2023 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Jeremiah Nelson, RB, Kutztown University

• Name: Jeremiah Nelson
• Position: Running Back
• College: Kutztown University 
• Height: 6’0
• Weight: 240
• Twitter: Thefullnelson27
• Instagram: Miah.28

What makes you a top prospect at your position  in the 2023 NFL Draft? 

What makes me a top prospect in this upcoming 2023 NFL draft is that not only am I a true natural born leader, but that I am one of the most versatile Running Back’s in the country on all levels. I effectively & consistently make plays with the ball in and out of my hands. I am a Big Back with the Agility and speed that is rare to see from a player of my size. I have the hands of a receiver and can run routes like one as well. I’m am the back that is going to step up and put a hat on any D-Lineman or Linebacker in Pass Protection & in open space. I am the one that will make plays and do my job time & time again on Special Teams. I have everything to lose & the world to gain and it’s time to show everyone how Great I am.

At what age were you first interested in the sport of football?

As a kid I was always the one running around the school yard playing two hand touch but I first started playing organized football at the age of 8 for the infamous Rosedale Jets in Queens, Ny.

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

Teams should know that with me they are getting someone who is more than confident in his ability, but also beyond humble & coachable. I’ve been through some of the lowest of lows but ALWAYS made it happen. I am the Man that will get it done over and over again when given the opportunity. I never came in this game to be an average teammate, player, or man. I’m carrying the dreams of many so I am beyond motivated & determined to not only make it, but to become unforgettable in this game, in all three of those aspects. 

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be? 

I honestly don’t have a specific cause but I do eventually want to start my own nonprofit organization. I want to connect with different people and organizations that are devoting their time and recourses to create opportunities for families and young kids of minorities to excel in life despite growing up in poverty. I want to help Men, Women, & kids prevent themselves from becoming subject to their environments. I don’t want to just make little changes, I want to create opportunities and provide better living for generations to come, & not just in my community but in communities around the country.

What is the best advice you have ever received? 

Scared Money Don’t Make No Money & No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper. “Scared Money Don’t Make No Money” is a way of life. It embodies the spirit of fearlessness, and reminds me everyday that no matter what the odds are or who’s bettering against me to always bet on myself no matter what. No “Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper” is a scripture from Isaiah 54:17 in the Bible. It’s a scripture I’ve kept dear to me my whole life because even though I’ve dealt with a tremendous amount of adversity and struggle in my life, nothing has stopped me because the Lord is always protecting me and with me.

Who was your childhood hero? 

Kobe Bryant. Kobe is the only person that I have ever called my hero because I’ve been obsessed with his way of living since a child. His continuous rants on winning by any means, grinding like no other when no one is watching, and the way he overcame adversity over and over agin stuck with me since a little boy. I remember not having enough money to get an authentic jersey as a kid so I would go to one of the stores in my neighborhood that sold shirts with his name and number on the back just like a jersey and would go play basketball and parade around my neighborhood in it like it was given to me from himself. 

Who is the most underrated teammate in your locker room at your school? 

Jerome Kapp & Antaun Lloyd. They are one of the best receiver and DB’s I’ve ever played with. They don’t talk much, they just make things happen, and I love that about them. The way they approach the game and grind speaks volumes to what type of men they are off the field.

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

When someone acts like they care and have your best interests at hand but ultimately they really don’t.

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome? 

One of the hardest moments of my life was dealing with the multiple losses I took back to back for months and years straight while trying to stay focused with football and school. I lost 2 childhood friends, a college teammate, a little league coach who was like a father to me, and a aunt & uncle all in a year. Overcoming that depression and being able to stay motivated was probably the hardest time of my life.

Tell me something about your school and why it is so special to you?

My school is special to me because even tho we don’t have a lot of the resources & facilities like other schools do, we still manage to find a way to excel. A bunch of hard working savages with a big chip on our shoulders ready to take over the world if we have to.

What is your favorite snack food? 

Fruit Snacks. I don’t really like eating candy or snacks too much but whenever I do grab a snack I’m definitely grabbing a bag of fruit snacks.

What is the best part of football? 

Finding a family and creating life long bonds & memories with your teammates. My teammates are my extended family, we laugh, cry, sweat, & bleed together, and that’s something that forms the type of bonds you can never forget. It’s nothing like having a teammate become a brother to you.

If you could sell yourself in one sentence what would you say? 

Every time I’ve been told no God has told me yes, & when I asked him if I would be the greatest ever he nodded. 

If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be? 

Marshawn Lynch & Alvin Kamara. I say Marshawn Lynch because of the way he plays the game. He’s a big physical runner who is very agile and plays with a swagger & a chip on his shoulder that tells everyone that he’s going to either run through your face or get around but either way the job will get done and I know that that’s the type of player I am. I compare myself to Alvin Kamara  as well because of how versatile he his. He can play multiple positions and be used in ways that a lot of backs can’t. Like him I can catch out of the backfield, line up out wide or in the slot to run routes and make plays, or even run the wildcat.

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

Chadwick Boseman, Kobe Bryant & my brother Joshua Evans. Kobe & Chadwick are 2 men that I feel like will be able to instill the most valuable knowledge and lessons in me to take me where I know I need to go in life. Joshua Evans is someone that has known me for majority of my life. At my lowest moments when I doubted my self even the slightest bit he was the one to remind me who I was and what I am capable of. I want to have a dinner with him because he’ll know what to say to me at this point of my life, & most importantly because I miss him.