2023 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: TJ Griffin, ATH, West Liberty University

• Name: TJ Griffin
• Position: Athlete (WR, RB, KR, PR)
• College: West Liberty University 
• Height: 5’10
• Weight: 185
• Twitter: @TJaygriffin
• Instagram: @_I.E.Finest_

What makes you a top prospect at your position  in the 2023 NFL Draft? 

I am a versatile player that can play multiple positions and be on special teams with the strengths of being agile, and having great football IQ, and strength. 

At what age were you first interested in the sport of football?

I have been interested in football since the age of 5.

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

I will do whatever I need for the team to win games and play whatever position I need to to put the team in the best position to succeed. 

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be? 

I would donate to a cause with kids who live in low-income neighborhoods who need help getting better education and with families who are struggling to live and get by day by day that is close to being kicked out into the streets. 

What is the best advice you have ever received? 

I have heard and gotten a lot of great advice I’m my life, but the best for me would have to be “Don’t ever let someone tell you that you’re not good at your craft or that you can’t do whatever you set your heart out to do, nobody is as confident or knows how good you are at your abilities more than you.” 

Who was your childhood hero? 

I have 2, first would be my mom Jesscelia Griffin and how she was able to take care of me, my brother and my cousins with little to no help and still being able to make sure we had everything we needed to get by.

The other is my oldest brother Antoine Griffin because he’s the one who helped shaped me into the athlete I am today and help me find this hidden athletic ability I didn’t know I had. (Honorable mention to Kobe Bryant)

Who is the most underrated teammate in your locker room at your school? 

I would say Jerome Harris because he was good football payer who worked to get better and showed off his ability in the spring and during camp, and came into his last season only to get onto the field 25% of the time and still turn up whenever anybody else made a play. Even though he didn’t get to show off his talent he was still happy for his teammates to be able to do they thang on the field. Many people didn’t notice that about him so that’s why I feel like he was one of the most underrated players in are locker room.

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

Seeing someone not go hard in practice, going through the motions or complaining about not wanting to be there so they cheat there way through practice by not doing all the drills, etc., because in my opinion if you get to the point of doing that then why be there at all.  

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome? 

After being over looked in high school I went the juco route in California and started as a true freshman, but then I got injured and broke my ankle a little over half way through the season, so having to face the adversity of getting back to full strength and trying to earn my spot back the next year while figuring out where I was going to stay and eat because it was real expensive trying find a place to stay around the school so it made it tough. Plus I still wasn’t at full strength and had to redshirt and stay in juco for another year and grind through all of that again, but luckily was eventually able to find a home at West Liberty University. So I would say that was one of the hardest moments to overcome in my life. 

Tell me something about your school and why it is so special to you?

The Hilltop was special to be because of the people that were on it. West Liberty wasn’t a big school and was in the middle of no where but it made you have unbreakable bonds with people and create memories you’ll never forget and I’ll always love the hilltop for that.

What is your favorite snack food? 

Welches island fruit flavored snacks, them thangs top tier. 

What is the best part of football? 

The grind you put yourself through to get in the best possible shape mentally and physically before going out on that field for game day and being able to show all the work you put in on that field when the time comes.

If you could sell yourself in one sentence what would you say? 

I am a Spark Plug, with the ability to make something out of nothing in the play and create big plays with the little opportunities I am given and block their butt off knowing that my block has the potential to be the one to help my teammate get in that endzone. 

If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be? 

To be honest I’m not sure who I would compare my play to, so I asked some of my coaches and teammates and they all had similar answers as far as someone who’s versatile being able to go from Wr to Rb and do little bit of everything, some the answers I got were Deebo and Tavon Austin.

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

The 3 people would be my brother JT Griffin, Kobe Bryant, and Denzel Washington because with JT passing away when I was young I feel like I didn’t get to experience my full teenage and adult life with him like I wanted to. Kobe Bryant because he was one of my idols growing up and I always admiring that more matter what was going on or how tired he was, he was still able to defy all odds on the court so it would be great to have a sit-down with him and get some advice, The same with Denzel on how successful his career is and talking about how he started it.