2026 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Derik LeCaptain, LB, University of Minnesota

• Name: Derik LeCaptain
• Position: LB
• College: University of Minnesota
• Height :6′ 2″
• Weight: 232 lbs
• X: @derik_lecaptain
• Instagram: @deriklecaptain35

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

I think that started just when I was really young. Like at a young age. I mean ever since I could remember I’ve always wanted to be a football player. I think you know my dad had a huge impact on it. He has been a high school coach in Wisconsin for over 30 years so I just grew up before I could even walk. I was at football games at football practice and you know as I got older and again being at those practices and games with him Friday nights. When I got to eight years old, that was the first year I played tackle football and that first taste of contact, that first taste of being part of a team like even at that young of an age I knew that’s something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

I would say going off of high school definitely being fortunate enough to win three conference championships and then building that into college you know playing at Minnesota like one awesome thing is you get to play in a lot of rivalry games and I would say every time we were able to bring bring the axe back or keep it in Minneapolis when I was in college that that was always super special. And then you know there’s just some games throughout my career that were just amazing, beating Penn State in 2019 at home, having a bowl victory against Auburn, beating Iowa in 2023 and bringing the Floyd of Rosedale back home. Those are all just some great team moments I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of. Then personally you know two that really stick out are being fortunate enough to be put on a scholarship going into my third season in college and also being able to score a touchdown at Northwestern in 2021, which was pretty special.

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

I would definitely say Brian Cushing, former linebacker for the Houston Texans, I followed his career when he was climbing up the ranks in college when I was a kid and obviously he played in the NFL and just for somebody who I admire just his physicality, the intensity he played with and just how he went about his business. I think that’s somebody that I could learn a lot from.

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

Honestly, I just love to play a base 4-2-5, 4-3 and play cover three behind it. I think as a linebacker anytime you can play into zone coverage, especially in a cover three scheme. It just allows you to kind of be more of a vision and break player and make breaks on the ball and also being able to play a run fit defense in that type of scheme. I feel it’s kind of simple and it’s cool because the linebackers all get to play off of each other in a scheme like that.

What stands out about your film the most?

I would say when you put my film on the thing that’s going to stand out the most is just my versatility and how many different spots I’ve played. I’ve played Mike linebacker. I’ve played Sam linebacker. I’ve played running back and I’ve played fullback all during my career and to add onto that just my special team’s body of work you know I’ve played on all phases of the special team’s units on punt. I’ve played in the back line in the shield. I’ve played on the front-line kickoff. Kickoff return I’ve played everything from frontline to back line to off returner. The same thing on punt return I’ve played on the edge; I’ve played in the core of the formation. I’ve also played off the ball so I just think when you put my tape on you know you see me do a lot of different things that I was asked to do during my career in college whether that was offense, defense or special teams, and just being able to execute consistently at a high level and do my job.

What should we know about Derik LeCaptain the person?

I think what you should know about me as a person is that I’m somebody that wants to get the best out of myself and the people around me. I’m somebody that loves to be surrounded by people who are high achievers and expect the best from themselves and the people around them and I’m really somebody who just loves football. I love life, I love everything about football, you know playing games, practice, training, working out and really just being around the guys and being around the facility that’s something that has always been super special to me and you know being able to have that family away from your immediate family that you can go to for anything and they can come to you for everything that’s something that’s super important to me and something I pride myself on. .

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

I mean my personal goals as a football player are to play at the highest level that I can you know my dream since I was a kid is to play in the NFL and ultimately be able to join a team and an organization where I can make an impact as a player and a person and the ultimate goal at every football player has is to be a Super Bowl champion. I think for me that’s the number one thing I want to be a part of an organization that puts a premium on development and getting the right guys around and winning football games.

Who is the most underrated player you’ve played with and why?

I would say a guy who was kind of underrated coming out of college and has really made a really awesome career for himself in the NFL is Jack Gibbens. You know I was fortunate to play with him one year at Minnesota in 2021 and just seeing how he carried himself, he was a pro before he ever was a pro and just how he went about his business, how he prepared, how he played, the physicality he played with and just seeing how he’s worked his way through the ranks in the NFL as an undrafted free agent and then you know he was a big-time contributor for the Patriots during their Super Bowl run this year. He’s definitely a guy that sticks out to me.

What would a team get in a player like you?

I think what teams are getting in a player like me is somebody who’s extremely consistent, somebody who is extremely versatile and somebody that’s always going to do the right things on and off the field. I do think that’s one thing that makes me different than a lot of players is just in terms of what I can do on the field, having that background of playing running back, fullback, linebacker, and on every special teams unit in the Big Ten for seven years is something that I don’t think a lot of players have done and just having that body of work and coming in with that experience that I have. I have played 63 career games in college. I just think being able to bring that experience and that versatility and the amount of different positions I can play is something that can really help a team.