Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Tanner Crum, OL, Southern Illinois University
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What is your name?
Tanner Crum
What is your Height/Weight?
6’2″ / 305
What is your position?
Center
Where do you play college football?
Southern Illinois University (SIU)
How many teams were recruiting you out of high school?
Eastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois ( football/ wrestling)
How did you choose your school?
I really liked coach Lennon and the school as a whole. They offered me with a challenge trying to redshirt me from the beginning but I wasn’t going to let that happen.
Where are you from?
Mount Carmel, Illinois
Who is your role model, and why?
Grandpa, Bill Crum / He survived the Korean conflict and exemplified to my family what it meant to work hard for a lifetime. He was still walking the corn fields assessing crop insurance for Grinnell at the age of 83
Have any scouts met with you yet, and if so what are they saying?
None have met with me at this time
Did you play any other sports growing up?
I wrestled and did track and field. I was decent at wrestling placing 3 years while in high school winning state my senior year with an undefeated season 39-0.
Did you play any other positions in football?
Guard for 7 games freshman year; Starting Center for my remaining career
At your position, what separates you from others?
The amount of leverage I have and my strength; the amount of confidence I have in my body and myself
When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?
I look for tendencies in the D-tackle and linebackers ( what hand he puts down, how even his stance is, how often he takes plays off) Linebackers ( hands on there knees, alert on there toes or back on there heels, how often they blitz)
Who was the toughest player you ever faced?
Xavier Williams= Northern Iowa University. A big body who I had to work hard to block.
If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be and why?
J.D. Walton (NY Giants Center) just by the amount of leverage he gets on D- tackles being a little undersized and how he is a hard nosed offensive lineman
What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it?
Losing my grandpa this past football season the week we played North Dakota State. Talking with our team Chaplain and my o-line coach
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
I call my grandma Crum before every game to talk to her, she always knows how to calm my nerves. I then listen to Ted Nugent before I head to battle.
What is your biggest strength?
Amount of leverage I create and my overall body strength
What is your biggest weakness?
First two steps need to be quicker
If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?
My name is Tanner Crum from SIU I started 40 games for the Salukis in 4 years, I can guarantee you with the amount of heart I have for the game and with my work ethic that I will not disappoint you.
Who was your favorite player and NFL team growing up?
Jeff Saturday was my favorite offensive lineman. I have been a Pittsburgh Steelers fan ever since I was in diapers thanks for my father
If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?
My grandpa Crum just to hear him say ” play tough today cause tomorrow may not be here”. Ted Nugent just to be able to hear his opinions and talk hunting with him. Any Navy Seal who was a part of Seal Team 6, just to tell them thank you for your service and sacrifice. This is a true team in which we all could learn lessons from.
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