NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Joshua Cox, DB, Central Michigan University

What is your name?

Joshua Cox

What is your Height/Weight?

5’10.5   201

What is your position?

Safety/Corner/Nickel

Where do you play college football?

Central Michigan University

Where are you from?

Detroit,Michigan

Who is your role model, and why?

Derrick Nash, he was a friend, brother and football player on CMU’s football team with me. He was fighting a battle with leukemia his entire time in college. However, that didn’t stop him from doing every football lift, running, practice etc. He was one of the most positive people that I’ve ever been around, and even though he had every reason to be mad at the world he wasn’t! He chairs he’d everyone and touched them in one way or another! He taught me to cherish everything and everyone because you never know what life has in store for you. He lost his battle With cancer in 2015.. “I’m smooth as ice, twice as nice, never had a bad day in my life.”

Who was your favorite teacher?

Professor Gagnon high school math teacher

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Basketball & Football

I started playing sports in 8th grade. Mom told me I had to excel in the classroom before I could play any sports

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

Corey Davis

Who is the most underrated player on your team?

Corey Willis

What is the one song that would fire you up before the biggest game of your life?

Migos- Deadz

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

Malcom Jenkins or Micah Hyde, because if you look at his career dating back from college he’s played all the positions in the secondary… where if it was corner nickel or safety. He’s always been a playmaker and that’s what I feel like what I bring to the game. I’m versatile and I’m smart enough to be able to play any position on the field in which I did at CMU‭

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

Would have to be losing my dad my sophomore year of high school to a heart attack at the age of 49.  I overcame it by playing football. Anytime I did anything football related if felt like I was walking on clouds. Playing ball is my addiction, high, passion, and where my heart lies. That game that goes by like that….. where you make every play, feel like a different person, feels like you know every play before it happens, and you’re in the right place at the right time every play. That helps me overcome my dad passing because it will never be ok but with the game of football I know that it’s the only time it can be ok and closest I can’t get to him.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I go into the sauna, listen to music, do the same DB drills, last one into the locker room when warming up before the game then last one out the locker room when we come out. I kneel say a prayer to my dad, Derrick Nash, family and friends in the end zone.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

2017 Northern Illinois, sealing the game with a pick on senior night. It was even sweeter because I know what route I was getting….(3×1 double inn 7 route by 3) was like I dreamt it up!

What is the coolest thing you ever did off the field for someone else?

I got close with one of the kids from special olympics my freshman year exchanged numbers with his parents and he came to a couple of my games every year. After freshman year I worked the special olympics every year because it’s amazing to see people that have the same passion as you to try to achieve their goals of whatever event they are in!

Who was your favorite NFL team growing up?

Lions

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

My dad, Tom Brady, and Earl Thomas