2027 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Mikey D’Amato, LB, Cal Poly

• Name: Mikey D’Amato
• Position: LB
• College: Cal Poly
• Height: 6′ 0″
• Weight: 235 lbs
• X: @mikeydamato2
• Instagram: @mikey_damato_

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

It’s kind of in my blood, my pops he actually played in the NFL so honestly, it was a thing that I was just kind of born into. I feel like I’ve had it in my blood my whole life. My dad never really pushed me to play football, but it was a thing once I put those pads on I fell in love with it.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

I’d say my senior year in high school playing against Bosco. It was pretty sweet because all my other buddies were done with football and everyone just kind of showed up to the game with all my hometown friends. It was a sweet game. We ended up losing but definitely that and then I’d say probably my first game, my junior year at Cal Poly, it was just kind of all the hard work I put in and I put into reality and I had a great game and that’s really what started my junior year.

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

I’m going to go with Jack Lambert that guy is my absolute idol, linebacker for the Steelers. Obviously, my Pops played for the Steelers, so we are huge Steelers fans. He’s an old school downhill linebacker; he plays mean and really smart and is someone I try to model my game after.

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

I’m going to go four-two. I like a four-two because I like to stay in the box and when you got four down lineman and they take up gaps it’s easy to run around so if you got a good defensive line in front of you, especially with four down and you got big enough defensive linemen that could hold two offensive linemen then it makes the two guys that are in the middle. They can run around and play free.

What stands out about your film the most?

I’d say my motor and my physicality. One thing you notice on film is a lot of my plays are hustle plays so it’s a thing where a guy is going to miss a tackle and I’m going to go and make the play just because I want to make that tackle more than you do, and then my physicality too. I feel like my physically the point of attack. I’m usually driving guys back.

What should we know about Mikey D’Amato the person?

Mikey D’Amato as a person is super hard-working, I’ll never say no. I’m always going to work hard. I’ve been overlooked my whole career and like I said, I’m never going to say no you’re going to tell me that I’m too small that I can’t do it. That’s just not going to happen. I’m always going to come. I’m going to put my foot on the pedal. Just a hard worker.

What do you love the most about the game of football?

Definitely the physicality aspect of it. It’s like the biggest thing you can’t be is when you look someone in the eye like the running back and you’re going to go against them all game and once you hit them a couple times you could tell it starts to put wear and tear on them and that’s when you know you got them so I would say definitely with the physicality part of it.

Who is the most underrated player played with and why?

I’m going to go with my buddy Travis Anderson played with him in high school. He’s honestly the most gifted athlete I’ve ever played with in my entire life, hardest worker he’s about to be going into his junior year at Boise State. I think he’s going to pop onto the scene. I think he’s going to be one of the best safeties in college football. I definitely watch for that guy. Travis Anderson is definitely the hardest worker and most humble kid I’ve ever met.

What would a team get in a player like you?

You’re definitely going to get a guy that has a super high motor. I keep the same pace from the first to the fourth quarter. I’m never going to give up, always going to be the first one in the building and last one to leave. Super hard-working like I said. And I’m always ready to learn and continue to grow. I’m honestly newer to linebacker. I’ve only played linebacker for 2 to 3 years so I’m not even close to what my peak is yet. I’m going to keep growing and I’m a good teammate to. All my teammates say that I’m a pretty good guy in the locker room, so I’m a big camaraderie guy and I’m a pretty good leader too. So, all those traits that’s what you’re going to get out of me.