NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Garrett Clark, OC, Southern Illinois

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?

Garrett Clark

What is your Height/Weight?

6″4 285

What is your position?

Center

Where do you play college football?

Southern Illinois University

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

Souper Bowl for Caring is an event we work and organize here at SIU during Super Bowl weekend. We collect donations for the homeless shelter.

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

Statistics, not too great with math classes.

Where are you from?

Jacksonville, Florida

Who is your role model, and why?

I’d have to say my dad, he has molded me into the man I am today. As well as fueled my passion for football, he definitely has been my number one fan.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Basketball, Baseball, Track and I wrestled.

Did you play any other positions in football?

I’ve always played offensive line, but I also played some linebacker and defensive line.

At your position, what separates you from others?

My quickness off the ball, my field awareness, and my explosion. I also feel my knowledge of the game keeps me a step ahead of everyone.

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

Blitz keys, line stunt tendencies, how the defender plays.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

At my previous school I played against Jamie Collins everyday in practice, so I would have to say him.

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

I try and mold my play after Alex Mack. He plays with great pad level and is very quick as well as always takes the right angle on the defender. He is a pro bowl center, so he is an ideal player.

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

Being told I was too short or too small in high school. I had multiple schools throw me to the side for that fact, so I worked as hard as I could to develop my size and speed so that colleges would be interested.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I always call my best friend, Manrey Saint-Amour and pray with him. He used to play center at Georgia Southern and is now a team chaplain with them.

As a small school football player what obstacles do you feel you have to overcome?

I feel teams will want to see that I can compete against competition day in and day out. I feel more so now a days, small schools aren’t as overshadowed like previous years.

What is your biggest strength?

Knowledge of the game/preparation

What is your biggest weakness?

Pad level at times as well as hand placement can be a weakness.

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

If you want someone that will lay it all on the line and play their role on the team every single day then I’m your guy. I will do whatever it takes to help my team succeed, and there is no exception to that.

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

David Pollack was my favorite player growing up and the Jacksonville Jaguars were my team.

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

My Gidu, My Dad, and Herschel Walker

With your first NFL paycheck what would you buy?

Pay all of my Situ’s bills and whatever she wanted.

Rapid Answers:

• Spongebob or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
• Spongebob
• Backstreet Boys or One Direction?
• Backstreet Boys
• Lifetime Channel or HGTV?
• HGTV
• Waffles or Pancakes?
• Waffles
• Snakes or Spiders?
• Snakes
• Madden or Mario?
• Mario