Daijun Edwards NFL Combine Interview
Transcript
00:00 >> Who's the guy going back to Georgia that we're not talking about right now,
00:03 but everybody will be talking about a year from now?
00:05 >> Say what?
00:05 >> Who's the guy going back to Georgia that we're not talking about right now,
00:08 but a year from now we're all gonna be talking about?
00:10 >> I would probably say Chaz Chambliss or Rob Robinson.
00:13 >> Why Chaz?
00:14 >> Chaz, he's tough.
00:15 I feel like he's an underrated guy.
00:16 I feel like he's coming out of this year pretty good.
00:20 >> Hey John, this week at the NFL combine,
00:21 what are you looking to showcase to NFL teams?
00:24 >> I'd say my quickness, my hands, what I can do or a short order.
00:28 >> Who's the toughest guy you saw in practice every day last year?
00:33 Who's the toughest guy you saw in practice every day last year?
00:36 >> A lot of them, I'd probably say Jermon,
00:40 Dennis Johnson, Small Munde, Malakai, there's a lot of them, Kamari, a lot of guys.
00:45 >> What stood out about Jermon?
00:47 What stood out about Jermon?
00:48 >> I mean, he's a big, he's a twitchy guy.
00:51 He's a big guy that can move pretty good.
00:54 >> Obviously recruited for, or recruited by and played for Dale McGree.
00:57 He takes a Georgia State job.
00:59 What did Georgia learn from him?
01:01 >> Georgia lost a great one.
01:03 Great recruiter, a great man.
01:04 I feel like he deserved this opportunity.
01:07 I know he had me well prepared.
01:10 I came a long way with him.
01:11 >> Back at Georgia, what can you say about Brian McClendon,
01:14 the job that he's gonna do as a coach in the NFL?
01:17 >> I feel like he's gonna do a great job.
01:18 I wasn't in the receiving room with him, but I feel like he's gonna have him
01:21 got prepared.
01:22 I feel like the wide receiving room, they love him.
01:25 So I feel like he's gonna have him prepared.
01:27 >> How did playing at Colquitt County help develop you for
01:30 the grind of playing in the SEC?
01:32 >> I feel like it helped me as far as life goes.
01:34 My coach, he had me prepared for the real life stuff.
01:40 I feel like it prepared me waking up in the morning,
01:44 doing all that kind of stuff.
01:47 >> Did you overlap with Josh Crawford at Colquitt?
01:50 >> He was there for one year, but yeah, I know him.
01:52 >> What is Georgia getting into him?
01:55 >> He's serious, he's a serious guy.
01:57 >> When looking at some of the teams that you've spoken with this week,
02:02 are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one of them?
02:04 >> I haven't spoken with them this week.
02:06 >> What do you mean that Crawford doesn't play?
02:08 >> He's real menacing.
02:09 He's like, he's gonna be over here.
02:12 Ain't nothing getting past him.
02:13 >> [LAUGH] >> Is there anything from that one year
02:16 at Colquitt about Crawford where he really got on you, being a freshman,
02:19 you're like, well, this guy's- >> He didn't really get on me, but
02:22 I seen how he was a super coach while I was there.
02:25 He got on me pretty hard.
02:26 >> Dejohn, a lot of people call UGA, running back university, RBU.
02:30 How does it feel?
02:31 Do you consider RBU, and how does it feel coming from a university like that?
02:34 >> I consider RBU, it feels good, just knowing what came through, and
02:38 knowing I'm gonna be here in this moment, so it feels really good.
02:41 >> I think your teammates prepared you to freak work during your time at Georgia.
02:44 Is that a player that you monitor your game after, or if not, who might?
02:48 >> I don't really monitor my game after nobody.
02:50 Actually, my favorite back home is Le'Veon Bell.
02:52 I like to watch him a lot.
02:53 I just like the way he plays, how he sees the game, how he sees the field.
02:57 >> Just from a patient standpoint, you don't look very much like Le'Veon Bell,
03:00 but just in terms of running styles, you know what I mean?
03:03 >> Dejohn, you've been a man of few words during your Georgia career.
03:06 I'm enjoying this interview, feel like we're getting to know you.
03:09 What is the attitude with you as far as doing your talking on the field maybe
03:14 instead of the media?
