NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Johnathan Powell, TE, Ouachita Baptist University
NFL Draft Diamonds and our staff have been bringing our readers Prospect Interviews over the past 2 years and this year we mixed up the questions and added some fun questions for our readers. We have tons of NFL staff that read our interviews, and we actually received several of the questions from NFL scouts we speak too. This gives them a little bit more information regarding your character. We hope to bring you more than 300 interviews of NFL Draft Prospects this season. You will be able to track them all on the front page of our website in the banner.
What is your name?
Johnathan Powell
What is your Height/Weight?
6’4 250lb
What is your position?
TE
Where do you play college football?
Ouachita Baptist University
Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field?
Every year at Christmas time the team pulls together money and then goes out and buys gifts for the local children’s home.
What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?
Zoology
Where are you from?
Searcy, Arkansas
Who is your role model, and why?
My role model would have to be J.J Watt. I really like how he handles himself on and off the field. On the field he pushes himself and his teammates to be the best they possible can be, and off the field he helps out with varies organizations and by meeting fans whenever he can.
Did you play any other sports growing up?
Growing up my parents always made sure we were active; I played soccer, baseball, basketball and also ran track.
Did you play any other positions in football?
In High School I also played DE, and WR
At your position, what separates you from others?
It is every Tight Ends job to block and catch, but most of today’s TEs focus mainly on catching. What sets me apart is that I had a great position coach, Coach Shockley, who taught me the importance of foot placement and hand placement during the blocking. I have excellent hands when the ball is thrown my way, but I am also known as a strong blocker, who holds his block till the whistle blows, and that can’t be said for a lot of other Tight Ends.
When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?
I always look for tendencies in the defense to tip me off to what they might do during the upcoming game.
Who was the toughest player you ever faced?
Ty Powell, a D End for Harding University, who’s now with the Buffalo Bills
If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be and why?
Jason Witten, because we are both known for great blocking, and our size and strength make us hard to bring down.
What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it?
Coming out of high school, I weighed 215, and had a lot of work to do to get myself were my coaches and I wanted me to be. I became dedicated to putting the work in at the gym, and developing my body the healthy way.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
The day of the game I block out all outside distractions and just focus on the game, I practice visualization to help me mentally prepare for the game.
As a small school football player what obstacles do you feel you have to overcome?
I have to work twice as hard and dedicate myself just as much to prove I can perform on the same level as the best tight ends from higher profile programs.
What is your biggest strength?
Work ethic on and off the field
What is your biggest weakness?
I can be very quiet
If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?
I’m a hard worker. I push myself, and my teammates to be our best every day.
Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up?
My favorite player would have to be Peyton Hillis, a fellow Arkansas boy.
If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?
Rob Gronkowski, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and General George Patton
With your first NFL paycheck what would you buy?
I would do something for my family, and put the rest in savings.
Rapid Answers:
- Spongebob or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
- Backstreet Boys or One Direction?
- Lifetime Channel or HGTV?
- Waffles or Pancakes?
- Snakes or Spiders?
- Madden or Mario?
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