2023 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: McCallan Castles, TE, UC-Davis

• Name: McCallan Castles
• Position: Tight End
• College: UC Davis
• Height: 6’ 5”
• Weight: 245lbs
• Twitter: @McCallanCastles
• Instagram: @m_castles

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

Very athletic and versatile, good perimeter and inline blocker plus a threat in the pass game. Also well established on multiple special teams.

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

2nd grade when I got to play flag football for the first time.

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

I’m very family oriented, my go to person is my mother because she is my number one supporter no matter what.

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

Development of renewable energy sources because being from Lake Tahoe I have seen first hand the beauty and wonder of nature and truly believe that we have to change our ways in order to maintain it.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

“Be like a duck, calm and unbothered on the surface but kicking like your life depends on it underneath”

Who was your childhood hero?

Tony Gonzalez because I wanted to be a multisport athlete and play both basketball and football in college.

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

Chris Venable- Safety because he constantly radiates positive energy and is friends with everyone no matter their position or if they play offense or defense.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

When people wait until the last minute to leave for something.

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

Transferring out of Cal and going home having to work at TJ Maxx not knowing if I’m gonna be able to play college football again. Then going to meet with Coach Hawkins and explaining to him that I still wanted to play football.

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

Davis football has a long tradition of practicing Trust, Unity and Togetherness. The trust aspect is believing that the other ten guys on the field are going to do their job to the best of their ability, the unity is being united as one on the field and having the same goals, the togetherness is being brothers off the field and spending time together outside of football. This is special to me because I have developed friendships with my teammates that will last my entire life.

What is your favorite snack food?

Harvest Snaps Green Pea Snack Crisps

What is the best part of football?

That it is constantly evolving so you can never become satisfied with yourself, you have to continue to get better year by year.

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

I work hard and I’m competitive in everything I do.

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

T.J Hockenson

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

Alexander the Great because I would love to hear his approach to leadership, Kobe Bryant to learn more about his killer mentality and Trevor Moawad, Russel Wilson’s mental coach because I need to work on not letting the little things affect me.