Iowa Football Pro Day '24 interviews
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00:00 She's got to be the most exciting player at any level right now to watch.
00:04 I think, in my opinion.
00:05 I know I watch every single game, every time it's on TV.
00:09 So she's one of a kind, really.
00:13 >> What's this process been like for you?
00:17 Without being able to do a lot of work that you thought you'd probably do in
00:21 the Santa Fe Draft?
00:22 >> It's still been fun, just training.
00:26 I'm out in California, so I'm meeting a bunch of guys,
00:29 getting to interact with them.
00:30 Just hear their experiences from their respective colleges.
00:35 And just talking to different teams, getting a feel for
00:41 their defensive philosophy, them getting to know me.
00:45 Just the back and forth, talking football has been fun.
00:49 And that's what I've loved about this process.
00:54 >> Are you still gonna do a testing day in April sometime?
00:57 >> April 15th, I'll do a workout back here, yep.
01:02 >> Okay, are you excited?
01:04 >> I am, yeah.
01:05 I'm excited to be back out and moving around for sure.
01:09 I've missed it a lot.
01:11 >> How close are you to 100%?
01:13 >> I'm pretty close, yeah.
01:14 These past couple weeks, probably best I've felt with my leg.
01:22 So it's been good.
01:24 >> I think I've seen you posted a few DB workouts.
01:27 So I guess how much are you able to do right now relative to 100%?
01:31 >> Yeah, I'm kinda just easing into it right now, just the DB drills.
01:34 I started that last week, so I'm just easing into it right now.
01:39 Just trying to knock the rust off a little bit, so it's been good so far.
01:46 >> Did you have a favorite NFL team growing up?
01:48 >> I mean, I watched a bunch of guys.
01:53 So it was more players for me.
01:55 It was more offensive, guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning.
02:02 I love watching those guys play.
02:03 Adrian Peterson.
02:06 And now, I mean, even now, just watching the guys in the league is really fun.
02:12 >> I know there's been talk of you playing safety as opposed to corner.
02:17 Do you wanna play corner?
02:18 Is that what you'll tell teams?
02:20 >> Yeah, I believe I can play corner.
02:23 I feel like my ability, I can do that speed and size wise.
02:29 But I feel like I also have the athleticism to play multiple different
02:35 positions.
02:36 So at the end of the day, it's just about playing football and
02:40 finding the ball, stopping the other team from scoring.
02:44 >> How much have you heard the name Jason Seahorn during this process?
02:47 >> I've heard it a lot.
02:48 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah,
02:51 especially at the facility I train at, there's quite a few NFL guys who train
02:55 there.
02:55 I mean, some of the guys even call me that, not even by my name.
03:01 So it's kind of funny, but it's cool.
03:05 >> Riley was asked kind of the same questions last year.
03:07 I mean, have NFL teams kind of told you, we see you as a corner?
03:11 Has that been the thought?
03:13 >> Yeah, there's been a few teams that have, yeah.
03:16 And then there's been a few teams who see me other places.
03:23 Some teams think I can play multiple positions,
03:26 most teams think I can play multiple positions, which is to my benefit, I think.
03:31 >> What are you hoping to run in the morning?
03:32 >> [LAUGH] >> What do you think you can run?
03:35 >> I don't know if I can fast, hopefully.
03:38 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, I just wanna get back and
03:42 be running full speed and be able to run fast again.
03:45 Yeah, I miss just doing all that stuff, running, moving around,
03:49 doing drills, being able to train on the field.
03:52 So- >> Can you speak to how torn you were
03:55 about this whole process about maybe staying for another year?
03:58 Because I know you were really thinking, you thought hard about that.
04:02 >> Yeah, it was tough for me, cuz this place is one of a kind.
04:09 This is my dream school where I wanted to play ever since I was a little kid.
04:13 So, and then with the injury, not getting to end it how I wanted to end my career.
04:20 It was tough, I had long conversations with coaches,
04:26 had to talk to my family quite a bit.
