NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Layton Rabb, QB, Midwestern State University

• Name: Layton Rabb 

• Height: 6’4

• Weight: 215

• Position: QB

• College: Midwestern State 

• Twitter: @LaytonRabb

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?

• I’m from Llano, Texas. It’s a small rural town in Central Texas. I love the friends and family I have in Llano. 

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?

• Film Study, Practice, Strength and Conditioning. Games are won and lost in the mental preparation heading into the game. Once you understand your opponent you can practice and fine tune the plays/game plan during that time. Strength and conditioning is important but most of your strides or gains is made in the off season in terms of strength and conditioning. Once in season it’s more of a maintain and recover cycle week to week. 

What do you worry about, and why?

• Not reaching my full potential. In school, football, and life I always want to become the best version of myself possible so I want to reach my full potential in everything I do. 

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?

• When I was in high school I really wanted to sign a scholarship to play college football. When signing day came and I “failed” to sign with a team and that college football scholarship door shut, I didn’t hang my head down and quit. I looked for the next best opportunity as a walk on and found another door to open. 

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• Work ethic

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?

• Marqui Christian 

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football? 

• Business man or a Coach

Room, desk and car – which do you clean first?

• Room

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?

• I would try to save everyone first and foremost. I would make sure my family was safe first if it was a situation where it was impossible to save everyone. 

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?

• Superman, because who wouldn’t want to be Superman. 

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?

• Coming out of high school I didn’t have any offers to play college football. So I decided to walk on at a division two program and worked my way up the depth chart and strived to become the best QB I could be. Also the passing of both my grandfathers and two uncles. I relied on my friends and family to lift my spirits. 

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• I had just paid for my pizza and as I was walking out of the store I slipped and the pizza went flying. Ruined a perfectly good pizza and slipped and stumbled outside of a pizza parlor. 

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• I would have to say the play that left the biggest impact on me was my Junior year, second game of the season, late in the game, and our CB #24 Robert Grays made a tackle and he ended up passing away on the field from that hit. That moment brought the reality of how fragile life is, and brought our team, school and community together. Robert was an awesome teammate, student, and person and he left a positive impact and impression with everyone he encountered.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• I don’t get tired – Kevin Gates

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level? 

• Work ethic 

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?

• My grandfather on my Mom’s side of the family. He passed away when I was pretty young so I would like to spend some quality time with him. 

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it? 

• Stage West

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• DeAndre Hopkins

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected. It’s easy to be like anyone can be liked, but respect is earned. 

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?

• Johnny Manziel, I watched him in college and remembered how exciting and dynamic he was to watch. Disappointed he couldn’t get his off the field issues under control and missed out on having a career in the NFL. 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Everyone loves to win but it’s how you react after losing/adversity that defines you.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?

• My parents and older brother because they raised me, taught me so much about life, and are my biggest supporters.