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Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Michael Deitrick, TE, Clarion University

clarionEvery 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?

Michael Deitrick

What is your Height/Weight?

I am 6’4″ 250 lbs.

What is your position?

TE

Where do you play college football?

Clarion University of PA

How many teams were recruiting you out of high school?

Mostly FCS and D2 teams. My final two schools were Clarion and Duquesne University.

How did you choose your school?

The coaches. I felt most comfortable with the coaches at Clarion and I am glad I chose to play there.

Where are you from?

I am from Pittsburgh, PA and attended Upper St. Clair High School.

Who is your role model, and why?

My grandfather. He was a captain and All-American at the University of Pittsburgh. He also was a captain in basketball and played baseball at Pitt. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and chose instead to go to medical school. He has been my idol since I can remember and by being able to follow in his footsteps would be a dream come true.

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

I’ve spoken with a few scouts but nothing serious as of yet. I feel that I went a little unnoticed due to the type of offense we ran in college. However, all I need is one opportunity in order to prove I belong.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Yes, I played basketball all the way through high school.

Did you play any other positions in football?

A little bit of fullback and defensive end in high school.

At your position, what separates you from others?

I separate myself from others by being an all-around player. I block and catch well and I feel that most tight ends usually are good at one or the other, I pride myself on doing both well.

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

When breaking down film I usually like to look what type of fronts the defense I’m facing likes to show and also look at the different coverages they play. I then focus on the players I know ill be facing one on one and look for their tendencies and weaknesses. I also study myself a lot to see if I can catch any habits or tendencies that I can correct.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

The toughest player I’ve ever faced was my teammate Julian Howsare in practice everyday. It was great practicing against him because it certainly brought the best out of each of us every single day leading up to Saturday.

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

I like to think I play like Heath Miller of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is arguably the best all around tight end in the NFL today and I try to imitate his game.

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

I think one of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced is going to a smaller school and completely dedicating myself to football. Every decision I make comes back to whether it will positively or negatively affect me in football. I also switched high schools after my sophomore year due to my dad getting a new job, it was difficult to leave my old friends behind however its worked out in the end.

CHECK OUT MICHAEL’S HIGHLIGHT HERE

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I do not really have any pregame rituals other than just listening to music.

What is your biggest strength?

My biggest strength is my work ethic and leadership, along with my blocking and catching. I also feel that I have pretty good footwork. I had the privilege of being coached by a former University of Wisconsin offensive lineman, Matt Lawrence, he was able to really help me with my footwork.

What is your biggest weakness?

My biggest weakness would be that I sometimes try to make a big play when there isn’t one.

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

Just give me a chance. I know if I am given an opportunity to play in the NFL I would make the most of it and prove that I belong. I would be one of the hardest working individuals and would do anything to succeed.

Who was your favorite player and NFL team growing up?

The Pittsburgh Steelers were my favorite team and Dan Marino was always my favorite player.

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

I would choose Michael Jordan, Will Smith and Beyoncé

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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