04:27 I was literally crying and
04:33 talking to Coach Parker about the whole deal cuz I didn't know what to do.
04:39 But I feel like right now this is the best decision for me.
04:43 >> Who'd you lean on?
04:45 >> Really my family.
04:46 Did a couple swings, angle routes, did a little pat and go, a couple seams.
04:53 It was nice.
04:55 Like I said, it's like I was playing backyard football again.
04:59 My brother's throwing me a ball or something like that just cuz my whole six
05:03 years here, I think I've touched a ball once.
05:06 And that was against Ohio State when I scored.
05:08 But yeah, so it was fun.
05:10 It was a good time and had some of the guys watch the routes and I'm kinda curious.
05:15 I was like, how do you think I did?
05:16 And they're like, dude, it looks like you've been playing fullback your whole
05:17 life. So it was good to hear cuz I had no idea.
05:21 I was just out there, but yeah, it was a lot of fun.
05:24 >> So do you prefer having your hand on the ground,
05:26 like on the line of scrimmage or off if you have the force at this point?
05:31 >> For offensive wise or just anywhere?
05:33 >> Yeah.
05:34 >> I don't care to be honest.
05:36 Yeah, I'm that type of guy.
05:37 Like I said, just wherever you wanna put me, I'll play.
05:40 Yep.
05:41 Yeah, absolutely.
05:42 >> So all these guys have been telling us about going to Florida and
05:45 all these different places.
05:46 >> Yeah. >> How are you training now?
05:47 >> Here.
05:48 Good old Iowa, baby.
05:49 Come on now.
05:51 I love this place.
05:51 It was, my agent gave me the opportunity to go to Florida and
05:55 kinda go train with Logan Lee or stay here.
05:58 So Coach Braithwaite's one of the biggest mentors in my life.
06:03 And I know he knows my body very well.
06:06 He knows how I operate and I have so much trust in him,
06:12 like the most amount of trust you can have in a person.
06:15 So that was kinda the selling point for me.
06:19 And I knew they were gonna do everything they can for me to be successful.
06:22 So that's why I stayed here and trained.
06:24 >> So what did you test today?
06:26 You talked about fullback, you did some fullback?
06:28 >> I did some fullback stuff, yeah, I ran some routes.
06:30 Yeah, no, I tested pretty well.
06:34 Actually PR'd in my vertical, which was nice.
06:36 PR'd in that, I guess I had some PRs and other things too.
06:43 But yeah, the fullback stuff was a lot of fun,
06:45 just kinda catching balls out of the backfield and yeah.
06:48 >> Trying to pull a Parker Hesse here or what?
06:51 >> I don't, I hope so.
06:52 I mean, I don't really, yeah, I mean, I really wouldn't.
06:56 Like I said, I've said in the past that I honestly don't care where you put me.
07:01 Put me on fullback, you can put me on DN, you can put me anywhere.
07:05 I can be a long, I don't, you know what I'm saying?
07:07 I just wanna play football, so.
07:09 >> One of the cool things about today is all the support you guys get from
07:13 your teammates.
07:14 >> Yeah, yeah, it's- >> It's not like,
07:16 cuz you've done that in the past.
07:17 >> I've been in that, yeah, and it was really cool to see all of,
07:21 I mean, there was like 30, 40, 50.
07:26 I mean, there was a lot of guys, I mean, but
07:27 there was 30, 40 guys that stayed the whole time.
07:30 Which, I don't know, like three, four hours, which was really cool to see.
07:34 They didn't need to take up their whole Monday and come watch us run some drills.
07:39 But just to see the support, them screaming for
07:42 us when we're doing the bench press, it was really cool to see.
07:45 And that's why I'm so thankful to be a part of this program.
07:50 You can really see the brotherhood kinda show out in something like that.
07:53 Where they're staying here for four hours just cheering us on, so.
07:57 >> Joe, can you just kinda reflect on your journey?
08:01 You come here, you earn your stripes, you're a team captain,
08:04 you're one of the top players on this defense.
08:07 >> Yep.
