NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Derrick Craine, RB, University of Tennessee Chattanooga

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 500 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? 

Derrick Craine

What is your Height/Weight?  

5’9″ 202lbs

What is your position? 

RB

Where do you play college football? 

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

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

Read Across America

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

Functional Human Anatomy

Where are you from? 

McDonough, GA

Who is your role model, and why? 

My mom. She always put my needs and my two sister’s needs before her own, and continued to smile and stay strong even when times were the toughest for our family. She taught me to see the light in adversity.

Did you play any other sports growing up? 

Baseball, and ran track one year in high school

Did you play any other positions in football? 

LB, Punter

At your position, what separates you from others? 

Low center of gravity, great balance, ability to make plays when the holes aren’t available. 

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

Lanes to run through, Where the yards are at on run/screen/pass plays, LB tendency’s on blitzes, LBs hips to see how they move laterally, D-linemans and LBs relationships in formations, Safety locations on different offensive fomrations (1 high or 2 high) Exposed weaknesses amongst players

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

CJ Mosley

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

Doug Martin, He runs hard, has the ability to make plays, great vision, sees cut back lanes, good feet, good agility, uses his tools (stiff arm) against defensive players, stays within himself.

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

Parents divorce. I was the only male in my household at a young age so I had to grow up faster and learn to utilize what I had instead of buying new things because my mom didn’t make alot of money and had to support three children. I had to learn to balance everything I had to do so i could help my mom out at the house.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

Go off by myself and Pray to God 

What is your biggest strength?

To play as hard as i can consistently everyday, even when facing adversity or not.

What is your biggest weakness?

Top end speed

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

I’m a competitor that shows up everyday to work and play as hard as i can and give nothing short of my best.

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

Herschel Walker, Atlanta Falcons

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

Jesus, My grandpa Craine who passed before I was born, My brother Jason who passed before I was born.

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

Pay off bills/payments