NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Anthony Lawrence, QB, University of San Diego

• Name: Anthony Lawrence

• Height: 6010

• Weight: 205

• Position: QB

• College: University of San Diego

• Twitter: @Finch1414

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

• I am from La Mesa, CA. It is a suburb east of San Diego. I love where I grew up it was a dense but pretty quiet neighborhood. Was able to play in the streets and walk to all of the schools I attended. Had a lot of friends who lived within walking distance.

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

• Film study, strength and conditioning, then practice. With no film study you will have no chance in the game. I think you need to understand the team and who you are playing to be able to have a successful practice. That is the same for strength and conditioning. Practice is beneficial when you have a good game plan and you are well trained and able to give everything for practice. Bad practices lead to bad play in the game, so you need to be prepared for each practice with film study and strength and conditioning.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I worry about throwing away my shot. Either not taking advantage of every opportunity I get or not realizing I have an opportunity and not take advantage of it.

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

• Being an athlete you fail a lot. In high school baseball I struck out to lose a league game, and it really hurt me and I felt like I let the team down. We were able to bounce back and win league and playing sports you need to be able to shake off little things all the time.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My teammates would say my best quality is either work ethic or competitive drive. I compete in everything I do and that drives other people to compete as well.

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

• The best player I ever played against was either Donald Payne from Stetson or Nick Deluca from NDSU. Aside from going against Jamal Agnew everyday in practice.

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

• I would love to be involved in sports in some way. I majored in accounting but am not very interested in it. I would want to work on the business side of a sports organization in some way.

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

•  I would clean my room first.

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

•  I would imagine I would save a family member, hard to say not being in that position, but the love for my family would be too strong to let any of them go.

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

• If I could be any character I would have to be Benny the Jet Rodriguez, from Sandlot. He is a genuine nice guy and has great athletic ability. He helps the underdog and looks out for his friends.

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

• My biggest adversity in my life is trying to overcome the stigmas put on me being a “short, nonathletic, not strong arm” quarterback. Trying to change people’s perspective at each level has been a big battle my whole life, and the best way I have overcame it so far is by continuing to produce and continue to win.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• I have not really been embarrassed lately due to my confidence, but in high school I ripped the shorts I was wearing in my science class and that was definitely embarrassing. 

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• The most memorable play of my career was a third down deep ball conversion against Cal Poly in our first playoff game that clinched the win for the team.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• The song to best describe my work ethic is high hopes by panic at the disco.

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

• I believe the most important trait at the next level is the ability to understand and play the game with clarity and ease. A lot of quarterbacks look good on paper but when they get out there the lights are too big and they don’t have a feel for the game. A quarterback who doesn’t look good on paper but has a feel for the game has a better chance to succeed. 

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

• If I could bring back one person it would be MLKJ. Being able to talk to him about his bravery and courage would be moving.

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

• If I could open a dance club it would be named sleek. Have to keep it simple and also have some intriguing qualities about the name.

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• I would say Phillip Rivers is the most underrated player in the NFL.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• I would rather be respected. Being respected typically comes with being liked. And people would not walk over you. People would also follow wherever you lead them.

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

•  I feel for Josh Gordon more than most other athletes who are derailed by off the field issues. That guy has to be going through something that no one can understand and he has to really be fighting some demons. It sucks to see a generational talent like that be hurt by himself.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I hate to lose more than loving to win. That is why I compete so hard.

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

• My dad has been the biggest influence on my life for sure. He came from nothing and overcame so much and fights every day to be the best person he can be.