As someone who grew up in the Madison area, who was your favorite Badgers player as a kid?: Probably Ron Dayne or Lee Evans, one of those people.
You played right tackle and defensive end in high school. What led you to switch to left tackle at Wisconsin?: That was the next open spot, so I started practicing at left tackle. No one actually told me to play left tackle. I said, "I'm going to start practicing at left tackle because that's the next open spot," in my redshirt year.
You are the second Outland Trophy winner, given to the nation's top interior lineman, in five years at Wisconsin. Was that on your radar at all when you entered college?: No, not at all.
When did it first occur to you that you could win it?: When I was named a finalist (in November).
Wisconsin's other Outland winner, Joe Thomas, was the starting left tackle in your redshirt year. Did you learn anything from practicing with him?: Just watching film, nothing personal. We did one thing together, but it was really just watching his film. Having that kind of good player to be able to watch his film is pretty cool.
Along with playing football, you also are a civil engineering major. How do you balance your time between the two?: I have an unbelievable group of engineering friends that are willing to go to my schedule. We can study together and really help each other out.
You're projected to be a possible first-round NFL draft pick this spring. Have you thought about what it'll be like to play on Sundays next year?: No, I don't even know. I've never even been to a professional football game in my life.
Do you have any preference for whom you'd like to play?: You just go with your favorite team, so since I'm from Wisconsin, you just go with the Packers. But whoever drafts me, I'm going to give them my 100 percent.
