NFL DraftProspect Interviews

NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Kahani Smith, DB, UTEP

Kahani Smith of UTEP is one of my sleeper prospects in the 2019 NFL Draft. He recently took the time out of his busy schedule to sit down with us at Draft Diamonds.

  •       Name: Kahani Smith
        •       Height: 6’2
        •       Weight: 195
        •       Position: Defensive Back
        •       College: UTEP
        •       Twitter: @KingKms_

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?
        •        I’m from Los Angeles, California and I love everything about it. Growing up in south central taught me a lot and helped me handle adversity. Living there helped me realize how important this game really is and I’ve witnessed how much it changed my life.

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?
        •        First I would say practice because at the end of the day the best way to get better at football is to play football. The second would be strength and conditioning because you have to be in shape and durable to play this sport. Last, I would say film, but they all are very important in order to have a successful season.

What do you worry about, and why?
      •        Sometimes I worry about my future because I have family who I rely on and look up to me and I’m also overlooked.

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?
        •        My goal out of high school was to go Division I but I ended up going Division II my freshman year, then transferred to a Juco my sophomore year, worked hard and earned my Division I scholarship at UTEP.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?
        •        Ballhawk and always around the ball.

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

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football?
        •        Not really sure but somewhere within business.

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

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?
        •        I would have to go with one family member because losing them would hurt more than losing three strangers.

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?
        •        John Wick because he minds his business but gets the job done when it’s time. 

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?
      •        Being Unanimous decision all conference and all state in Junior college but only having, one Division I scholarship and I just worked hard and thanked God for that one offer then did what I could at UTEP.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
        •        Getting crossed in a basketball game. I can’t go into detail.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?
        •        Every time I score on defense, pick 6, fumble recovery, those plays all create a feeling like no other. The most recent would be a fumble recovery for about 40 yards at Utep in 2017.

What song best describes your work ethic?
        •        Destined – Yfn Lucci 

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level?
        •        Awareness because everybody in the NFL is blessed with athletic ability but not everyone can analyze the field and formations as fast so it can put you a few steps ahead of the game.

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?
        •        Bryce Turner a Defensive Back that was at Cal that I’ve known since pop warner, and I would bring him back because he was a great guy and had a bright future and I really wanted to see what God had out there for him. 

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it?
        •        DO IT BIG

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?
        •        Jordan Poyer

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?
        •        Respected because having respect is having power. Just because everyone likes you doesn’t mean they’ll listen every time you talk. 

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?
        •        Josh Gordan because he grew up smoking and some people really do have a hard time quitting things that they’ve done their whole lives.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?
        •        I would say I love to win.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
        •       Biggest influence in my life would be some of my coaches growing up (Coach Bruce, Coach Franklin, Coach El ) because they laid the foundation down at an early age, looked out for me whenever I was in need, and showed me what bein

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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