03:15 I mean, is interviews just not your thing, or
03:18 you're just kind of a quiet guy by nature?
03:20 >> I feel like I'm a quiet guy by nature.
03:21 I mean, I talk, but I'm a quiet guy by nature.
03:24 >> How would you describe your journey at Georgia?
03:27 >> Trial and error.
03:29 It wasn't easy coming in, but it paid off.
03:31 >> What was the lowest point, how'd you get through it?
03:34 >> I'd probably say my freshman year, just coming in, I wasn't playing at all,
03:37 for real, no special season, nothing.
03:39 But I'd say just kept grinding, kept talking with Coach McGee, and kept my head up.
03:45 >> Well, now, didn't you, in that South Carolina game, didn't you get 12 or
03:48 13 carries in the fourth?
03:49 >> Yeah. >> Do you think that was kind of your
03:51 coming out?
03:52 What do you remember about that?
03:54 >> I just remember, yeah, I was tired.
03:55 That's all I remember.
03:56 >> [LAUGH] >> What I remember about it,
03:59 I didn't feel like I came out, but
04:00 I feel like it gave me a little confidence that I was looking for.
04:04 >> Days, you know, with transfer portal era, college football,
04:07 where you're at now, you stuck around for a long time before you really became
04:10 a big factor in the offense, Carson did the same thing.
04:13 A lot of guys have done that at Georgia.
04:15 Why is Georgia able to get guys to do that?
04:18 >> I feel like just Georgia being able to get guys to the drop,
04:21 you know everybody, you know they'll come in and just come to that guy.
04:25 Everybody know freshman all American, so I just feel like just keep grinding,
04:28 keep your head down, and have faith in yourself.
04:30 >> Hey, John, what do you wanna show people on and
04:32 off the field about who you are as a professional scout?
04:35 >> I'm a good guy, I'm a humble guy, I'm relaxed, I'm chilling.
04:38 As far as on the field, I'd say I feel like I'm all around back.
04:44 I feel like I could do anything.
04:46 >> How much better did you get at catching passes during your time?
04:49 How far have you come over the last three or four years?
04:51 >> I feel like I caught pretty well coming out of high school.
04:53 I got better though, as far as running, but I feel like I caught a little better.
04:59 >> You doing everything tomorrow?
05:01 >> Yes, sir.
05:03 >> How did your body rest during your time at Georgia, coming out of Colquitt?
05:06 Like, play like two or three hours, or something like that?
05:11 >> I went in today, I'm here since then.
05:13 I feel like I got more leaner.
05:15 I actually came into Georgia heavier.
05:17 I got heavier, when I first got there, I got over 218.
05:21 Cuz we had talked to me, and you guys slowed down.
05:23 So I feel like I got leaner.
05:26 >> Did you reach out to any floor guys that are in the league now about the process,
05:29 and if so, who, and what's the advice?
05:31 >> I haven't really.
05:32 >> You spend every day with a lot of these guys that are interviewing here,
05:36 a lot of your teammates.
05:37 And then all of a sudden you guys go off and train your own separate ways.
05:41 What's it been like kinda seeing those same faces and catching up?
05:44 >> The guys I'm training with?
05:46 >> Or these guys that you were teammates with,
05:48 that you kinda maybe lost track of when you were training?
05:50 >> It's a humbling experience just to know we came in almost together.
05:56 Just knowing we're making it to this moment.
05:58 It's good seeing them guys, it's all a little fun seeing them.
06:01 >> How do you feel about the Cowboys?
06:04 How do you feel about the Cowboys?
06:05 >> I was supposed to see them briefly.
06:07 >> What do you expect from them, Robert Robinson?
06:09 >> I mean, they're gonna keep that thing going.
06:10 >> Robert Robinson?
06:12 I feel like he's big, but he's nimble with it.
06:15 He's a nimble guy.
06:16 He can do everything out in the backfield.
06:18 He's fast too, faster than people think he is.
06:20 He's a real good boy.
06:21 >> Is it surreal to be here?
06:22 I'm watching this whole process as a kid, now you're in front of us.
06:26 >> Yeah, real surreal, man.
06:27 I'm from Number Quad, Georgia, a small town, so I just feel like it's a surreal moment.
06:31 >> How extra rewarding is it for you, like say you're a lesser recruited guy,
06:35 you weren't playing much earlier in your career.
