New WR Hollins Talks Being a Las Vegas Raider
HENDERSON, Nev.--No team in the NFL has had the offseason success of the Las Vegas Raiders Mark Davis, Dave Ziegler, and Josh McDaniels.
They have signed the top offensive and defensive free agents in Davante Adams, and Chandler Jones as well as a bevy of important role players to bring death and competition to the roster.
The signing of Mack Hollins was not only an excellent depth addition but also a threat. The wide receiver brings to the Silver and Black an additional weapon for McDaniels and QB Derek Carr and he is excited to be in the desert. He spoke about being a Raider. You can watch his entire press conference below, or read the transcript as well.
Wide Receiver Mack Hollins
Q: Can you just talk about your excitement in coming to Las Vegas?
Hollins: “Yeah, I'm super excited. Going into my sixth year, it's always exciting to be able to play football, but it's a little different coming here because I think I can really get an opportunity to excel here. So, I'm really excited. I guess that's the word, just excited.”
Q: Raiders fans will probably remember you for that 2020 game against the Dolphins when you might have broken a couple of hearts that day. How are you hoping to make it up to Raider Nation this season?
Hollins: “Yeah, I figure it's only right I come back and try to do a few more of those plays in Silver and Black. So, here I am.”
Q: What appeals to you about this offense with new head coach, new play caller, and the pieces that are returning?
Hollins: “I think the ability to move guys in a lot of different places. You see [Hunter] Renfrow out wide, you see him in the slot. It's not really one dimensional. And I think that's big for me because I think I can be more than an outside guy. I think in the NFL, a lot of times you get put in the box. If you're over 6’3, then you're an outside guy. If you're under 6’2, then you're an inside guy, and if you're in the gap in between, you're just kind of a I don't know, are you fast enough to run by guys or not? So, looking at how Coach McDaniels has coached in the past, the offense that he kind of runs, I know there's an opportunity to do what I'm good at and what that is, is to be determined, which is exciting because you're not put in a box of, ‘Hey, this is what he used to be good at, or he was good in this offense set.’ If I'm showing up and I'm really good at this in this offense, then this is what I'll be able to do. And as a player that's encouraging to go out there and play your heart out and they'll make the puzzle pieces fit.”
Q: How would you describe your own skillset then? If you don't want to be put in the box and you want to be versatile, obviously, how would you describe yourself?
Hollins: “I think I definitely have the ability to stretch the field. I think that's what I guess since college has kind of been my thing. But I also think that I can be a good route runner. For the size that I am, I think people think that I can't run routes and I can. I can go in the slot, and I can beat defenders one-on-one. So, I know I can be more than just a stretch the field guy.”
Q: What have you taken away so far from those you've met in the organization, particularly if you've met Coach McDaniels?
Hollins: “Really, a lot of what I've been hearing is about the history. You know, ‘Once the Raider, Always Raider.’ That's kind of something that I've only been here an hour or two and that's really stuck with me. I think that's important. I think it's often overlooked the history of a team and how a team got to where they are. You know, why did they move from Oakland? I just found out that the logo was designed by the father of the head equipment manager, and that's his face. I've been in the league six years. I've followed football for 28 years and I never knew. I thought they just made up some guy's face, like somebody drew a smiley face on him and put a patch. Those are the type of things that are cool to know and make you feel more connected to the organization. So, since I've been here, that's been really awesome.”
Q: You don't know who drew the Dolphin logo then?
Hollins: “I don't know who put that Dolphin on there (laughter). I really don't know. Yeah, that's probably who it was. (Ace Ventura) ‘Laces out.’ Come on.”
Q: In 2020 you didn’t get to feel the full effect of Raider Nation in the brand-new stadium. Have you let your mind wander of what it means to be able to play in front of that crowd in that stadium?
Hollins: “A little bit. I think I gave myself like 10 seconds when I was in the equipment room putting on a helmet, like, I'm going to have Black and Silver on and go to work and it's going to be in a crazy brand-new stadium and I’m going be on the other side of it. The cheers are going to be for me instead of against me, so it's cool to think about. To be able to drive by it on the way in and I'll be in there in six months’ time or five months’ time.”
Q: What do you think you did last season to really kind of elevate yourself in developing who you are as a player? And how do you bring that to here?
Hollins: “I think just never getting comfortable with where you are, never thinking you've arrived. That's the message of the NFL, I guess, is once you think you've arrived, that's when they ship you out. So, just continuing to put in work, continuing to act like it's 2017 and I'm a rookie coming out of North Carolina. And that's how I'll continue to elevate my game and continue to make plays when called upon. And that's all you can do as a player is make plays when called upon.”
Q: Is there anyone on this team in particular that you’re excited to build a relationship with?
Hollins: “As a receiver, obviously, Derek Carr is big. That’s the guy you want to mesh with a lot. But Hunter Renfrow, we both played in the ACC. We played against each other a couple of times when he was at Clemson, so it will be cool to kind of reconnect with him.”
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