08:08 >> How does it feel to be standing here competing for a chance to be in the NFL?
08:12 >> It's everything that I've dreamed of.
08:14 When I was a little kid, and this is the god honest truth,
08:18 that my dream was to be an Iowa guy.
08:22 And I'm a guy that sets goals for myself.
08:25 So in middle school, let's say middle school,
08:29 that was my goal was to be an Iowa Hawkeye.
08:32 And I think once I get those goals, I just keep pushing them forward,
08:36 more forward, more forward.
08:37 My next goal was to play in the NFL.
08:38 And a big thing for me is to kinda,
08:43 what I wanna do is to be able to give back to my parents.
08:46 Cuz I started here as a walk on and they helped me pay my way those first couple
08:50 years, so that's a huge thing for me is to hopefully make it in the NFL and
08:54 then help them out.
08:55 But yeah, it's a dream of mine, so I'm really excited to be in this opportunity.
09:00 >> Is there a sense of pride in being one of those?
09:02 >> It was fun.
09:03 I felt like I had no school responsibilities as well,
09:05 even though I didn't really have school responsibilities for
09:07 the past two years anyway, cuz I've been here for so long.
09:09 But it was cool.
09:11 And then on some days, we would all go hang out.
09:14 We had a pool in our backyard and I forget what the word is, but
09:19 when the ocean meets something else and that little canal type thing with the water
09:23 was right behind the pool, so it was a view and a half.
09:26 There were manatees floating by.
09:27 Some days it was cool, these big turpins or
09:30 tarpon fish were jumping out of the water.
09:32 So the setup was amazing.
09:35 It was awesome, so that's what the day looked like.
09:39 It was a great day.
09:41 >> Give me some future living plans for
09:43 the summer, more types of people.
09:45 >> I know, I was thinking to myself, I was gonna live in Iowa after this.
09:48 But then I went to Florida, it was warm every single day.
09:50 I was brushing my teeth outside, looking at the pool.
09:54 And I was like, how could I not do this for the rest of my life?
09:57 It was, I had a lot to think about, so.
10:00 >> Is this about one of the most, I don't know, can you describe just these last
10:04 couple months, few weeks even this time in your life where you're chasing something so
10:08 big and what has it been like for you?
10:09 Is it anxious or nervous or are you just having fun, is it exciting?
10:13 What is it for you?
10:15 >> It's about all those.
10:16 It's anxiousness, but it's also really a great time because
10:22 everyone is working towards the same goal.
10:27 And you're in the best shape of your entire life and
10:30 you're eating healthy and getting good sleep.
10:33 And it's a time when you're, when you play college football,
10:37 you've gotta think outside of just yourself.
10:39 You gotta do what's best for the team.
10:41 But in these two months, you do what's best for you,
10:44 which is the one time I've, all of us in this process have ever really got to do
10:50 that, so for two months you're focusing completely on yourself,
10:55 which is something that we all haven't done before, which is, it's pretty cool.
11:01 It was a good time.
11:02 >> Are you doing this with some of the other Iowa guys?
11:04 Are you doing it with guys from other schools?
11:06 Or I mean, who are you going through this process with right now?
11:09 >> When I was out in Florida?
11:11 >> Yeah, yeah.
11:12 >> I was dudes from all over the place.
11:14 But then about two weeks ago, I came in here and met back up with all the other
11:18 guys who were other places and some guys who were here.
11:21 And we all got to train together again for the past two weeks,
11:24 which was fun as well.
11:26 >> How do you deal with the pressure of knowing that, hey,
11:29 you have just one pro day to really showcase your abilities?
11:32 >> Just I kinda think about how this is what I've been doing for
11:38 my whole entire life.
11:39 My whole life I've been playing football and running routes and
11:41 catching the ball.
11:42 And today is just a day for people to watch it.
11:46 People have been watching me out on Kinnick with 70,000 people,
11:49 a bunch of scouts.
11:50 It's kinda like the same thing.
11:52 >> Nice to meet you.
