2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: JaJuan Chambers, LB, Lincoln University of Missouri
- Name: JaJuan Chambers
- Height: 6’0
- Weight: 237
- Position: LB/DE
- College: Lincoln University of Missouri
- Twitter: @punnyfunny18
Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?
• I’m from Columbia, Missouri. What I like about my hometown the most is that it’s a college town. Home of the Missouri tigers so growing up in Columbia you strive to play in the black and gold everybody wanted to be a tiger growing up. So when I played it was nothing less than a tiger mentality.
List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?
• Film study is always the most important aspect of the game in my point of view. It allows me to mentally pick apart an opponent, or the team I’m facing for the week so that I know what to expect from my opponents during battle. Practice would have to come second to film because once I’ve already figured a team out I can take that information from the film room over on to the field. Strength and conditioning comes into play through hard work in practice, if I’m flying around and doing the things I need to on the practice field your conditioning, and strength will handle itself.
What do you worry about, and why?
• I worry about my family not being in the best fitting Financial setting. Because I feel like I was put here on this earth to make things possible for my family and, open up opportunities for them that I never had.
Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?
• My freshman year at Lincoln University I slacked in school. The transition from high school to college was tough at first for me. But now I’m one semester away from having a business marketing degree, and have been on the deans list these past couple of semesters bringing my gpa up close to a 3.0.
What do your teammates say is your best quality?
• My teammates would say that I never stop. No matter the situation you’re going to have to have an eye on me wherever I am on the field. Very persistent, and passionate about the game of football. Truly a student of the game.
Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
• I had the opportunity to play against EJ Speed from Tarleton State. Currently on the Indianapolis Colts. That guy is a legit dog his side line to side line speed was absolutely ridiculous, and he was playing inside backer which was perfect with his size for the next level.
What would your career be if you couldn’t play football?
• I believe regardless in life I’m destined for success. In life if football doesn’t workout out I plan to be a very successful, and influencing business entrepreneur.
Room, desk and car – which do you clean first?
• Desk,Room,Car
If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?
• 3 strangers because It’s not always about myself or my own family for that matter. It’s just doing what’s right in this situation it only makes sense to save as many people as possible. Although the pain from losing a loved one would hurt deep, I could potentially be a superhero in somebody else’s eyes.
If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?
• Denzel Washington. Cool, calm,and collective Denzel always gets the job done.
Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?
• My biggest adversity would be the lack of recruitment I got coming out of high school we had a few big time d1 guys so the attention was focused on them a lot of the times. But I overcame that by just staying true to my game, and grinding I never gave up on myself. I knew I was always good enough to play against anybody so I always played with that chip on my shoulder even if I knew I was better than a situation, or a certain team I just refused to give anything less than 125 percent.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
• My senior year I had to miss the entire first half of a game because of in school issues. This was honestly the lowest I had ever felt in my life I physically couldn’t help my team, and it threw me completely off my game.
What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?
• Freshmen year 4th and 3 the score was 9 to 9 something told me to blitz in the back of my mind I already had seen the formation they lined up in on film 100 plus times, on our 49 yard line I shot the A gap made my first college TFL the very next play we kicked a 49 yard field goal to win our first game of the season.
What song best describes your work ethic?
• Kevin Gates: I Don’t Get Tired
What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level?
• Physically I’m a runner. I sprint around, and run to the ball none stop that’s how big plays happen. Non-physical I’m going to be in the film room as many hours a day as I can to make the game slow down on a mental level for me. Once I know exactly what’s going on it’s hard for me not to be around the ball every single play.
If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?
• Grandfather Jerry key. Just so I can tell him I’m really doing everything we talked about. Show him how much of a man that I’ve grown into since he’s been gone.
If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it?
• The Backyard Boogie
Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?
• Shaq Thompson all around player, full speed 24/7 and can even play running back with his college background out of Washington. He’s a legit every down linebacker.
Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?
• Respected. Because I don’t care if you like me were not playing football to make friends. I’m playing because I got a fire in my chest that sparks up every chance I get to run full speed into something. After you play me you might not like me so much. My play style is similar to that old school style of play which a lot of guys wouldn’t be comfortable in.
What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?
• Sean Taylor, he was becoming a goat right before our eyes. One of the greatest safeties to play the game of football.
Do you love to win, or hate to lose?
• I hate to lose. I never feel comfortable with that feeling just sitting in my mind after a game.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
• The person who has been the biggest influence on my life would have to be My position coach from high school. He’s true example of a role model, and father figure Joe Collier never asks anybody for anything. That man works for everything he’s got, and is relentless with his style of coaching, and parenting. That lifestyle he lives touched me which is the main reason why I am where I am today .
NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com