2022 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Eric Sutton, DB, Texas State University

• Name: Eric Sutton
• Position: DB
• College: Texas State University
• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 185 lbs
• Twitter: @Pick6EazyE
• Instagram: @EricSutton1x

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

For sure would have to be either winning a state championship in Texas my junior year, or my freshman year at SMU, when we beat Houston when they were ranked #11.

How are you planning on preparing for the draft?

So far since our season is over and we didn’t make a bowl game, I’ve been deloading, stretching, getting more flexible, so when I start training again I’m working with a fresh body. I plan on moving back to Dallas and using the resources I have available from world class position trainers, to the best strength and conditioning trainers in the state. Dallas is the place to be in Texas for the off-season.

What should we know about Eric Sutton the person?

Eric is a guy that has seen a lot through his lifetime. A guy that plays this game to set a good example for his little brother. The guy that has moved all over the place when he was being raised by a single mother. Raised by a single mother that made impossible things happen and seem possible. From being born in Canada when my dad played there but not remembering one memory from the country, to moving to Compton, California where my whole family lives. To moving to Miami, Florida where I started playing football and gaining my edge on the field. To moving to Texas in high school and playing the best organized high school ball in the nation. All the places I’ve lived are a reflection of me and what I’ve been through to get to this point.

What sets you apart from other defensive backs?

First and foremost the edge I play with. I started my college career at 155 pounds and led the team in special teams tackles my true freshman and sophomore year. That special teams experience has shaped me to be a sound tackler, no matter what position I’m at. My versatility being able to play man coverage at corner, nickel, and both safety positions makes me valuable from that standpoint as well. Lastly my speed and knowledge of the game. I clocked a 4.28 laser at SMU during winter workouts, also I’ve been coached by some great defensive minds dating all the way back to high school where I went to Cedar Hill coached by Joey McGuire who’s now the head coach at Texas Tech.

What do you think are the keys to success on the football field?

It’s all a mindset, it starts with the mind first. Without the mind the body will not feel motivated to accomplish these goals that we set for ourselves. The other factor is intrinsic motivation, what motivates you from within, why do you want to accomplish these goals? What’s your ultimate end goal.

If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day who and why?

Tyrann Mathieu, he’s the person that made me want to not just know every position in the defensive backfield, but made me want to be elite at nickel, corner, and safety. And at LSU we saw glimpses of that greatness. Now he’s arguably one of the best DBs of all time at being able to be versatile.

How do you handle challenges both in life and on the football field?

Well it starts with acknowledging God is my lord and savior. Knowing that makes the challenges of life easier. Knowing that my life could be so much different and I could be in a far worse position keeps me out of slumps and helps stay level headed in and off the field.

What are you looking to achieve as a football player going forward?

I want to be known as a DB who’s also a great special teams player at the professional level. I know striving to be great at both of those things will have me looked at as one of the best. And that’s what I ultimately want to become, one of the best.

What do you love about the game of football?

I love the competitiveness. The ultimate blend of mental toughness and physical toughness. Every play is a challenge. Then being a DB if we make a mistake it more than likely ends in a score for the offense, I love that pressure, which is why I don’t play offense. I also love how football brings all these people from different walks of life together.

What would a team get in a player like you?

A team would get a guy that’s great in the locker room. My guys can trust me off the field as well as on. Situations may come up in life because we are all human, and my teammates can trust me and call on me. On the field they get a DB they can plug at any DB position who will also be a great special teams player. I’m a coachable guy that will do whatever the team needs me to do to win, and I also want to be the best.

What type of energy do you bring onto the football field?

Me personally I treat the field like it’s a battlefield and the opposing team is my enemy. In between those lines there’s no friends on the other side.
Then on top of that I’m just an energetic person, upbeat, always encouraging my guys and making them laugh.

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

Growing up in Compton, California , I realized that when it comes to opportunities for kids in the inner city, there aren’t that many. I realized that this was a way to change my personal families life. Seeing my mom work so hard made me want to make a way for my self, that was also legal.