NFL DraftProspect Interviews

2021 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: AJ Farris, OL, Monmouth University

AJ Farris
AJ Farris the massive offensive lineman from Monmouth University recently sat down with Justin Berendzen of NFL Draft Diamonds.
  • Name: AJ Farris
  • Position: OL
  • College: Monmouth University 
  • Height: 6′ 2
  • Weight: 295 lbs 
  • Twitter:@AJ_Farris53

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

I would hang out with Jason Kelce. He’s the best center in the NFL and has been for many years. His athleticism/leadership/technique is unmatched. I think It would be awesome to pick his brain. He also seems like a really cool/funny guy to be around. Overall great dude. 

2.What is your favorite workout?

My favorite workout would have to be our Friday chest/arm pumps. Nothing gets you feeling good for the weekend like a nice Friday pump. Either that or squat day ! 

3. What is your mindset when you are on the football field?

Mindset on the field is that I’m the baddest motherfucker on the field at all times. 

4.What are your favorite moments from your football life?

My high school experience was awesome. I played on a team of 50 kids that traveled across the country playing the best high school teams in the nation. A lot of my time was spent on a coach bus heading to games/camps all the time. Built some relationships that will last a lifetime. The highlight of my football career had to be last year though. Nothing beats the feeling of being the first team to win your conference in school history. Especially after we fell shorts several times in previous years. As well as being the first team to win a playoff game.  Something about seeing all your hard work pay off, just can’t beat that feeling. 

5.What is your favorite stadium that you have played in?

My favorite stadium was Washington-Grizzly Stadium at the University of Montana. That was the craziest atmosphere I’ve ever played in. Couldn’t even hear myself think, let alone the my qb trying to yell/clap the cadence. Game changer when you’re the one snapping the ball ! Seemed like everyone in the stadium hated us. I love that feeling though. Silencing a crazy crowd is a very satisfying feeling. 

Check out NFL Draft Diamonds 2021 Small School Rankings

6.If your life was a tv show what would you call it and why?

 If my life was a TV show It would be called “Football and Finance”. Mainly because they are the two main things I focus on all day. If I’m not doing activities related to football I’m usually paying attention to the stock market or YouTube videos on private equity and hedge funds. 

7.What has been your biggest challenge in life?

 My biggest challenge in life has really just been people doubting me throughout my career. I’ve dealt with a lot of people telling me I wouldn’t be good enough to play for the high school that I went to and then onto college ball. Proved every single one of those people wrong and still doing so. Besides that learning to code was pretty hard. It took me a little bit to realize the importance of attention to detail throughout the entire process of coding a website or app. Messing up one character causes the entire program to not run and it’s not fun looking through everything to find one thing that’s wrong. Trust me.  

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

My dad is my biggest role model. He played football and has always been into it. I begged him when I was really young to let me play and he told me I had to prove to him I was tough before he would let me. Finally in 3rd grade he decided I could play and was actually one of my coaches. I fell in the love with the game immediately and still am. 

9.What do you do for fun?

 I’m a big movie guy. Love all the Marvel/DC movies. Excited for some new ones to come out. I also like investing in stocks and analyzing the market. Besides that i just like to watch and play other sports or go to the beach with my friends. I can literally walk to the beach from my house at Monmouth. 

10.What would a team get in a player like you?

A team would get a smart/athletic player that plays with a chip on his shoulder. And a guy who’s gonna do whatever needs to be done to get his job accomplished for the better of the team. Whatever it takes. 

11. How has your experience as a Monmouth University Hawks football player been?

My experience at Monmouth has been awesome. I came into a great program with awesome older players that really took me in under their wing. I got to learn from a great center before me, in Alex Thompson and he’s always pushed me and really broke everything down for me from the get go. Coach Gabe, my offensive line coach, is one of the smartest coaches I’ve ever met or been around. Everything he teaches you he explains to you why and how we are going to use It. He has awesome blocking schemes and really gives freedom to his experienced players. Let’s us run the show and decide how certain looks are going to get blocked. My best experience at Monmouth has to be last year when we won the big south conference. We worked our asses off to do that. 

12.What do you hope to accomplish if you make it into the NFL?

I hope to make It on a team, become the best in my position, and win some Super Bowls. What else could you want?

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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