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NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Steven Mercado, DT, Western Illinois University

Steven Mercado spent three years at Lafayette before dominatin at WIU

NFL Draft Diamonds has been providing our readers Prospect Interviews over the past 3 years and this year we mixed things up a bit. Our questions are designed to give our readers a little more insight on the draft eligible player. We hope to bring you more than 350 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 to the right.  Now let’s meet our next prospect!!!!

What is your name?

Steven Mercado 

What is your Height/Weight?

6’1 295 

What is your position?

DT

Where do you play college football?

Western Illinois University for a year and Lafayette College for 3 years.  

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

Being a Volunteer for Read Across of America.

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

Architectural Engineering 

Where are you from?

Fort Myers, Florida  

Who is your role model, and why?

My sister, she’s loving, caring and very supportive. She strides for excellence and have accomplish a lot so far in the military.  

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Basketball, Baseball and Wrestling.  

Did you play any other positions in football?

FB, LB, and Center  

At your position, what separates you from others?

Technique and High – Motor. 

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

The opposing offense linemen tendencies as they pass set and run set.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced? 

Penn Offense line as a unit (2013). They were pretty solid.

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

Mike Daniels from GB Packers. Same Size, body frame and game. Quick off the ball, great understanding of schemes and is a player that is active on the field and a flexible player. 

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

The separation of my parents. Focusing on school and sports is what helped me overcome it. 

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

Listen to music, saying a prayer and calling home.  

What is your biggest strength? 

Quick off the ball, technique, high-motor and having nature leverage.

What is your biggest weakness? 

Not having the idea size.

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

I’m mature, ready and focused. Give me and opportunity and watch me work.  

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

Favorite NFL team growing up is the Chicago Bears.

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

Warren Sapp, Steve Jobs, and Will Ferrell

What will be the first big item you buy once you are in the NFL?

A house for my parents. 

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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