NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Dominik Eberle, K, Utah State University

• Dominik Eberle
• Utah State University
• Twitter: @theDEbbz

2017 Accolades & Statistics

• 2017 All-Mountain West Football First-Team.
• 2017 Lou-Groza Finalist.
• 18-24 FGs – 75% – 47-47 PATs – 101 Points.

What is your name?

• Dominik Eberle.

Where do you play College Football?

• I currently play for Utah State University.

What position do you play?

• I am a Placekicker.

What is your height/weight?

• 6’2″ 195 lbs.

Did you play any other sports growing up? If so, what were they?

• I used to play Soccer, while growing up in Germany. I was ranked pretty highly in the youth system before moving to the United States and ultimately pursuing Football as a career.

Who is the toughest player you have competed against in College?

• The toughest person I have competed against is my former teammate Brock Warren, it seemed like no matter what I tried I just couldn’t beat him out and he was the unquestionable starter. He has taught me to be resilient and that nothing comes handed to one, as he had a roller-coaster ride through USU.

Are you listening to music before a game? If so, what?

• I listen to my set playlist before the game. It contains music from Logic, Blackbear, the Weeknd, and various other Rap/R&B artists.

Do you have any superstitions before a game? If so, what are they?

• My only pre-game superstition would be getting a foot massage before I go out to warm-up. I do however always put my right cleat on before my left.

Who is your role model & why?

• My role model would be my father, as he has taught me the way of life and given me the ability to choose anything I wanted to do. He taught me how to respect women, be a gentleman, and most importantly to love others unconditionally. One does not need a return for their actions as it simply should be included in being a good human being.

You are an International Business major. What made you pursue that subject?

• I chose this major as it allowed me to continue my professional career either in the United States, Germany, or anywhere else in Europe. My father is in the same type of industry as a Logistics salesman for DHL, which allowed him to travel to various countries across the globe. The idea of working for a company and being able to see different cultures has always interested me thoroughly.

While in College, what has been your favorite & least favorite class?

• My favorite class had to have been Foundations of Business leadership with my favorite professor, John Ferguson. One thoroughly discussed the ethical aspect in business and society. We read passages from Aristotle, Karl Marx, and others, to understand their thought process and why they made these decisions. My least favorite class was Supply Management, as many aspects were common sense and the course was very repetitive and easy for me.

Outside of Football, what has been your favorite experience while in College?

• My favorite experience outside of Football is the ability to do so many different things outdoors while in Utah. Going to the Lake, floating down a river, or even just going to concerts during the summer, are all things I enjoy doing with friends I made in college.

Growing up, who was your favorite NFL Team & NFL player, & why?

• I honestly wouldn’t have been able to name an NFL Team until I was about 14 years old. However, my friend Tyler Simms introduced me to the sport as he suggested that I should become a Kicker. He was a huge Baltimore Ravens fan, which lead us to watching the game together and him explaining the rules to me. I grew to like the Ravens through him and Ed Reed quickly became my favorite player, up until the Ravens signed Justin Tucker.

If you could be in any movie of your choice, what would it be & what character would you play?

• I would want to star in the movie Catch Me If You Can & play the role of Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio). Something about his personality, intelligence, and will to succeed just gets to me. I have easily watched the movie 50 times, yet I still always laugh when Frank fools Detective Hanratty in the hotel in California.

If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who are they?

• I would want to have dinner with Logic (Sir Robert Bryson Hall), Cristiano Ronaldo, and Martin Luther King Jr.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose & why?

• I would definitely want to meet Roman emperor Julius Caesar, as he was always looked upon one of the greatest leaders in history. The Roman traditions would be a sight to see, whilst Caesar himself would be the greatest partner to have during these ancient times.

Who is your favorite superhero & why?

• My favorite Superhero would be Raphael from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as it was my favorite show while growing up. He led the Turtles whilst always being a good friend.

What is your definition of hard work?

• My definition of hard work includes how much one is willing to sacrifice in order to be great every day. I have made choices that have put Football above friendships, relationships with women, or even being able to see my family at times. I know that working my hardest at all times will achieve my goals and am perfectly fine with putting other things to the side, which currently seem less important, unless it was an emergency.

What is the most unexpected lesson you learned while in College?

• The most unexpected lesson I learned in college was that Social Media is mostly filled with toxicity that I do not agree with. I do realize that Twitter and Instagram are powerful tools when it comes to creating one’s own brand, but I do not agree with the aspect to try and one-up other people through it. Many live fake lives to simply post a picture to impress others and garner attention, I simply do not want to live this life and only post when I feel that it reflects my character or a memory I want to share with others.

What is something you wish you could go back & tell yourself as a High School Freshman?

• I would tell myself to take Football as seriously as possible and stop playing Soccer immediately. This would have prevented me from tearing my Meniscus twice and possibly getting a scholarship offer right out of High School.

Why do you wear #62?

• I didn’t get a choice in jersey number and was given the #62, since then it has stuck with me and I doubt I’d change it during my career here. Ideally I would want the #11, as my role model wore it while I grew up.

Who do you choose, Jordan or LeBron? Why?

• I would choose LeBron, because as an overall player and human being he is the example of how to be a Great man in every aspect. He excels on the court with numbers that are better than Jordan’s while also setting an example off the court. He married his High School sweetheart, never had any scandals let alone heard of a parking ticket, and has brought so much to his city in Ohio. With him opening his I Promise School he is showing how he can influence lives beyond his Basketball career.

Are you a PS4 or Xbox One guy? What games are you playing right now?

• I used to have a PS4, but recently switched to Xbox One. I currently play Fortnite, NHL, and FIFA.

What has been your most memorable moment as a student-athlete?

• Beating BYU has been the most memorable moment of my career. Playing with my brothers and winning a rivalry game is something nobody can take away from you.

If you could have three wishes granted, what would they be?

1. I would wish for wealth for my family.
2. The ability to teleport into any video game I choose.
3. Cure to all diseases on the planet.

What is your hidden talent?

• My hidden talent is being good at the Video Game FIFA. I consistently was ranked in the top 100 on the Weekend League Leaderboards.

If there is a book written about Dominik Eberle, what is the title?

• The book title would be “Going through Changes.” Simply because how my life turned around entirely after moving to the US. Going from popular to bullied at first, from Soccer to Football, German to English, the title reflects it pretty well.

What are three things on your “Bucket List?”

1. Swim with Great White Sharks.
2. Go Skydiving in the Maldives.
3. Visit every Continent.

Are you binge watching anything on Netflix or Hulu right now?

• I’m currently watching New Girl, but binge watched Last Chance U recently.

If you had one free hour each day, how would you choose to use it?

• I would use it to read books about psychology and the state of conscious and unconsciousness.

What are the goals for 2018, both individually & for the Utah State football team?

• The Goal for the 2018 Football team is to win the Mountain West Championship and triumph in our Bowl Game. We want to be remembered as one of the best Teams in the history of our program. Individually I want to remain my status of First-Team All-Conference and want to win the Lou Groza. There are so many great kickers out there that I want to give them credit for their craft, as I realize that the Lou Groza award is a special achievement.

If you could give NFL scouts three words to describe the type of man they are getting in Dominik Eberle, what would they be?

1. Relentless.
2. Motivated.
3. Relaxed.

What inspires you?

• I am inspired by the mindset of greatness. That one is willing to consistently improve Mind & Body to be at the height of their ability at all times. Being able to combine natural talent and work ethic to become Great is something that motivates and inspires me.