Michael Sam stood tall and answered questions from the media Saturday at the NFL Combine.

Michael Sam stood tall and answered questions from the media Saturday at the NFL Combine.

Missouri defensive end Michael Sam faced the media Saturday in Indianapolis ahead of his NFL Combine workouts and just two weeks since he made his public announcement that he was gay.

Sam handled his 12-minute session with poise and comes to the workouts, hoping to raise his draft status which has him projected as high as the third round.  Some experts feel his stock with drop after his announcement.
In terms of on the field questions, Sam is being labeled a “tweener,” meaning he’s too small for defensive end in the NFL, and questioned about his speed at linebacker.
Here is some of what he had to say Saturday as he took questions from the media.
On whether he has any concern of experiencing any harassment or torment from fans of opposing teams in the NFL:
“No, I’ve been getting all kinds of great, positive (reaction) from all kinds of fans. When I’m on the field, I really don’t focus on fans. So I just focus on my responsibility, which is the guy right across from me.”
On whether he’d be comfortable in a locker room like Miami’s, in the wake of the bullying details that recently surfaced in the Jonathan Martin-Richie Incognito situation:
“If the Miami Dolphins drafted me, I would be excited to be part of that organization. But I’m not afraid about going into that environment. I know I have a handle of myself. I know how to communicate with teammates and communicate with coaches and whoever I need to communicate with.”
On whether he’s been overwhelmed by the volume of coverage his story has gotten this month:
“I’ve been missing in action. I haven’t really been paying attention to the media, so I don’t really know.”
On whether he noticed any difference in his relationships with teammates after he revealed to them he was gay:
“No, not at all. It was the same as the first day I was there.”
On the “Stand with Sam” button he’s been wearing recently:
“Stand with Sam? I hope all you guys ‘Stand with Sam,’ by the way. Please do. It was fun. I went to the (Missouri) basketball game against Tennessee. A very kind lady gave it to me. I gave her a hug. I got a lot of support out there.”
On the outpouring of support he’s had at Missouri:
“I love my fans. I love Mizzou, one of the best schools in the nation. Out there what they did this past weekend was amazing. I wanted to cry but was like ‘I’m a man.’ I want to thank everyone who supported me, especially Mizzou. The students, my coaches, the whole organization, and every Missouri fan. I’m a Tiger forever.”
On whether he’s heard homophobic or insensitive slurs in the locker room:
“I’ve been in locker rooms where all kinds of slurs have been said. I don’t think anyone means it. It might be a little naïve and uneducated but as time goes on, everyone will adapt.”
On if he wishes his sexuality wasn’t a major story:
“Heck yeah. I wish you’d say, ‘Hey Michael Sam, how’s football going? How’s training going?’ I’d love for you to ask me that question. But it is what it is. I just wish you guys would see me as Michael Sam the football player, instead of Michael Sam the gay football player.”
On his fit at the next level:
“I want to play (for) whoever picks me up as a defensive end or an outside linebacker to rush that passer. That’s what I do best.”
On the reaction he’s gotten from other players at the combine:
“I’m not going to tell you who said it but one of my friends at the Senior Bowl said, ‘Michael Sam, I didn’t know you were gay.’ Apparently the media has just blown it out of proportion.”
On how he’d characterize the reaction to his revelation:
“Great. I mean, the positive outweighs the negative. I’m kind of surprised actually. There’s a lot of supporters, a lot of people want this. There’s just a lot of support out there.”
On whether his announcement to the Missouri football team lead to any jokes or teasing initially:

“Everyone can be normal around me. We joke around. It’s a brotherhood, it’s a family. You can say things to each other. We don’t draw blood. It’s all fun and games.”

On whether he’s surprised that word of his sexuality never got out during the season:
“Like I said, a good proportion of my student body knew. So word did get out. But we protect one another at Mizzou apparently. I guess other schools don’t.”
On how he would confront and react to any potential harassment within the locker room of his NFL team:
“Am I going to fight? No. If someone wants to call me a name, I’ll have a conversation with that guy and hopefully it won’t lead to nothing else.”
On whether his announcement will impact his draft status:
“I am not a GM. I do not have control over my draft status. All I can control is me prepaing myself to get the best scores out there.”
On whether he feels like a trail blazer:
“I feel like I’m Michael Sam.”
On when, in a perfect world, he would have made his sexuality public:
“In a perfect world? When I figured it out. When I knew that this is what I wanted. In a perfect world, I mean, when I was ready to tell it. I think I did it on my time, on my terms. Ya know, it’s out there now. So it doesn’t really matter. It’s out there.”
On whether he’s better suited as a defensive end or an outside linebacker at the next level:
“I’m a pass rusher. So if you put me in a situation to get the quarterback, I’m going to get the quarterback. So whatever coaches or GMs, if they need (that). This league is a passing league. I’d like to believe in myself as a pass rusher.”
On whether the questions are valid on his “tweener” status:
“I can drop back in coverage as well. But like I said, my specialty is rushing the passer.”