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NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Golden Ukonu Jr., OL, Long Island University

Golden Ukono Jr. has had an interesting path, but the big O-Lineman plays with power
Golden Ukonu Jr. has had an interesting path, but the big O-Lineman plays with power

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? 

Golden Ukonu Jr.

What is your Height/Weight? 

6’4″ 356lbs

What is your position? 

Offensive Guard

Where do you play college football? 

Long Island University

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

Off the field I was a coach for my town’s PAL youth football team, teaching them to build character and sportsmanship. I have also volunteered to help rebuild a house near my school with Habitat for Humanity.

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

Anatomy was the most challenging.

Where are you from? 

North Babylon, New York

Who is your role model, and why? 

My biggest role model is my Father. He taught me so much about life and how to deal with adversity. He taught me to never be caught in a dead end in life and always find a way to success.

Did you play any other sports growing up? 

Growing up I started to play soccer, then basketball, lacrosse, and track and field.

Did you play any other positions in football? 

In college I played both offensive and defensive line. More specifically I played defensive tackle and offensive tackle.

At your position, what separates you from others? 

What separates me from others is the ability to practice my failures. Instead of looking forward to complements I look forward to my coach telling me what I need work on to strengthen my weakness and be the best on the field.

liu postWhen you are breaking down film, what do you look for?

When I break down film I look for the teams favorite blitz they like to use on 1st and 10, 3rd and short, and 3 and long. I also look at a defensive line stunts and how often they use them, and if they tip off the stunts by the way they line up. I also watch for the player in lining up against, like what his favorite move is, what he does with his first two steps, and if he has a high motor and endurance.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced? 

The toughest player I ever faced was myself. I had to overcome being lazy, and make it a routine to better myself than the day before, whether it is working out early in the morning, or study film, or just waking up early so I could be use to it and take advantage of the day.

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

It would have to be Andrew Whitworth, a big sized dominant lineman with great feet that could play guard or tackle and get the job done.

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

The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was the fact that I could have been a big time player at a division 1A school but lost the opportunity due not graduating from my junior college on time. I overcame that by playing with a huge chip on my shoulder proving that I can be the best and still play at a high level.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I mostly listen to music and walk around the field to get some fresh air before the game.

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

To prove that I can play with the best players in the country in any division, and have the same shot to play in the league

What is your biggest strength? 

My biggest strength is being able to have great footwork and flexibility with my size.

What is your biggest weakness? 

My greatest weakness is giving too much respect to my opponents. I’ve played good athletes but giving them too much respect tends to second guess a few moves I could use on them.

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

I would say that I have the love for the game like no other. I went through a lot of hard times in my college career and still was labeled a leader wherever I went. I play with a huge chip on my should because I have to prove to not everyone, but myself that I still have the talent, drive, and the compassion for this game. 

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

Troy Polamalu and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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

It would easily be my Father, Ray Lewis, and Vince Lombardi

With your first NFL paycheck what would you buy?

Recently my family have been going through rough times moving around, so with out a doubt in my mind I would by a place to call home for my parents and put my little brother through college.

Rapid Answers:

  • Spongebob or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
  • Backstreet Boys or One Direction?
  • Lifetime Channel or HGTV?
  • Waffles or Pancakes?
  • Snakes or Spiders?
  • Madden or Mario?

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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