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Stefen Wisniewski Q&A

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Q: Who made the call, who gave you the news?

Wisniewski: I talked to coach and my uncle was on there as well so I talked to a couple of people, great news.

Q: Stefen we talked to you at the combine and you talked about how you would love for this to happen, did you really think it was going to happen? Was this something that you really thought was going to transpire?

Wisniewski: I thought that if I was around that if I was around at 48 that it was very likely, but there were some teams that were interested before that could have happened but it didn't. I am thrilled to be a Raider and glad I was still around for that pick.

Q: It is such a perfect fit for you did you try to prepare for the possibility that you would not be coming here?

Wisniewski: I prepare myself for anything. I really took the attitude that I would be excited to go wherever but can't help to be a little more excited to be a Raider and getting to play for my uncle.

Q: What was the reaction of you family, father and everybody at home?

Wisniewski: Oh everyone is thrilled, my dad obviously knows I am in good hands playing for Steve and I mean we grew up Raider fans, grew up cheering for Steve so it just feels right

Q: What is it going to be like playing for your Uncle?

Wisniewski: Oh, he is not going to go easy on me that is for sure but I am glad because he knows what it took and knows what it takes to be a great offensive lineman in the NFL and he is going to do everything in his power to make sure I become a great one and that's what I am looking forward to.

Q: Stefen, you played both center and guard in college and today Hue made no bones about it that you're a center here now, how comfortable are you with that?

Wisniewski: I am comfortable at center, I mean I have had a whole year there and I felt good playing the position. I moved back to guard for this year because our team needed that, but I feel good at center. I have been working on it a lot lately to so I am not too rusty, I think I will be fine there.

Q: How much contact have the Raiders had with you aside from the contact you have had with your Uncle Steve otherwise?

Wisniewski: You know I talked to them at the combine, interview, and I had some extra contact because my Uncle is the O-line coach, but they were definitely in contact with me and I knew they were interested.

Q: How often did you get to see your uncle play as a Raider when you were a kid?

Wisniewski: I would say once a year, more like twice, anytime that he would come out to the East coast, he didn't come out here too often, but any time that he did I was there. I was there in my Wisniewski jersey.

Q: We want you to know that the Raider nation named a section of the end zone after your Uncle called the Wiz zone do you think that you can bring that back?

Wisniewski: Well I don't think that's up in the air, I think that is up to the fans. It would be great if it was though.

Q: Hue made it a point saying, look we are happy that this is Steve's nephew and we think a lot of his game is similar, but this isn't about Steve, it is about you and your ability. Is there anything at all daunting because his legacy is here?

Wisniewski: That is exactly the same situation that I faced when I came to Penn State. I came coming into a place where my father and uncle had a legacy and there is a certain expectation behind that, and to be honest I liked that, I kind of looked at that as a bar that was set high, I made it my goal to try and exceed those expectations and try and be better than they were, and the same thing goes with here with the Raiders. I am going to try and be better than my uncle and that is a really high goal, I realize that it is tough, but I need to set my goal high, and see how close I can get to reaching it.

Q: Stefen, could you provide a sort of a self evaluation with your assets, the plusses and minuses of the player that you think you are?

Wisniewski: I don't like talking about myself too much, but I think that I am a guy that plays with real good technique, and is pretty athletic and plays with a lot of toughness and physicality and I think that is what the Raiders are looking for, an offensive line that is going to be physical that is going to bring it to the defense every game. That's the kind of attitude I am going to bring.

Q: Your uncle was known as playing with a real mean streak, some even accused him of stepping over the line sometimes, and do you share that trait?

Wisniewski: I do, and I think that I learned that from him, he stressed that, and that was always important to me but I think that is something that I need to develop more of, and who better to continue to get better with him as my O-line coach.

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