NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Wesley Mathis, LB, Southwestern State Oklahoma University

• Name: Wesley Mathis
• Height: 6’3
• Weight: 230
• Position: Linebacker 
• College: Southwestern State Oklahoma University 
• Twitter: @__Bigwes

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

• Simpsonville, South Carolina is a city/country atmosphere. I love the variety people that you interact with everyday. 

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

• Film study– Preparing for what your opponent is best at or worst at. Also understanding what it is you are doing right and wrong. Practice– you can perfect your craft and improve in areas that are needed to be worked on. Strength & Conditioning– Shows how mentality strong you are and where your effort is when adversity hits.

What do you worry about, and why?

• Disappointing my parents down. They invested so much in me. I don’t want it all go to waste.

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

• Not passing the SAT to get into the school I wanted to. I overcame this by not giving up and finding a different route through Junior College.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• Fearless

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

• Rakeem Boyd

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

• Football 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?

• Family member- because family never leaves each other behind.

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

• Denzel Washington, because all his rolls has a impact on the outcome of all his movies.

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

• Not having the recognition or offers coming out of JUCO. Stayed focused and put myself out hoping for a chance.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• Not signing on signing day with my teammates. 

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• Blowing up an Offensive guard & Fullback to make the tackle on 4th & Goal in the backfield.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• YFN Lucci – Documentary

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

• Effort

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

• Steve Jobs: because of his impact nation wide and his creativity.

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

• 304

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• Darius Leonard

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected, because being liked only go so far. When you are respected by your peers then there is an different mentality that’s given.

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

• Bo Jackson, he was phenomenal athlete who played football and baseball, but was injured and only played in the NFL for 4 years.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I love to win but at times you learn more when you lose.

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

• My Mother has the biggest influence on my life because she has always believed in my dream and been in the corner when no one else was.