NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Jean-Philipe Bolduc, DB, University Laval (Canada)
NFL Draft Diamonds and our staff have been bringing our readers Prospect Interviews over the past 2 years and this year we mixed up the questions and added some fun questions for our readers. We have tons of NFL staff that read our interviews, and we actually received several of the questions from NFL scouts we speak too. This gives them a little bit more information regarding your character. We hope to bring you more than 300 interviews of NFL Draft Prospects this season. You will be able to track them all on the front page of our website in the banner.
What is your name?
Jean-Philippe Bolduc
What is your Height/Weight?
6’1″ 210
What is your position?
Safety
Where do you play college football?
Université Laval, in Québec City Canada
Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field?
I was part the school motivation program. The team offers this to elementary and high schools of the Quebec city region. We go in these schools and talk to kids and give them tips on how to succeed. I have visited around 30 schools while I was at Laval. I was also a coach for the “mini rouge et or” football program.
What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?
Laws and Legislations of business
Where are you from?
Born and raised in Montreal
Who is your role model, and why?
My dad because he’s self-made and has always supported me.
Did you play any other sports growing up?
I played hockey like most of the Canadian kids. I also skied a lot
Did you play any other positions in football?
Linebacker and all the defensive back positions
At your position, what separates you from others?
I’d say my measurables and my football knowledge
When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?
Tendencies of the offense. What play they do and how many times. Also looking for some “for sures”, keys that could tell us the play they will run before the snap
Who was the toughest player you ever faced?
Mikhail Davidson. Small receiver now playing for he Montreal Alouettes.
If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be and why?
Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings. Big body and smart player. He’s the leader of the Vikings defense.
What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it?
Not being academically eligible my freshman year. I did not take care of business in school and was not able to enter university. I went back to my junior college, finished my classes and came back to the school I had committed to. I focused down on what I had to do and kept away the distractions.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
I like to do a small walk through before the team warm up. I go and visualize all the play were going to do, little footwork and catch some balls.
As a small school football player what obstacles do you feel you have to overcome?
Exposure can definitely be one. I’d also say sometimes scouts think the level of competition is not a good as the level faced by D1 players.
What is your biggest strength?
Football knowledge. I have a really good understanding of the game. I was coached by the best DC in Canada and I learned a lot from him. Tackling is also one of my strength
What is your biggest weakness?
Ball skills, I prefer to deliver a big hit when sometimes I should have play the ball.
If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?
I am a hard worker and a really good teammate. The first one to punch in and the last guy to punch out! I am going to improve every day and I will play every where he wants me to compete. Let him know I can have an impact on his team.
Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up?
Brian Urlacher, and my team was and still is the Cleveland Browns
If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?
René Lévesque (former Québec Prime Minister), Jean Béliveau (former Montréal Candiens captain) and my Dad.
What will be the first big item you buy once you are in the NFL?
Apartment building, safe investment.
Rapid Answers:
- Tupac or Biggie?
- NFL Network or ESPN?
- Coke or Pepsi?
- Pizza or Burgers?
- Dogs or Cats?
NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com