NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Tyrai Anderson, CB, Lock Haven 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? 

Tyrai Lee Anderson

What is your Height/Weight? 

6FT 183

What is your position? 

CB

Where do you play college football? 

Lock Haven University 

Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field? 

Growing up in inner city Harrisburg most kids don’t get the chances to go off to school so just being able to go back home and visit those kids who look up to you, just being able to give hope to those kids who have dreams of playing playing college football, that’s special to me leading by example.

What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?

My hardest college course would probably haft to be ballet.

Where are you from? 

Harrisburg Pennsylvania 

Who is your role model, and why? 

My role model would be Chris “Handles” Franklin of the Harlem Globetrotters. The reason why is because he brought me under his wing and guide me through life as a young boy and as I grew into a man he was able to inspire me to always pursue my dreams because of the great heights he has been able to reach in his life and career. I’m thankful for his guidance.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Basketball,baseball and track and field  I excelled in all football is just my first love.

Did you play any other positions in football?

When I first started playing football around age 6 I played Running back and line backer and when I got to high school I played WR and Corner.

At your position, what separates you from others?

I think that I have a great work ethic that allows me to always better myself, I’m never complacent because I understand what I want to get out of this game so I’m always working on my craft especially my feet and ability to evaluate film effectively I’m a student of the game.

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

First I try to watch full games just to try and get a feel of what a offense likes to do I start to pick up on rhythms and tendencies. After I understand those things I look specifically at formations from least to favorite, percentages etc. finally I look for WR tendencies, route running ability,blocking skill and also QB tendencies to help me get a edge on what he’s thinking. This all allows me to anticipate and react faster on game day.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

Trevor Hartman currently with the Arizona Cardinals, he was a great competitor always fun to compete with.

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

Kevin Johnson out of Wake Forest currently with the Texans. We both have similar built body’s and I think that we both play very well when placed in the field we both cover field well also just like Kevin when asked to step up in the face of WR I’m able to shut WRs down. Also he’s good in the open field tackling I think I’m a very good open field tackler as well. 

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

I’m a father two beautiful boys Kameron and Karson my boys have been my inspiration. It was initially hard to figure out how to balance fatherhood,football and school but with the help of my girlfriend and family I have been able to take care of my responsibilities and I’m on pace and scheduled to graduate this December,I thank my boys for that everyday with my grind out on that field.

Do you have any pre-game rituals? 

Me and our boundary corner Daniel Strawbridge like to wake up in the morning of a game with attitudes we convince ourselves that the best WR on the opposing team has a personal problem with us that way during the game we make it our business to lock them down.

As a small school football player what obstacles do you feel you have to overcome?

I think that I just haft to get the chance to actually show that I am capable of playing with WRs that are on the Radar WRs from big names schools. I think that once I play in these all star games and Bowl games with more division 1 WRs  Scouts will see I am able to produce and make plays. I’m just waiting on the chance to get on the same field as those guys and prove I can still dominate the man on the other side of the ball. 

What is your biggest strength? 

I think that I have great field awareness and when you combine that with my athletic ability I’m able to make the plays that I’m supposed to make.

What is your biggest weakness? 

I think that my biggest weakness rite now is the fact I haven’t been able to play many division 1 schools however I think that the times when I was able to play larger name schools I stood I rose up to the occasion and proved that I’m able to play with the best. 

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

Honestly I think that by picking me up your getting yourself a man who has the skills necessary and work ethic to play in the NFL,I am willing to play any role on the team to help my team win.

Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up?

My favorite player was Charles Woodson and my favor team was the Raiders.

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

Kevin Hart-Megan Fox-My grandmom V

With your first NFL paycheck what would you buy?

I would buy a house and make sure my boys have a comfortable place to call home.

Rapid Answers:

• Spongebob or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
• Teenage mutant ninja turtles 
• Backstreet Boys or One Direction?
• Backstreet boys 
• Lifetime Channel or HGTV?
• Lifetime 
• Waffles or Pancakes?
• Pancakes 
• Snakes or Spiders?
• Snakes 
• Madden or Mario?Rapid Answers:
• Madden