NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Jeff Tiffner, WR, Wittenberg University

• Name: Jeff Tiffner 

• Height: 5′ 7″

• Weight: 175

• Position: WR PR KR

• College: Wittenberg University 

• Twitter: jeff_tiffner1

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?

•  Being from a small town you can’t go anywhere without running into someone you know. I love seeing so many familiar faces all the time. It is very welcoming. 

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?

• Film Study, Conditioning, Practice, Strength. I believe preparation starts with film study. You have to watch your opponent to know how they will play and react to certain situations during the game. Next is conditioning. I said the first step is being mentally prepared, well conditioning is the second step because your body needs to be in tip-top condition so your brain is able to work properly. If your mind is telling you how tired you are you won’t be focusing on your assignment. Practice is next because if you are in good condition, your body will be able to practice as if you are playing in a real game. If you are in good condition you can go as hard as possible on each rep. Strength is a tremendous trait to have, but without proper film study, conditioning and practice, strength will only get you so far. 

What do you worry about, and why?

• I would consider myself a leader. Definitely, a leader on my football team, considering I was one of the captains, and for a really long time, I always thought it was best to just worry about myself and the things that I can control. I needed to worry about getting myself ready for practice, a game or a weight training session. Recently, I have started to figure out that a true leader makes sure that all of the guys around him are prepared. I know exactly what I need to do to ensure that I will be prepared to perform at the best of my abilities, so I try to worry about making sure all of my other teammates know their assignment before I prepare myself. 

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?

• During my High School career, I was undersized, too slow and lacked maturity. I was a 2-year letter winner and only a 1-year starter as a senior. I did not get nominated for any all-conference honors or anything like that. Upon finishing my senior season, I had 0 offers to continue playing.  I thought my football career was finished. After graduating from High School I enrolled in Barber College. During my time in barber school, I gained the maturity that I was missing. A part of me still had the urge to continue playing ball. I looked into a lot of Division 1 schools. I was going to try to be a Walk-on. Four long years had passed, and I am still not playing. I had almost given up the hope of getting an opportunity to play. That is when I found Wittenberg University. A small Division 3 private school. It just happened to be located in my hometown and about a mile down the road from the barbershop that I work at. I visited the school and was enrolled about two weeks later. Fast forward 4 years to the end of my senior season in college. I was a 4-year letter winner. A 3-year starter. 2x 1st team All-Conference player and 1st team All-Region player. I was voted a captain for my senior season. As well as being voted the most outstanding offensive player of the year. My failure of being ready for college football after high school drove me to work harder than I have ever worked before so I could have success at the college level.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My work ethic and ability to be a positive leader/role model.  

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?

• Todd Jeter

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football? 

• To be an owner of a barbershop.  

Room, desk and car – which do you clean first?

• Car 

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?

• Family member. I have love for my family and I care about their safety before I care for others safety.

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?

•  Superman, he can do it all. He can Fly, has superhuman strength, he is a role model, Protects against evil, all kids want to be able to do everything he does.

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?

• My biggest adversity in life was during my time in college. Trying to balance everything was extremely hard. I dealt with everything by learning how to properly manage my time. I put myself through uncomfortable situations so I can learn to adapt when things are not going as planned. 

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• Most embarrassing moment was when I failed my state Barber Board examination the first time I took it. I failed by 2 points. I was devasted. But I choose to study harder than before and put in more of an effort and passed the next time I took it.  

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•  Freshman Year, the first game of the season. 4 years after I graduated from high school. I returned the opening kickoff to the 2nd half. We were tied with our opponents 14-14. I returned the kick to the opposite 40-yard line and we scored 4 players later. We went on to win that game and finished the game with 38 points. 

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  Beast by Rob Bailey & the Hustle Standard. Ft Busta Rhymes, KXNG Crooked & Tech N9ne (southpaw Remix)

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level? 

• Determination. 

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?

• My uncle Bobby. I am named after him because he passed away a few months before I was born. My family tells me countless stories of how great of a person he was and how much I remind my family of him. 

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it? 

• Jazzy Jeff’s (Huge Fresh Prince of Bel-Air fan) 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

•  JuJu Smith-Schuster

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected. I try not to care what other people think of me other than those who impact my life. If you choose not to like me, I hope I am respected for my work ethic and the things I want to accomplish.  

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?

• Maurice Clarett. He had tremendous skills and abilities. 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I hate to lose. Winning is one of the best feelings you can have, but losing really hurts. Knowing all the hard work that was put went to a losing effort is hard. 

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?

• All the people who told me I couldn’t. My whole life I have been told I can not do something because of my size or lack of ability. When I hear someone doubt me, it drives me to work that much harder. I want to prove to every last one of the people who doubted me that you can do anything you set your mind to. I want other people to hear my story and be motivated to prove everyone that said they couldn’t, wrong. People who say you won’t, you cant, you shouldn’t, are the same people who didn’t, who wouldn’t, who couldn’t.