NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Anthony Abeid, WR, Saint Francis (PA)

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?

My name is Anthony Abeid.

What is your Height/Weight?

I am 5’8” and 185lbs.

What is your position?

I play Slot/ Wide Receiver and Return Specialist.

Where do you play college football?

I play college football at Saint Francis University (PA)

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

I come from a neighborhood that is pretty much rundown and almost forsaken in a way. A couple of my teammates and myself went all throughout streets of Youngstown for a day and picked up all of the trash and debris that we could find laying around in the yards and caught in bushes. I felt like we had made a minor impact on the city that day. I would say that one other cool thing that I have done off the field was: going to the elementary school around the corner form the university. We interacted with the kids playing games and reading to them. I remember when I was their age and older athletes would do the same thing, I used to love it.

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

The hardest college class that I ever had to take was Organic Chemistry.

Where are you from?

I am from Youngstown, Ohio.

Who is your role model, and why?

My role model(s) are my parents. They are the true definition of pure love and determination. They would do absolutely anything for me in a heartbeat. They raised me to be a true man of God and showed me how to love your spouse and children in the purest way. My parents were raised in a state of poverty, and they showed me what determination and faith will bring you in the journey of life.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Growing up I also played baseball, basketball, I boxed for a while, and I ran track.

Did you play any other positions in football?

I played a lot of positions in my career including: Running Back, Strong Safety, Quarterback, Punt Returner, Kick Returner, and surprisingly I was also a Punter.

At your position, what separates you from others?

I believe that I run very precise and strategic routes that are exceptionally hard for the DB’s to cover. I also believe that I am very elusive once I get the ball in my hands. I have remarkable hands and the ability to make that BIG play to spark the team.

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

When I am breaking down film, the tendencies that I mainly look for are the signs and tells from the DB’s that show what coverage they are going to run for that play. On an individual level, I will consistently watch every DB and analyze their specific strengths and weaknesses and learn how to exploit them.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

I would say that the toughest player I faced every day in practice was Lorenzo Jerome. He’s a stud safety who has a great knowledge for the game. Every day our Slot/Safety competitions were a battle.

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

If there was one player in the NFL that I could compare my play to, it would be Julian Edelman. I will always make the first defender miss, I am not afraid to come across the middle and take the big hit, and I will always find a way to get open during my routes.

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

When I was 19 (one year out of high school) I received a call from my high school coach Brian Marrow, saying that one of my former teammates, and best friend, had passed away. Anthony Harris and I had a special bond. We always talked about are dreams of playing college ball. He had such a love for life, and he will always be missed.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

My pre-game rituals are, folding my uniform and all of my gear that I am going to wear during the game, the night before and placing them in my locker; also, I always watch my football highlights the night before. When it’s game day, I blast some 80s and 90s hip hop in my headphones until we go out on the field.

What is your biggest strength?

I believe that my biggest strength is my knowledge for the game and how I am able to implement that into my play. I am also extremely versatile.

What is your biggest weakness?

I am extremely too hard on myself if I mess up or do something incorrectly.

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

If you were a GM, I would tell you that if you take a chance on me, you would receive a player willing to grind harder than anyone ahead of him. I have faced many obstacles in my life, on and off of the field, which I have pushed through and overcome, while also learning a great deal from these situations. I have a vast love for the game, and I never cease to improve.

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

My favorite player growing up was Barry Sanders. My favorite team was the Cleveland Browns.

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

If I could have dinner with three people dead or alive, they would be: Walter Payton, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Bruce Lee.

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

I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a “big item,” but I would pay off all of my ensuing student debt.

Rapid Answers:

• Tupac or Biggie?
• NFL Network or ESPN?
• Coke or Pepsi?
• Pizza or Burgers?
• Dogs or Cats?