NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Anthony Carrington, WR, Wagner College

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?

Anthony Carrington Jr.

What is your Height/Weight? 

6’1/210

What is your position?

WR

Where do you play college football?

Wagner College

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

This program proposal called M.O.V.E, designed to create a unique learning environment in which student athletes can advance academically, professionally and athletically. M.O.V.E.  & College athletic departments are teaming up to help the needs of the Student Athlete. Student Athletes have incredibly demanding schedules during the regular academic year. This hinders their commitment to professional development outside of the classroom,   resulting in them graduating without proper interview skills, adequate resumes, graduate school advice, and professional work experience.  Due to the ever increasing participation by student-athletes in summer training, the summer is an ideal time to take advantage of the tremendous amount of resources provided by the M.O.V.E. Additionally, we aim to provide these student-athletes with professional work experience outside of the College community. By partnering with the M.O.V.E, student-athletes would be granted an internship position, and provided with significant professional work experience. Through this program I was able to wok with the world famous boxing trainer Teddy Atlas at his foundation Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation being a mentor and tutor to about 40 kids who lived in low income housing projects. I was also able to go to affected areas on Staten Island and help with the clean up efforts days after Super Storm Sandy devastated the Eastern Cost.

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

During my Senior Year, a requirement for graduation was to complete a CAPSIM program. This is an online course which you are the CEO and Owner of your our business. And competing against everyone else in the country who is enrolled in the course. I was in charge of making the decisions for Marketing, Finance, Production, Workforce, etc. It was most definitely the most challenging class I took, however, finding out I finished in the top 10% percentile made it worth the challenge.

Where are you from?

Toms River, New Jersey

Who is your role model, and why?

Father hands down, He has showed me what it is to be a man, and what it is to never give up and at all time keep your head up, a smile on your face, and beat what ever obstacle is in front of you.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Basketball

Did you play any other positions in football?

I played also played Quarterback and Defensive Back

At your position, what separates you from others?

The two things that separate me from the others is my ability to catch the ball in adverse situations and my ability to get open with excellent route-running.

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

What I look for when breaking down film is the tendency’s of the DB. I focus on; what arm he likes to throw out when pressing, is he physical at the point of contact, does he move his feet well, when he is in off coverage does he drop back hard, what coverage’s do they struggle the most with, and also what coverage tendency’s do they have-down specific.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

The Defensive Back crew from BYU

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

Larry Fitzgerald: He has great hands, runs excellent routes, and he is humble on and off the field.

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

My junior year in high school I was on track to have FBS offers along with major FCS offers. It was my first game of the season and the game was coming to a close. I was playing defense and trying to make a tackle on the ball-carrier. That is the moment where I thought the course of my life was going to change forever! I had a compound-fracture of my fibula and had tore all the major ligaments in my angle resulting in me having emergency surgery performed. This was such a blow because since I was a little boy I wanted to play college sports on a Full Scholarship, and I thought that was not going to be able to happen because the doctors did not know if I would be able to play football again. I was able to overcome this obstacle because of all the teachings my that my dad has delivered to me all of my life. He has always said to put your head down and do whatever you have to do to defeat what is ahead of you. I worked hard and got myself in a position where I could preform at a high level once again, and was able to receive a couple FCS offers by the time of the start of my senior season.

Do you have any pre-game rituals? 

I call my Dad, Mom, and sister before the on field warm-ups. Then I call my youngest brother after the on-field warm-ups, and then I call my little brother before the team leaves to take the field for the game and we both pray together.

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

I have to overcome the stigma that I don’t possess the same skill set as a player from a big school. If I am afforded the opportunity, I will be able to show everyone that my skill set is complimentary if not better than anyone.

What is your biggest strength?

Hands/ Route Running

What is your biggest weakness?

Bench Press

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

Everyone is going to tell you they work hard. Everyone is going to say they’re going to give everything they have in the tank. However, how many of them have actually been battle-tested and can be trusted when everything falls apart. I am someone who has always been working hard for everyone to see what I can do. And those that have given me an opportunity, have always been pleased because I will sell-out for my coach, my team, and my family. If you were to give me an opportunity to play on your team, I WILL do everything to prove to you and others that I was the right decision, and one that you will be able to be proud of at the end of the day.

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

Jerry Rice / JETS.

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

Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Chris Carter.

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

I’m going to buy my Mom a car, she is rolling around in a 2002 Tahoe with 300,000 miles on it. Its time to change that!

Rapid Answers:

• Tupac or Biggie?
• NFL Network or ESPN?
• Coke or Pepsi?
• Pizza or Burgers?
• Dogs or Cats?