NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Tui Talia, DL, University of Oregon

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?

Tui Talia

What is your Height/Weight?

6’5/290

What is your position?

DE/DT

Where do you play college football?

University of Oregon

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

Working with students with disabilities helping them do art.

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

Psychology of Thinking

Where are you from?

I’m from Concord California

Who is your role model, and why?

My Dad. Just watching him work hard every day even through holidays and when he is sick motivates me

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Not in any club sports or school sports but i would play basketball, volleyball, baseball and rugby on a regular basis

Did you play any other positions in football?

I played Fullback, middle linebacker, and OT

At your position, what separates you from others?

Long arms, long legs, slim tone weighing at 290.

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

If I watch film on myself I look for mistakes I made in practice or in games and next training day I would work on those mistakes.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

Tyrell Crosby.

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

Getting money for school at my Junior College. After my first year of JUCO, my FAFSA application didn’t go through so I had a bill of 2,000 dollars. This almost broke my heart because football was all o had at the moment and my family did not have the money to pay for those classes. I quit school for a term and worked to pay it off.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

Stretching

What is your biggest strength?

Motor.

What is your biggest weakness?

Maintaining weight throughout the season

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

Hi, I know I have the potential to make it in this league. I work extremely hard and give 100% effort on everything I’ve done. I can 2 gap, pass rush, play blocks etc… Please just give me a chance to show you

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

Raiders. My whole family were raider fans and we lived in the east bay area

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

My Mom and her parents or my dad and his parents

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

I don’t know haha