2027 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Jordan Pendleton, OLB, Utah State University

• Name: Jordan Pendleton
• Position: Outside Linebacker
• College: Utah State University
• Height: 6’4’’
• Weight: 245
• Twitter: Jordan_xvii
• Instagram: Jordann.xvii

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2027 NFL Draft? 

I would say that the thing that makes me a top prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft is my versatility. Being moved from safety down to Outside Linebacker forced me to not only work to develop myself into the best pass rusher or run defender I could be, but it forced me to become a better all-around athlete that can do a lot of different things that I’m asked of. I take a lot of pride in being able to be placed anywhere on the field and execute my assignment at a high level, whether that’s out playing on an island with a slot receiver, in the box aligned in a 50, or up on the line. I love learning multiple positions and being able to be plugged in wherever the unit needs me to be. 

Tell me about a time you faced adversity and how you responded?

​A defining time that I remember facing adversity was the summer going into my senior year of high school. Even though I didn’t have a single offer, I was committed to my dream of playing college football. Throughout high school, I had been playing wide receiver and a little bit of defense, but I knew that if I actually wanted to have any shot to play at the next level, I needed to transition to safety. That entire summerbefore my senior year, I dedicated the offseason to learning a completely new position. My dad and I had put together a huge list of all the college recruitment camps we had to hit, and from D3 to D1, we were going everywhere across the country. I knew these were vital – it was genuinely a make or break summer. He would call these “business trips” because we’d go, handle business, and come right back – no wasted time. Most of the time, there were days we’d drive for hours to a camp, perform, get no feedback, get right back in the car like nothing happened, and go off to the next one. It was exhausting, and there were definitely moments where I questioned if I was chasing something that just wasn’t going to happen for me. By the end, we had to have gone to around 17 or 18 camps. Eventually, I got an opportunity to attend a camp at the University of St. Thomas in St Paul, Minnesota. We flew up and didn’t even get a hotel, went to the camp, and flew right back home. A few days later, I received my first offer. That experience taught me that if you’re willing to adapt, outwork the situation, and stay disciplined through uncertainty, eventually the opportunity will come.

What are your hobbies outside of football? 

I have a couple of hobbies I like to do off the field. I really enjoy drawing whenever I can. I feel like it’s a good way to get away from my screens and put my focus and energy into something I’m able to be creative with. Lately, I’ve just been messing around with creating comic book characters, so I’ve had some fun with that. I also love to volunteer in the community whenever I can. Last fall while I was in Minnesota,I’d go work at the food bank and I really enjoyed doing that – I’d like to be able to get back into something like that over in Logan. I’ve just recently picked golfing back up. It’s a great change of pace from the physicality of football but still letsyou enjoy being outside.

What role do you see yourself playing at the next level? 

The role that I see myself playing at the next level is as a versatile outside linebacker who can be used in multiple ways to impact the game. I bring value as a pass rusher who can consistently get into the backfield, but I also take pride in being able to drop into coverage and play in space wheneverneeded. That versatility allows me to stay unpredictable and fit into different defensive looks. I’m also the type of player who will do whatever it takes to get on the field. I’m ready to contribute on any special teams unit and bring energy and execution from day one. My goal is to be a player that coaches can trust in any role, whether that’s run defense, rushing, covering, or leading a special teams unit. 

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

If I could donate to one cause in the world, it would be helping people all over the world gain access to clean water. I’ve been blessed enough to have had the privilege of going on two mission trips to Africa – one in Togoville, Togo, and another in Ngong/Kawangware, Kenya. It’s safe to say those experiences really opened my eyes. I saw what it actuallylooks like when something that we take for granted every single day, like clean water, isn’t guaranteed. A lot of the kids and families in this environment walk dozens of miles from their villages and homes just for a chance to get clean water, and even then, didn’t really know if what they had was safe. It’s something we don’t even think twice about, but for a lot of people around the world it affects everything–health, energy, the ability to go to school–everything. That stuck with me. It made me realize how something so simple can completely change someone’s future. Being able to help provide clean water means giving people a real chance – achance to live healthier lives and to pursue opportunities that they might not otherwise have been able to. That’s something I’ll always care about and want to be part of supporting.

How do you handle coaching, especially criticism or being corrected repeatedly?

I feel like I handle coaching very well – I’ve always prided myself on coachability. I know and understand that I will never be at a point where I’ve “made it” in my game, and there’s always going to be a way to grow and things to continue developing in my game. I’m never going to be PERFECT in the run game or PERFECT in the pass, and I understand that there’s always going to be things I need to tweak and improve on. I view feedback as a privilege that I take advantage of whenever I’m able to get it. 

Who is the most underrated teammate at your school? 

I’m still pretty new to the Utah State family, so I’m continuing to get to know a lot of the guys. But, one thing that’s already stood out to me is how many dudes show up every day, stay consistent, pay attention to the details, and bring the energy in practice, meetings, and the weight room. Those are the guys I have a lot of respect for because they help set the standard for the entire team. Some guys that have really stood out to me so far are Diego Grateron, John Shepard, Asher Cunningham, and Bronson Olevao – these are all guys who just keep their head down and keep working. As I continue building relationships here, I know I’ll be able to speak on even more guys.

