NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Alvin Kamara, RB, University of Tennessee

NFL Draft Diamonds website has been providing our readers Prospect Interviews over the past 3 years and this year we mixed things up a bit. Our questions are designed to give our readers a little more insight on the draft eligible player. We hope to bring you more than 350 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 to the right.  Now let’s meet our next prospect!!!!

What is your name? 

Alvin Kamara

What is your Height/Weight? 

5’10 215

What is your position? 

Running Back

Where do you play college football? 

The University Of Tennessee

Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field

This past season I had a chance to visit the victims and families of the Chattanooga bus crash incident in the hospital. It was a very humbling experience and it made me realize that as an athlete the difference I make is much bigger than just on the football field.

What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?

Statistics

Where are you from? 

Atlanta, GA

Who is your role model, and why? 

I don’t have just one role model. I really just feed off all of the wisdom of my family and my close friends. I look up to them regardless of if they are younger or older than me. I feel like wisdom has no age

Did you play any other sports growing up? 

I didn’t play any other sport, but looking back I wish I played baseball

Did you play any other positions in football? 

When I first started playing in 3rd grade I played left guard. I wasn’t big I was just terrible so they threw me at any position. I ended up quitting and playing again in 5th grade. That is when I started playing running back. In middle school I played linebacker and running back

At your position, what separates you from others? 

I think I’m what the NFL is looking for. A back that can run outside and in between the tackles. Also a solid pass protector. But what separates me is my vision, balance and my pass catching ability. I can also line up at receiver and be productive

When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?

When I break down film I start with defensive lineman. I watch how they come off of the ball and where their eyes are. I also look at how they play once they get winded. Another thing I look for is how disciplined or undisciplined they are when it comes to their gaps. Next I move to linebackers. I watch how well they run and try to get a feel for how aggressive they play. Then I tie in the safeties and corners. I look at the angles they take when the go to tackle, how far they play off the ball when blitz is coming and vice versa. I like watching safeties a lot because they tell you the truth about a defense, everyone else can lie to you and try to disguise whats really coming but eventually the safety gives you an indicator.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced? 

I’ve faced a lot of great players but I think the toughest  I’ve played against has to be Reuben Foster

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

I honestly don’t like to compare myself to any player. I try to leave the comparisons for the experts

What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it? 

The biggest obstacle I had to face in my life was transferring schools in college. It was hard to go from Alabama to the junior college level and then to Tennessee, but I think what was even harder was really getting to know myself and have faith in myself. It was a long process and I had to stay true to my core beliefs and values. I already had a sharp mind but through it all I had to spend time with myself and really tap into things about myself that I didn’t even know. Thats how I got through it

Do you have any pre-game rituals? 

I’m very obsessive compulsive so I have a lot of pre game rituals. I shower every game before pregame meal. I always eat the same amount and drink the same amount at pregame meal before we leave for the stadium. I do my warm up routine in the same order before every game and I put my uniform on in the same oder. All the stitching on my uniform have to match up with the stitching of whatever I have on under my uniform. Im going to stop now because the list goes on….

What is your biggest strength? 

My biggest strength is my psychological resilience

What is your biggest weakness? 

My biggest weakness at times is my stubbornness 

If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say? 

Personality

Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up? 

My favorite player when I was growing up was Clinton Portis

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose? 

Jean-Michel Basquiat, Michael Jackson and Walter Payton

What will be the first big item you buy once you are in the NFL?

Honestly, it’ll probably be some shoes.