2023 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Michael Gerace, OL, Maine

• Name: Michael Gerace
• Height: 6’4”
• Weight: 315
• Position: C/G
• College: University of Maine
• Twitter: Michaelgerace62
• Instagram: Michaelgerace62

Talk about your experience as a student. What is your major/minor? Did you participate in any other activities or campus organizations other than football?
I recently finished my undergrad with a double major in Accounting and Finance with a minor in Economics, having a 3.43 GPA. I am currently pursuing a masters in Business Administration. I participated in an internship with the Dept of Financial Aid at Maine dealing with the scholarship department and managing data. I’ve also participated in team community service activities. I have volunteered time at local elementary schools and also helped raise awareness for our annual bone marrow drive.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?
I think my best quality is my ability to lead. I am a 2-time team captain. I believe that football is just as much mental as it is physical. I have the ability and willingness to learn. I enjoy analyzing and breaking down film.

What kind of role do you see yourself in on the team? What scheme and/or position suits your skill set?
You have to be a dog on the OL and be willing to throw punches. The run game is naturally aggressive, yet that doesn’t mean that pass blocking is passive. I can be the lead blocker at center. Our team frequently runs behind me. We run both zone and gap schemes with a lot of zone option. We run a lot of gap schemes, frequently running duo, however there is flexibility in our system to switch things up.

I’ve had most of my starts at center although I have actually started at every position on the line. I started my freshman season at LG, sophomore year at RG, and started one game each at LT and RT.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
My early days at Maine, I was really tested by DL Bill Murray who played for William & Mary. He’s currently playing for the New England Patriots. I remember that he wouldn’t stop. He had a high motor with great pursuit. He was quick for a big man. He had a lot of moves in his arsenal and you really felt it when he got his hands on you.

Which one of your teammates impresses you the most?
My old teammate Liam Dobson was one of the biggest physical specimens that I’ve ever had as a teammate. He was an animal in every aspect of the game. Liam is a very big, physical lineman who seemed to put someone on the ground every play. I’ve never seen someone with such natural power.

One of my current teammates that impresses me is TE Shawn Bowman. He does everything really well whether it’s run blocking or getting open in the pass game running great routes.

Describe a time in your life when you were able to overcome a struggle.
My transition to college was a challenge at first because I wasn’t getting many looks. I was an undersized player at 246 lbs., and I knew I was going to have to put on weight to continue to play offensive line. My offers didn’t start coming in until about midway through my senior year, and a lot of them were from D2 and D3 programs. I really contemplated whether football was really worth playing. I finally met the coaching staff at Maine and immediately loved them from the start.

We hit a very emotional hardship my freshman season. My teammate, Darius Minor, was having problems mid workout and went to the coaches, telling them that he had problems breathing. He passed out and the medics came. Tragically, he passed away due to a heart condition. That moment hit a lot of us really hard, and we had to gather ourselves to play that season. We rallied together, dedicating that season to Darius. We ended up winning our conference outright. His uncle created the Darius Minor Foundation which helps fund research for congenital heart disease.

If you didn’t play football, what other sport would you play?
Baseball. I had played baseball since I was old enough to hold a bat up until my freshman year of high school. My final at bat was a homerun which ended my time with the sport as I decided to pursue football.

What is something that you are most proud of? What would you say is your biggest achievement?
I’m very proud that I started as a true freshman, finished my undergrad with 2 majors and a minor, graduated with honors all while balancing my schedule playing football. My biggest achievement is being named 2nd team All-CAA (1st team Phil Steel All-CAA) in 2021. I want to achieve more than that though. My goal this year is to be an All-American.

Describe one of the most memorable plays of your collegiate career.
The Battle for the Brice–Cowell Musket is a rivalry game that we play with New Hampshire. Our last drive against them in 2021 is something that is very memorable to me. We had the game won at 33-20 with almost 4 minutes left. We kept moving the ball, and they couldn’t stop us. We must have run the same play 4 times in a row. We completely demoralized them in the end, exerting our dominance. We don’t plan to give that musket back for a while.

Do you have a favorite athlete or professional team? Is there a player that you model your game after?
Ryan Jensen plays center for the Bucs. I love watching film on him. He’s a dog and very physical. He gets hands on guys and buries them. He’s also a very smart player.

Who is your favorite music artist? What gets you pumped before a game?
I’m a fan of country music and enjoy listening to Luke Combs. One of the songs that the OL likes to listen to before games is “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker.

What is your favorite comfort food?
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

Do you have a favorite movie, TV show or actor?
My favorite movies are the Grown Ups. I love Adam Sandler as an actor and all the other guys in that movie. Ozark is a TV show that I enjoy.

What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies? Any secret talents?
I don’t have a lot of free time, but when I do, I enjoy hanging out with friends.

Why do you play football? Who or what motivates you the most?
I play because I absolutely love it. My family, parents and brothers as well as my girlfriend, motivate me. I also know that there aren’t too many talented players that come from my hometown. I want to be able to show kids that you don’t need to be a 4- or 5-star recruit to really make it. If you work hard, you can achieve the things you really want.