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

I love this question. If I could have dinner with three people, I would have to choose Ray Lewis, Jesus, and Paw Paw (my grandfather). I’ve looked up to Ray Lewis my entire life. My dad used to play this “Biggest football hits – here comes the boom” YouTube video that started with a Ray Lewis speech every morning when I had a pee-wee game, and that never failed to get me fired up. I loved everything about Ray Lewis’s game–his mentality, his aggression–it’s who I wanted to be. He’s the reason I fell in love with the game. My faith is a big part of my life. I give all credit to everything I’ve done to God, and I would not be in the position I’m in without Him and would love an opportunity to sit and have dinner with Him. I want to be more like Christ with everything I do and have everything I do be for Him. My grandfather Paw Paw was a huge role model for me growing up. He was absolutely brilliant – the smartest man I’ve ever met. He was an engineer and one of the first African American men to graduate from the University of Memphis in engineering. He never got the opportunity to watch me play a single snap of college football, so I’d love to sit with him and watch my highlights and a couple games. I would do anything for a chance to see him again. 

If you were benched tomorrow, what would be the most likely reason? 

If I were benched tomorrow, it would most likely be because I didn’t meet the standard in a specific detail of my game, whether that’s precision with my technique, details in my assignment, or execution in a key moment. At this and the level above, the difference is fully in the details, and even one missed assignment can cost the team. That’s something I take very seriously – I pride myself on being dependable and doing my job at a high level. If that ever happened, my response would be to correct it immediately, get back to the film, clean up the mistake, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. I understand that trust is something that is hard to get, and extremely easy to lose. I hold myself to a high standard, and I know coaches need to trust that I’ll execute every time I’m on the field.

Walk me through your typical pre-game routine?

My pre-game routine is pretty simple. I’ll eat breakfast and then spend a little time walking around, and then I go to the stadium and go up into one of the chairs in the bleachers. During this time, I like to slow down and say a prayer, and then I’ll call my grandmother. She doesn’t get the opportunity to make it to a lot of my games, and my grandfather never actually got the chance to see me play in college. Because of this, it’s important to me to take a moment to just fill her in on what’s happening and let her know how much she means to me. My wife also sends me a paragraph of encouragement before each of my games and I take some time to read those as well to get grounded. After this, I usually get to the facility really early to get myself situated and go to the weight room to do some basic stretches and shoulder mobility. After unit meetings, I head onto the field for an individual field warmup and edge specific drills. I work on my first step off the line and running the hoop. I also take this time to practice my strike on the field goal post. I got into the habit of listening to classical music and instrumental jazz throughout the warmup, and found that I play best after listening to this type of music because it allows me to get into that flow state. 

What is your favorite snack food? 

​I’m a huge Oreo guy, if you put anything Oreo in front of me it’s going to be hard for me to pass up. 

What scheme do you feel you fit the best in? 

I feel like my best fit is in a multiple front defense, especially something like a 4–2–5 where I can play as a stand-up edge to the boundary, or in a 3–4 where I can play outside linebacker to the field, both in space and on the line of scrimmage. Those schemes allow me to rush the passer, set the edge, and also drop into coverage, which is where I feel I can bring the most value. I’m extremely comfortable playing in space and moving around the formation, so being in a system that values versatility and allows me to impact the game in different ways is where I feel I’m at my best. At the end of the day, I just want to be in a scheme that lets me play fast, be disruptive, and execute at a high level.

What is your degree in? 

My degree is in Marketing.

What would be the first thing you buy with your first NFL check? 

My parents are the only reason I’ve been able to make it this far. Their unwavering support and investment in me haveallowed me to succeed. The sacrifices they’ve made throughout my life just for me to live out my dream and play the sport I love is something I’d never be able to payback. The discipline and mindset that they’ve instilled in me from such a young age is something I will forever be grateful for,and I can’t thank them enough for what all they’ve done. Funny enough, they always tell me that they don’t want anything from me from my first paycheck. They say that me making good investments and saving is enough for them. However, I am going to make sure that they are taken care of and probably get both of my parents a small gift to show how much I appreciate them. Other than that, I will probably invest and save my first paycheck, making sure I’m setting myself up for long term success on and off the field.

Describe a time in a game where you feel you made a mistake, and explain how you bounced back?

A time that I made a mistake and bounced back was last season when we were playing Davidson. They came out in a 2×1 look with the tight end attached on the opposite side, a sniffer right behind him, and the back to my side. It was an RPO look with the QB reading me. Having that back to me immediately told me I needed to be slow playing him. At the snap, I got run action away and stepped up to fit the run. In this specific play call, I have flat responsibility so I can’t be aggressive down the line, I have to be ready to take the Q or anything else coming back. The sniffer from the backside sliced across, and I was supposed to carry him through the flat. However, my eyes got stuck in the backfield, the quarterback pulled it, sprinted out, and dumped it right behind me. I was able to recover and punch the ball out for a fumble, but I immediately knew that was a breakdown in my assignment. When I got to the sideline, I went straight to the tablet, corrected my eyes and keys, and made sure I was disciplined with my responsibility the rest of the game. The last thing I wanted to do was get in the habit of not performing my assignment correctly just because I made the play one time and it didn’t hurt us. That play made me realize that I have to have better eye discipline and awareness of action coming back, and to put my trust in my keys and do the job. 

Name three songs, we can expect on your playlist?

1. L’amore dice Ciao – Armando Trovajoli
2. Zoom – Lil Uzi Vert
3. Trouble Maker – Rema