAM SKATTEBO: Absolutely. I mean, I was expecting the call -- there are seven rounds in the NFL Draft, and I was expecting a call. I wasn't too bummed about it, but I knew at some point I was going to get the call, so I wasn't too worried, and I'm glad it was today. It kind of shows more of the path of how people have doubted me a little bit, and now that the Giants believe in me, I'm going to believe in them and what they've got and what we have as a team, and I'm going to try to go win a championship.
Q. When you were here on your 30 visit, how much after that did you really start looking at the depth chart here and seeing where you fit in, what kind of offense they would run with you here if you were here? Did you put that kind of work into figuring out if you were to come here what it would look like?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, not a ton, but I've had some talks with coaches, and they didn't promise me anything. They told me I need to come in and work, and what happens happens. I'm going to come in and give it everything I've got, and whatever happens throughout that process, we're going to make it work, and we're going to keep striving for greatness. I'm excited to be there, and no matter what role they've got for me, I'm ready to take on.
Q. It seems like you kind of can do a lot of things. Did you play much special teams in college or at all?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yes, I did play some special teams, something I can do, something I will do in the league, and something I'm going to take very prideful in what I do because that can lead to a long career. I'm excited to, like I said, play any role that they give me, and it's going to be fun.
Q. You finished fifth in the Heisman voting so you were one pick away from coming to New York. Have you been to New York much at all?
CAM SKATTEBO: I've never been to New York, no. My first time was on my visit, and my second time will be when I fly out to be on the team. I'm excited to be in New York, and it was awesome when I was there, and I can't wait to go back.
Q. Does it feel a little bit sweeter even though you didn't come out for the Heisman ceremony you'll be out here for a pretty good while as a professional?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, that's awesome. I wasn't too bummed about the Heisman situation. Those were great players. But I'm going to New York now for a long time, so let's do it.
Q. I know you get to your level and you believe in yourself and you believe you're the best. I know you said at the end of the season you were ready to prove that you're the best running back in this class. Is that just a belief, something to say, or why do you think that's an important motivation for somebody to kind of go out and prove that?
CAM SKATTEBO: Yeah, I mean, I've been doubted my whole life, so I hate answering certain questions because there's certain things that you don't really have answers to, how other people think and stuff like that. I'm ready to play football for the New York Giants, and I'm ready to give it everything I've got. I can't wait to be there. It's going to be awesome.
DraftScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports