2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Donovan Isom, QB, Texas Wesleyan University

• Name: Donovan Isom
• Height: 6’4”
• Weight: 250
• Position: Quarterback
• College: Texas Wesleyan University
• Twitter: @d_isom12

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

•  I am from Destrehan, Louisiana. It’s about 30 minutes west of New Orleans. What I love most about my hometown is that we’re a football community. Everyone knows how important the game is to the community.

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

•  Film study, Practice, and Strength and Conditioning. Film study is first because as a Quarterback, I feel you need to evaluate and learn from your mistakes everyday. Also it’s just a good tool to visualize what you need to do in the games and practice. Practice is next because you need reps and every single rep is important from individual position drills to team periods. Strength and Conditioning is also super important because this determines how you perform on the field.

What do you worry about, and why?

•  Honestly I just worry about my family and making sure they’re good with everything. If they’re good then I’m good.

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

•  During my time at Southeastern Louisiana University, I feel as I failed as an athlete. Things didn’t necessarily turnout the way I wanted. I prayed and God told me that SELU wasn’t the place for me and after I got my Bachelors from Southeastern, God led me to Texas Wesleyan. I’m getting my Master’s now and continuing with football. God has been blessing me since I stepped on this campus and I’m thankful for how things are turning out here.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  I think my teammates would say I’m a leader and a guy that get things done.

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

•  Well coming out of high school, I signed to the University of Utah and I saw Marcus Mariota play against us when he was at Oregon in 2014. That dude was a beast.

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

•  I would get into real estate or be a coach. I would love to be a good Quarterback trainer one day but I truly believe my football career will take off.

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

•  I need my room clean first. I feel like this is the most important.

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

•  Honestly family is important to me and everyone in my family is close so it would be a family member. But I would try my hardest to figure a way to save everyone.

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

•  My favorite show is Supernatural. I would want to be in Sam and Dean Winchester’s shoes because I love scary stuff like that.

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

•  My biggest adversity that I feel comfortable talking about came during my time at Southeastern. I was in a really dark place because I thought I was terrible at football and that my dreams were ending. I just continued to work my tail off and prayed every night.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•  Before my first college workout, I didn’t want to be late and I was nervous. So, I was sleeping and I randomly woke up in the middle of the thinking I was late for the workout. I was fully dressed waiting outside for a ride at 2 amin the morning.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•  When I threw my first collegiate TD pass against Ohio University when I was at Southeastern.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  NBA Youngboy- Untouchable

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

•  It’s all about mentality for me. I think if I continue to grow mentally on and off the field, I will be successful.

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

•  It would be my Auntie Diane. My mom loved her so much and she told me a lot about her. I would love to meet her.

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

•  Paradigm

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?

•  DeAndre Hopkins

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  I’d rather be respected at the end of the day. The leadership role is sometimes a lonely road because you have to be that guy that makes the right decisions on and off the field.

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

•  I can’t really answer this question because I don’t know the full story to everyones situations.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

•  I hate losing more than I love winning.

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

My mother. I didn’t know my dad growing up and she took care or my sister and me by herself. She is a strong, independent woman and I get all of my traits from her.