NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Dwayne Beckford, LB, Marian University

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? 

Dwayne Beckford 

What is your Height/Weight? 

6’1

240

What is your position? 

DE/LB

Where do you play college football? 

Marian University Indianapolis 

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

When I was out of football I coached at my younger sisters middle school for a while and it really helped me see the game from a coaching point of view which is very different but insightful

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

The hardest class I have taken is easily this Theology class I am currently enrolled in. It is very hard

Where are you from? 

Irvington, NJ

Who is your role model, and why? 

My role model is my Dad he has always been there for me no matter what. All he does is work, work, work. He is the most selfless person I ever been around when it’s all said in done I want to be able to say I did everything in my power to help my family just like him 

Did you play any other sports growing up? 

I played basketball years before I played football. I always thought I was a ball player I could jump high and dunk since middle school

Did you play any other positions in football? 

I played TE my senior year in high school and I was pretty good I had a game were I finished with 128 yards.

At your position, what separates you from others? 

At my current position I think what separates me is I have a unique combination of speed and power I can bench 450lbs and I can run a forty in the 4.5 range 

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

 

Who was the toughest player you ever faced? 

The toughest player I ever faced was Russell Wilson. I have played a lot of good players but I think he had to be the best. He wasn’t very big at all but he made some amazing throws . He had very good speed for a QB. I remember one play were he rolled out to the right and through a wheel right across his body to the left for about 50 yards. It was a great ball 

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

I would compare myself to Von Miller although he is a bit taller than me I think we share some of the quickness and speed off the edge. I really watch a lot of his highlights trying to shape my moves to be similar to his as I develop as a pass rusher 

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

The Biggest obstacle I overcome was getting back into school and being eligible to play football. First I had to get my transcript released from Purdue which was thousands of dollars of which I didn’t have when I finally got my transcript I had to take 24 credit hours from spring and the summer semester to be eligible. NAIA eligibility rules are much different. This was also extremely difficult but I end up getting it done and back on the field. With the help from my family and my coaches it was possible.

Do you have any pre-game rituals? 

Pre game I have to eat peanut butter and honey before every game it gives me the juice!!

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

Some of the obstacles I will have to over come being a small school player is getting the proper exposure to put light on my talent because I attended a smaller school I will get over looked even though I previously played at Purdue but it’s just another challenge I am ready to overcome 

What is your biggest strength? 

My biggest strength is my versatility I can play any LB position on the field in any defense I believe

What is your biggest weakness? 

I biggest weakness is sometimes I let my emotions get to me in the game which cause me to try to make plays losing my technique 

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

I would sell myself on what I been through in my life has more than prepared me to be a NFL player there were days when I didn’t  know where I was going to live or sleep as well as nights and jail were I could see my whole life just pass bye. I would have flash backs of letting my whole family down again and again. I prevailed from those situations. This will be another 

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

My favorite player growing up was Edgerrin James I grew dreads because of The Edge. 

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

I would have dinner with Sean Taylor, Raphael from the Ninja Turtles and Wesley Snipes as Blade 

With your first NFL paycheck what would you buy?

With my 1st NFL check I would buy my Dad a car because I wrecked his car years ago and I really would like to get him something really nice that he wants not like a family car but maybe a corvette something slick 

Rapid Answers:

• Spongebob or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? COWABUNGA
• Backstreet Boys or One Direction? Neither Gucci mane!
• Lifetime Channel or HGTV? HGTV it sounds cooler 
• Waffles or Pancakes? Waffles the Belgium kind
• Snakes or Spiders? Spiders I have a tarantula named Blade
• Madden or Mario? Madden no question I’m the raining madden champ around these parts !!!