11:54 >> Yeah.
11:54 >> Thanks for your coverage.
11:55 >> Thank you.
11:55 >> I know it's been a minute since we talked to you.
11:58 What was last season like for you overall?
12:02 >> Yeah, it was a lot of maturing for me as a human, I would say.
12:08 Just learning from my mistakes and moving on and
12:12 growing to be a better person.
12:13 So, but it was a lot of maturing, but also just I got to
12:19 kinda find out what my purpose, kinda without football in a way.
12:25 But I was still in here helping out the young guys and
12:29 in the film room and meeting with the team.
12:31 And I still, I did everything, but I wasn't out there on Saturdays, so.
12:35 >> Can you speak to what you maybe realized in that time when you talk about
12:39 your purpose outside of football, what some of those things are that you're
12:41 realizing?
12:43 >> I mean, I really got closer, my relationship with God and
12:46 Jesus Christ really grew to that time.
12:50 Just a lot of trials and tribulations and I had to just keep my faith and
12:54 make sure, keep my faith in God.
12:56 But it was really just eye opening, I'd say.
13:03 I've been playing the sport, I don't know, 18 years, something, I don't know.
13:08 But it was my first year kind of not being able to play it.
13:12 So, but I kinda just, like I said, just grew as a person, got a lot closer with
13:16 God, got a lot closer with my family, got a lot closer with my teammates as well, so.
13:21 >> Can you just, I guess, is there any, just dealing with the emotions of
13:26 thinking that you possibly could be reinstated and just,
13:30 I mean, what was all just kinda having to deal with that roller coaster thing?
13:33 >> Yeah, the reinstatement process is like, I don't even know what to compare it to.
13:38 But you get your hopes up and then they kinda just dwindle all the way back down.
13:42 But I mean, it was just, like I said, a part of maturing as a human being.
13:48 You're not always gonna get your way in life.
13:50 And this was kinda like one of my first bit of adversity.
13:54 But I know God's just preparing me for what's to come later in life.
13:58 It won't be my first and only time of going through adversity.
14:01 So, he's just preparing me for what's to come.
14:04 >> As you've seen how this investigation played out and
14:08 it was pretty much seems like a legal search of things.
14:13 How frustrating is that for you given what was taken away from you?
14:17 >> Yeah, I mean, it is frustrating.
14:19 But at the same time, another thing this process has taught me is to just control
14:24 what you can control.
14:25 You'll go crazy trying to do control stuff that is completely out of your control.
14:30 Like the investigation, I could have controlled it before I made my mistake.
14:36 Yeah, but once I was in the midst of things, I'm kinda just going with the flow.
14:41 If I sit up and think at night, there was a lot of nights I sat up and
14:45 thought, how could I change this?
14:47 But you can't change this, it's out of your control.
14:49 So I figured if you just take a step back and
14:52 really just let God take control, that's what I did.
14:58 >> What's the matter?
14:59 Go ahead.
15:00 >> What was that?
15:01 >> How's your shoulder doing?
15:02 >> Yeah, my shoulder feels really great.
15:05 Obviously not playing last year, so I had a full year of rehab basically.
15:10 And it felt really great going into today.
15:14 And I'm still trying to strengthen it.
15:17 I feel like when you get surgeries, they give you a timetable,
15:23 but there's always still more work you can do to make it more stronger.
15:28 >> Is it easier knowing that you have had some good years on film to show NFL teams?
15:33 >> Yeah, I got two years starting and then some more film where I was a backup.
15:40 But yeah, I think it definitely helps if this was different and
15:44 next year or this year, upcoming year, technically looking back on it,
15:49 would have been my first year starting.
15:51 Obviously, it would have played a different role with not having much
15:56 game film, but yeah, having two years under my belt definitely does help when it
16:00 comes to scouts saying, what's your best game, what's your worst game?
16:04 >> Have you had much of a time or many opportunities so
16:08 far to meet with NFL teams yet?
16:10 >> I met with a couple today after our pro day and
16:15 they had some great things to say.
