The Post’s Steve Serby chatted with the Giants’ 23-year-old rookie receiver who was selected in the third round out of Cal Poly.
Q: You stayed in Mark Sanchez’s apartment and caught passes from him before the draft. How did that come about?
A: We knew some of the same people. He went to high school with a teammate or two of mine.
Q: What is Sanchez like?
A: He’s just a good guy. . . . He’s funny, he’s charismatic, he’s a little bit of a jokester.
Q: You were one of his receivers at his Jets workout. How good was it?
A: It must have been pretty impressive (chuckles). It was one of those days he didn’t miss — there might have been one rep that wasn’t exactly like you would draw it up on the board, and I don’t think it was his fault.
Q: Do you think he can have the kind of impact as a rookie that Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco did last year?
A: I don’t want to put any extra pressure on him . . . but I think he has all the tools necessary to carry an NFL team. He’s as good as they come.
Q: What kind of ball does he throw compared to Eli Manning?
A: He throws a professional ball, as does Eli (chuckles).
Q: Your first impression of Eric Mangini when you met him?
A: He seemed really down to earth and personable.
Q: Your first impression of Tom Coughlin?
A: A straight shooter and a cerebral guy.
Q: You’ve been compared to the following big receivers: Plaxico Burress, Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Moss.
A: It would be kinda arrogant of me to personally compare myself to those guys. They’ve put in the time and paid their dues. I’ve tried to take some of the strong points of other receivers and kinda add to my game.
Q: What would you take from Fitzgerald?
A: Going up and getting the ball. When the ball’s in the air, it’s his. He’s gonna come down with it.
Q: You aspire to greatness?
A: Of course.
Q: Do you have any doubt that you’ll reach it?
A: It’s really more of having my focus on the immediate future. I know I want to earn the trust and respect of my teammates. I want them to see me as somebody they want on the battle lines with them.
Q: You pride yourself on being a class act?
A: I just try to be who I’m supposed to be, doing what I’m supposed to be doing. . . . My goal is to be considered a professional.
Q: You’ve been mistaken for Keyshawn Johnson?
A: It happened once or twice.
Q: Do you know him?
A: I met him a couple of times. We keep in contact on the phone every once in a while.
Q: Has he given you any advice on playing in New York?
A: Stay focused — there’s plenty of distractions.
Q: Best game you ever had?
A: Idaho State — 10 catches, 268 yards, three touchdowns — my junior year.
Q: What do you remember feeling that day?
A: Hungry for more (chuckles).
Q: Did you feel invincible?
A: No, never that. I never did anything on my own. That same day, my best friend (Tredale Tolver) had 160 yards.
Q: Have you ever been to a Super Bowl?
A: My first NFL game I ever went to was (six) days ago.
Q: Why is that?
A: We don’t have a team in L.A. anymore.
Q: You cut hair?
A: (Chuckles) I cut my own hair. I’ve been doing it since I was in the eighth grade.
Q: Have you cut any teammates’ hair yet?
A: I gotta earn their trust before I can take a chance on losing it.
Q: Are you any good?
A: I’m by no means a professional barber. I can keep you nice and neat. Other than that, I don’t want to make any promises. . . . I don’t have a license.
Q: Have you had any practical jokes played on you in training camp?
A: Not to my knowledge. And I don’t want them to start now, so. . . .
Q: What kind of guy is Eli?
A: Intelligent . . . helpful . . . funny . . . He has a lot of personality that you might not get to see having not known him.
Q: How is he funny?
A: I’ll say this: if there was a prank going on, Eli would not be the last person to know about it.
Q: What kind of bowler are you?
A: I’m above-average for a recreational bowler.
Q: What’s your average?
A: I want to say I’m in the 180 range.
Q: You’re wearing No 13 — does that mean you’re not superstitious?
A: It wasn’t my choice. I just have to make the best of it.
Q: Well, how do you feel
about 13?
A: It doesn’t matter. They could have given me double zero or 99. . . . I know those aren’t legal (for wide receivers).
Q: The best story your father (Al) told you about playing in Rucker Park.
A: He told me Wilt Chamberlain got mad one particular game and he stopped letting anybody score on both teams! Anybody on the opposing team, he jumped up and grabbed the ball. He wouldn’t let anybody score on his team either. . . . I imagine he was the only one scoring the entire game. He was blocking his teammates’ shots, too.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Michael Jordan.
Q: Favorite childhood memory?
A: Imagining one-on-one games in my backyard — I’m Michael Jordan and I’m playing Magic Johnson and I always win.
It could be six in the morning or 10 o’clock at night.
Q: I read somewhere that you stuck a rock in your nose once.
A: I put a bean, or two beans, in my ear — black-eyed peas. The dentist had to get them out. I was 5 or 6 years old.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Michael Jordan; Sam Cooke; a great, great grandparent on either side of my family, somebody way back, born in the 1800s that I
never had a chance of knowing.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Enemy of the State.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Will Smith.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Nas; AZ.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Any kind of soul food.
Q: What drives you?
A: I love this game. I love to compete. It’s extremely rare to have an opportunity to play a professional sport to make a living. That’s not something I’m willing to sacrifice for anything.