media"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Vikings 2018 SeasonVikings 2019 OffseasonU.S. Bank StadiumMinnesota Vikings PodcastsMinnesota Vikings 2019 NFL DraftTranscript: Conference Call with Minnesota Vikings sixth-round pick Marcus Epps He got his first opportunity to talk with the Twin Cities mediaCDTShareTweetShareShareTranscript: Conference Call with Minnesota Vikings sixth-round pick Marcus Epps Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY SportsContinuing with our series of transcripts of conference calls with the Minnesota Vikings’ 2019 NFL Draft class Minnesota Vikings Jerseys Stitched , here is the call that was held with one of the Vikings’ three sixth-round selections, Wyoming defensive back Marcus Epps. Enjoy!I’d like to start by saying thank you to the Wilf family, Mr. [Rick] Spielman and Coach [Mike] Zimmer for taking this chance on me and giving me this opportunity. I am so excited to be a Minnesota Viking. I can’t wait to get up there and go to work and do whatever the team needs me to do.Q: What was this day like for you just waiting to get picked?A: It was a long process. Took a while but in the end it worked out. I went to the team I wanted to go to. Everything worked out perfectly.Q: Did you head in thinking you’d be drafted today and why is this the team you wanted to go to?A: Going into the draft, I had thought about sixth or seventh round or possibly undrafted. Just throughout the process you hear everything so you never really know. It’s unknown where you’re going to go but I had a lot of good conversations with Coach Jeff Howard. He liked me a lot and really believed in me so I knew he was pulling for me. I had real good conversations with him and Coach [Jerry] Gray. I am glad to be a Viking.Q: What did it mean to you as a walk-on to be a three-time captain in school history?A: It means a lot. To be able to lead such a great group of guys for not one or two, but three years. It was incredible that they thought of me as a captain of their team for so many years.Q: What type of experience do you have with special teams?A: Early in my career, I played a lot of special teams at Wyoming. As my years went on Cameron Smith Jersey nfl draft , they tried to phase me out a little bit more. I am definitely looking forward to playing special teams and helping the team in any way that I can.Q: How did you end up there as a walk-in?A: I didn’t have anybody recruiting me so I was thinking of going the junior college route but I had some connections. Somebody sent my film up there really late in the process. They ended up liking me but it was too late to offer a scholarship so they asked me to walk on.Q: What was it like making the switch from Los Angeles to Wyoming?A: It was different but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t handle. I wasn’t worried about where I was at or anything like that. I was just worried about playing ball. That is what I love to do and Wyoming is the place that gave me the opportunity to do that. I wasn’t really concerned with where I was at or the culture change or anything like that. I just wanted to play ball.Q: How did your son, Braxton, change your outlook on life?A: It changed tremendously. You go from more of just thinking about taking care of yourself to taking care of another human. It’s definitely been different but it’s been a beautiful thing as well just watching him grow.Q: Do you look at this as an opportunity to prove people wrong?A: Yeah, definitely. He loves going to the facility. All my teammates love him and he loves to play with all of them. He plays inside the facility since he likes that so it’s been great.Q: Do you look at this as an opportunity to prove people wrong?A: A little bit. But that chip is always on your shoulder. I am just more looking forward to proving the Minnesota Vikings organization right and proving myself right and to all the people who believed in me.Q: Do you feel the pro day process helped you get noticed more?A: Definitely. Just going into the whole process of pro day I knew I had to do something to make people go back and watch my film. I worked really hard at EXOS down in Los Angeles and they got me ready to perform like that.Q: What skill do you think it was you showed you could do that you will need at the NFL?A: My versatility or my football IQ. I feel like I can play different positions anywhere the team needs me or wants me to play. I am willing to put the work in and get it done.Terence Newman announces retirement, will join Vikings coaching staff We have just received word that Minnesota Vikings cornerback Terence Newman has announced his retirement from the NFL and that he will immediately be joining the team’s coaching staff.Newman, who turns 40 in just three days From China Cameron Smith Jersey , was set to be the oldest defensive player in the National Football League this season. He came back on a one-year contract that he signed this offseason, proclaiming that this was going to be his final year in the NFL.Newman came to the Vikings in 2015, and played in 47 of 48 possible games as a member of the team. He had shown the flexibility to play both cornerback and safety over the course of the time he was here, and the indications to this point had been that he was going to continue to fill that role for the team going forward.Newman didn’t see a whole lot of time this preseason, and with the glut of young talent the Vikings have in the defensive backfield, Newman apparently thought it was time to hang up his cleats.Newman also has a long relationship with Mike Zimmer Long Sleeve Cameron Smith Jersey , going back to his days with the Dallas Cowboys. It’s not a surprise that he will be joining the Vikings’ coaching staff, though it has not been declared in exactly what capacity he will be serving at the present time.We would like to congratulate Terence Newman on a long and successful NFL career, and here’s hoping that he can sustain that success as a coach on the Minnesota sidelines. We will no doubt have more discussion of this over the next few days.