16:16 So I'm looking forward to just continuing to build relationships with them and
16:21 see what comes next.
16:24 >> I don't know if this is a question that these guys are so
16:26 gonna show my athleticism and all that fun stuff, but it was good day, yeah.
16:31 >> Which things did you do?
16:33 >> I did everything today, yeah.
16:34 Did bench, broad, vertical, 40, what else?
16:40 Pro agility and three count, yeah, and then offensive line drills, yeah.
16:44 >> All right, how many bench reps?
16:47 >> 20, I don't like to make excuses, but I had surgery on my finger after
16:52 the season, and I was in a cast for two months.
16:54 So I think I could probably get 30 if I was healthy, but that's all right.
17:01 Can't do anything about it now.
17:03 >> What's kind of been this pre-draft process been for you?
17:06 >> Just, I mean, I've trained here with Joe and Steve and
17:11 just not a whole lot to be honest now, at least.
17:15 Like finding an agent, obviously, George Holly, who's here today.
17:18 And it's been good meeting him and trusting him.
17:23 And that was a different process that I wasn't used to.
17:26 But yeah, I mean, just working out and then today was obviously important.
17:30 I think it'll pick up after today.
17:32 And then I'm trained for a month and then draft happens and
17:35 figure out where I'm going, hopefully.
17:39 And just try to keep playing football after that, yeah.
17:43 >> You have other people in here who went to Tampa, San Diego, Nashville.
17:48 Wonderful climate.
17:49 >> Yeah, right.
17:50 >> What kind of sold you on staying here at Iowa to train?
17:53 >> I think when I was getting recruited here,
17:55 that was one of the big things that they told me is after the season,
17:58 I can stay and train.
17:59 And I was like, why not?
18:01 They know my body, they know who I am and train here for free with amazing coaches.
18:08 And I think that was the biggest thing for me.
18:10 I could utilize everything that I could when I was still on the team,
18:13 which was super important to me.
18:15 And I have an apartment, so I figured why not?
18:19 So, yeah.
18:21 >> What's kind of your pitch to an NFL team?
18:23 >> That I just want an opportunity.
18:26 I just wanna set my foot in the door and show them what kind of football player I am.
18:30 I still think I have a lot of room for improvement and growth.
18:34 And yeah, I think that's the biggest thing is I'm tough and
18:37 love to play football and I'm ready, yeah.
18:40 >> Where have you kind of grown the most in the last year?
18:43 >> Man, everything, I mean, when I first got here,
18:47 I had some serious improvement that I had to make.
18:50 And I think I did a pretty good job with that.
18:52 And yeah, I mean, just obviously getting coached by Coach Burnett and
18:57 Kirk Ferentz is, well, if you don't get better playing for
19:02 them, then there's something wrong with you.
19:05 There's no reason not to get better in every aspect of football.
19:08 And yeah, football-wise, I definitely got better at everything, I think.
19:12 I don't know, it's hard to say.
19:14 >> What's kind of the biggest, or
19:15 how did you grow from kind of getting this another chance here with George?
19:20 >> Yeah, I mean, he knows who I am and knows what kind of player I am.
19:25 And I think that definitely helped with him making me realize what my strengths and
19:29 weaknesses are and what I need to work on and what I'm good at.
19:33 Which was nice coming here because he already knew that stuff versus going
19:36 somewhere else that they wouldn't have known that.
19:40 And yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing for
19:44 me was just adjusting to the speed of the game.
19:48 And I mean, the defense is obviously disgusting, so
19:52 I got to play against them every day, which helped me drastically improve, yeah.
19:58 >> Have you had a chance to meet with many teams so far?
20:01 >> Just one, just Silver Tex.
20:03 I think it'll hopefully start picking up soon after.
20:06 I mean, today was obviously important.
20:08 I had to have decent numbers to show, and I think I did.
20:12 I did pretty good, so hopefully it starts picking up soon, yeah.
20:16 >> Thanks, I appreciate it.
20:17 >> Thank you.