Q)What is the difference between a successful and non-successful quarterback?
Paxton Lynch – QB – Memphis – I think that in my opinion, those guys that separate themselves from being an average quarterback and a great quarterback are those guys who just get it to click mentally. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, guys like that who jump out at you.
Q)A little overlooked out of high school . . .
Lynch: I didn’t really throw the ball at all in high school because we were a Wing T offense but when I got to Memphis, that’s the first time I actually started throwing the ball in general.
Q)Some question the level of competition you beat at Memphis . . .
Lynch: We played good teams like Ole Miss and also our conference was really strong this year with Temple and Houston and Navy.
Q)What about the transition from the Memphis offense to the NFL?
Lynch: The schemes are obviously going to be a little bit different. I’m going to have to be calling plays from the huddle, I’ll have to learn the terminology, little small things here and there, but I don’t see it as a problem.
Q)What are some things you need to work on?
Lynch: I’ve always relied on my athletic ability with my size and arm strength in college, but I know that’ll be a little different when I get to the NFL. Those guys are a lot faster, those windows are a lot smaller and those defenses do a lot more tricky stunts than they do in college.
When I finally get to minicamp or rookie camp, whenever that is, I’ll know just how different it is, but it’s obviously going to take some time to adjust. But I’m ready and I’m excited for it.
Q)Medical concerns at the combine?
Lynch: I had an issue with my left knee and my right knee and an issue with my AC joint.
When I hurt my AC joint back in my redshirt sophomore year of college in Cincinnati, I didn’t realize that I had, I think they said it was just a small fracture in my clavicle. So that popped up on the X-ray, but it was healed. But there was just some like piece of the bone I guess just floating around in there. So it spooked a team or two, I think, and that’s why they requested the MRIs and all that. But I mean I didn’t miss a game or a practice or a single throw ’cause of it.
Q)How does being 6-7 help you at quarterback?
Lynch: Obviously seeing defenses a little more clearly, but I know the height difference will be a lot different in the NFL than it was in college. In the NFL, all those guys are just freaks. They’re huge. Cam Newton’s basically playing every position in the NFL.