06:37 How rewarding is it to be here right now in a contested guys like Kenny,
06:40 like James, like Samir?
06:42 >> It's real rewarding, though.
06:44 I just, thank God, for real.
06:47 Real rewarding.
06:47 >> What'd you get out of the senior bowl, Dejan?
06:49 It felt like we saw a little shake and bake out of you in those practices.
06:53 >> I just felt that I'm more than, some people will catch five minutes,
06:56 like a power back, but I feel like I'm shifting.
06:59 I feel like I'm a real shift, I got a good vision, I can catch a ball.
07:03 >> You spent a lot of time with Kendall Nelson in the running back room.
07:05 Did you learn anything from him?
07:08 >> Yeah, I learned perseverance, just keeping my head down.
07:11 I learned a couple things.
07:14 >> What was it like watching him go through his injury journey in Georgia and
07:17 all the different things he done?
07:19 >> I just feel like, how did it, can you repeat the question?
07:22 >> What was it like just watching him go through that?
07:24 I mean, obviously you guys are close, kind of like brothers, and
07:28 seeing him just not be able to catch a break, but
07:31 he finishes strong there, 12 touchdowns in his last nine games.
07:35 >> I feel like it messed with him mentally, but as far as the injuries go,
07:40 it just hurt me just seeing him, he got so much talent.
07:44 Without the majors, man, who knows?
07:46 But it just, yeah.
07:48 >> You missed a couple games at the start of the year.
07:50 What was your injury and how quickly were you 100 again?
07:53 >> I had MCL sprain, I wasn't 100 until like week eight.
07:58 >> Wow.
08:00 >> Yeah, I had MCL sprain and summer workouts.
08:04 >> One of those deals where you kinda had to play though?
08:06 I mean, they're really, that feels pretty good.
08:07 Everybody banged up, young guys, so I had it in the bag.
08:11 >> What differentiates you, you think, from other running backs here?
08:14 What do you bring to the special teams?
08:17 >> I feel like I'm more of an all around, I feel like I do a lot of things well.
08:20 So I'd say I feel like that's the biggest.
08:23 >> If you had to show, what's the key to a great deadlock?
08:25 >> Yeah, the process is really- >> I'd say head fake.
08:27 Really just the head faking the shoulders.
08:30 So make you go in one way and go the other way.
08:34 >> If you had to show scales in one game,
08:35 what game would you say has showcased you as a player, what game would it be?
08:39 >> South Carolina, could say Florida.
08:42 >> Marcus, we asked Marcus his favorite play and
08:44 he was talking about some play where he releases and goes and hits the safety.
08:49 He said you guys could run that against anybody and they could know it was coming.
08:53 Do you know what play he's talking about there?
08:55 Run play?
08:56 >> I don't know.
08:58 >> What was your favorite run play to hear?
09:01 >> I like inside zone.
09:02 I love inside zone.
09:03 >> And why was that?
09:04 >> I feel like we have pullers.
09:08 I feel like he got a pin on the offensive lineman, but
09:10 in zone plays I feel like it's more like we got a feel for it.
09:13 So, that's why.
09:14 >> Major, what drill are you most looking forward to competing in?
09:18 What drill are you most looking forward to competing in?
09:23 >> I don't really got one that I'm looking forward to.
09:25 >> What can we expect from you in the morning time, Wes?
09:28 >> We'll see.
09:30 We'll see.
09:31 >> What's this combine experience been like for you?
09:33 Has anything surprised you or has it been a little restrictive?
09:36 >> This thing is pretty much what I was busy with.
09:38 Nothing really surprised me.
09:41 >> What are you going to miss most about playing in here, there for a long time?
09:44 What are you going to miss most about being in Athens and playing in Jordan?
09:48 What are you going to miss most about being in Athens and playing in Jordan?
09:51 >> I'll say my teammates, just the locker room.
09:55 Just knowing I'm gonna be away from the guys, I'm gonna miss them.
09:58 >> I was gonna ask all back to your recruitment process.
10:00 I think you were a late addition to the class.
10:03 Was Georgia always on the radar for you coming out and calling the line?
10:06 >> Yeah, I always wanted to be at Georgia.
10:08 They had a Florida State, but y'all know we go to Georgia.
10:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]