When did the Bengals first indicate their interest in you?

"I know with the Bengals, it started at the Combine. We had an informal meeting and then we met on Zoom during that gap after the Combine. I met with the O-line coaches and they said they were happy to work with me, and hopefully they'd get a chance to, and it came true."

What scheme did you run at Auburn?

"We did a little bit of both. When I first got there, we did more of a zone scheme and then the last couple years we were more of a gap scheme. But we did a little bit of both."

How is your knee and what does the timeline look like?

"The knee is great. I haven't had any setbacks, any problems. If anything, I'm a little bit ahead of schedule with the recovery timeline. We're thinking I'll be 100 percent for camp."

You're only 20 years old. You've already started 25 games. Why do you think you've been able to develop at such a relatively young age and how will that prepare you for the NFL?

"I think it comes back to, I've been fortunate enough to play with a lot of veteran guys, especially when I first got to Auburn and just kind of observing and learning as much about the game as possible from them. They have all the tricks, all the nuances from going out there and having done it. So, just kind of sticking with them, learning as much as I can from them and obviously, the coaches. That's been the biggest help for me."

When you got hurt, were you thinking how this might impact your draft stock?

"I didn't know when my opportunity was going to come and obviously the knee played some role in it, but just to get the opportunity, I'm super excited. I'm ready to get to work."

What excites you about the potential to play with Joe Burrow?

"I think as an offensive lineman in general and especially as a center, to play with an elite quarterback, it just makes it that much more exciting to get up and go to work and play football for a quarterback like that."

Scott Peters, the offensive line coach, is an interesting guy. What were your impressions meeting him?

"Very detailed. He went in on some of the Zoom meetings I was on, you go over and skim on some of the install and pass schemes and whatnot, but we went into a lot of detail. They quizzed me and were trying to see how much I remembered in the span of the Zoom, and I just remember how much detail went into that short amount of time."

During the pre-draft process, did teams talk to you about potentially playing at guard?

"I played a little bit of guard when I got to Auburn, especially in that spring when I enrolled my freshman year, so I have experience there. I can play it mentally. Physically, I'd have to switch over. Some teams have talked about it, so it's certainly a possibility. I'm comfortable doing it if that's what I need to do."

There's a need for a backup center and Ted Karras is in the latter stages of his career. Did you look at the landscape of what teams need centers in the NFL?

"For sure. I think that's part of doing your due diligence, especially when I had the choice of going back to college or coming out. You have to think about things like that."

Why did you decide to enter the draft this year?

"The biggest thing was I just felt ready. I talked to the people close to me. I talked to my coaches, and it's always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL and get the opportunity. I felt ready."

Who is your favorite center in the league?

"My favorite center in the league right, I will say he's not playing right now — Jason Kelce. I try to watch as many of them as possible and steal a bit here and there. I watched a lot of Tyler Linderbaum last year, I watch a little bit of center from the Dolphins (Aaron Brewer). Just try and learn and pick parts of everybody's game that I can apply and make myself better."

The centers you named are all known for their speed and ability get out and block right away immediately after snapping the ball. Is that your skill set as well?

"Yeah, for sure. All those guys are athletic, obviously, and just trying to take what I can apply in their game and apply it to mine. Just anything I can do, really."