Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Markeith Ambles, WR, University of Houston

Every year, NFL Draft Diamonds brings our readers the best in depth interviews on the internet. We specialize in giving players an opportunity to showcase their talents on our website. We conducted interviews last year with over 300 plus players. We want you to enjoy our interviews, because when these young men are in the league, we will not be surprised, and neither should you. 

What is your name? 

Markeith Ambles

What is your Height/Weight? 

6’2/ 202 lbs

What is your position? 

Wide receiver

Where do you play college football? 

USC, University of Houston

How many teams were recruiting you out of high school? 

Around 40 to 50

How did you choose your school? 

It was a family decision. After visiting my top schools, it came down to where I felt most comfortable and where I believed I would be a valuable asset to the football program while getting a degree from a good school.

Where are you from? 

Griffin, Ga. 

Who is your role model, and why? 

My dad is my role model because he just gives me all the motivation I need to become whatever I choose in life. From a young age, I saw him wake up every day at 5:00am to head to work in order to provide for his family. This motivation and work ethic is something that he instilled in me. I recognize what kind of work it takes in order to be successful in life and that is a great driving force for me. 

Have any scouts met with you yet, and if so what are they saying?  

I have not spoken to any scouts, but I have heard from my coaches that I have a strong dedication to the game. I am physical with good ball skills, know how to run routes well, and am a deep threat with the ability to make incredible catches.  They told me that with this dedication, I have a great chance to find myself on an NFL team in the future. 

Did you play any other sports growing up? 

Yes, baseball and basketball. 

Did you play any other positions in football? 

 Yes, safety and cornerback.

At your position, what separates you from others? 

I believe that my knowledge and feel for the game really separates me from others on the field.  Reading coverages / schemes has become second nature for me which allows me to change my routes on the fly to the appropriate coverages.  Also, I am a big, physical receiver that is not afraid to be physical and block down the field, which a lot of receivers are unwilling to do.

When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?  

Being a WR, I primarily focus on the secondary as a whole.  What coverages / tendencies do they have on 1st, 2nd, or 3rd down?  What sides do the individual cornerbacks play? Do they switch sides? Does one shadow the best receiver on the other team?  Everything is important and I am always looking for a small break to help me out in any way possible.  

Who was the toughest player you ever faced? 

Calvin Pryor, Safety, Louisville. What made Calvin tough was the fact that he had great range as a safety. He was quick and was a sure tackler as well, this made it very difficult to get YAC. Because of this, I always needed to be one step ahead of him on what I needed to do in order to break the tackle and gain the most yards possible on any given play. 

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

Dez Bryant or AJ Green – They are big, physical, dominant players that require defenses to know where they are at all times.

What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it? 

My biggest obstacle in life was when I became ineligible at USC. This was a turning point in my life because I realized I could not take things for granted. At that point, I had to enroll in a junior college. From there I was in the process of being recruited by the University of Houston and had to take 24 hours in one semester in order to be accepted in the University. I knew this would be tough, but I was up for the challenge. This obstacle was a true wake-up call, but also a blessing. It made me become more mature and realized how blessed I am to play this beautiful game of football.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I like to get taped by the same trainer every game. During warm-ups, I have to circle the field as soon as I run out of the tunnel. Aside from that, I listen to music in order to get hyped up and get in the zone.

What is your biggest strength? 

My biggest strength is my passion to compete and my knowledge of the game. 

What is your biggest weakness?  

Although I do not fully consider this as a weakness, it can be one at times.

Thus, my weakness is being too hard on myself. I need to remember that I cannot get down on myself because it impacts the way I play. If you make a mistake, you need to just shake it off and allow your head to move on and get ready for the next play.

If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?  

I would say that I am extremely passionate, dedicated, a locker room guy and a leader on and off the field. I love the grind and I am extremely physical. I work harder than anyone on the field and am willing to do anything in order to contribute as a valuable asset to the team. I understand my strengths and weaknesses and continue to improve on a daily basis. The skills that I have are needed to build a winning environment. 

Who was your favorite player and NFL team growing up? 

Randy Moss and the Atlanta Falcons

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?

Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Jerry Rice