2024 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Javier Duran, DT, Kent State University

• Name: Javier Duran
• Position: Defensive Tackle 
• College: Kent State University 
• Height: 6’4
• Weight: 280
• Twitter: D__Javier
• Instagram: im_javiee

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2024 NFL Draft? 

 At my position I and violent and strong at the P.OA. (Point of attack) as well as move well and bendable

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

I would around 9 or 10 years old but it was hard because I trying to go sign up for pop Warner they had a weight limit that I exceeded so I couldn’t play with kids my age and at the time I was in fifth grade and so I played with kids that were in 7th and 8th grade and I stopped playing because the whole weight limit until I got into High school. 

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

NFL teams should know that I’m very adaptable.

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?  I would love to help people in Dominican Republic because my families from Dominican Republic then came to the United States. I want to donate and give back to people over there because it’s not easy at all especially kids trying to get a(n) education, medical assistance and much more.

What is the best advice you have ever received? Best advice I’ve received is “Keep your head down and keep working and it’s all gonna pay off” because I’ve always been a(n) underdog never in the spotlight which is cool to me because I’ve always been a hard worker but I’m not the type to be in the spotlight because that’s not my thing, and hearing that from guys who’ve been at the top and trained the best was special especially since it’s my last year. 

Who was your childhood hero? 

Childhood hero would easily be my mother because she’s a hard worker and that’s where I get it from, born in Dominican Republic then coming to the United States and being a being a nurse while also working three jobs and going to nursing school to better herself wasn’t easy but she done it and I’ve seen it first hand. 

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

I would say our running back Ky Thomas, since we both came in as transfers and me and Ky always talking, people forget that he was at University of Minnesota for a reason and put that on display when he was showing out during our spring game 

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Generally my biggest people peeve are people who are talking to one another but it’s loud for no reason and I can hear the whole conversation and another would be internally with myself and football with being my own biggest critic when watching film I critic the littlest things from how my stance is, if I escape the block violent enough, if I ran to the ball instead of a trolly and overall think I did terrible when in all reality it’s not bad at all 

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

Overcoming adversity is my whole life with graduating high school with a 1.8 GPA in 2017 then going prep and still not qualifying so I had to walk on to a D2 and what people didn’t know was when I tried to find a way to make it on an unofficial visit I took a bus from my prep in Maine to the school in western Massachusetts but didn’t have enough money when I got to Boston and luckily made it to the school late on the visit, and as well as this being at my fifth school since High school and it was a long cold road but made me who I am today.

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

Biggest thing is the emphasis on “real is rare” that stood out because college coaches lie not all but some and that’s one thing they’re gonna do at Kent is not lie about nothing as well as having a player led team because all the elite teams are player led, average teams coaches lead, and bad teams no one leads

What is your favorite snack food?

Uncrustables 

What is the best part of football?

Best part really is buying in to what the coaches are saying because at the end of the they’re there to make you into the best version of yourself and that’s what I love

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

I’m Javier Duran Defensive Tackle at Kent University, and I’m up for and ready for any challenge you bring my way.

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

Packers Defensive tackle Kenny Clark for sure 

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

Mike Tyson, Kevin Hart, and Marlon Wayans