NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Anthony Gaffney, DB, Princeton University

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 Dennis Kaho’owehelani Gaffney

What is your Height/Weight?

6’1 208

What is your position?

Defensive Back

Where do you play college football?

Princeton University

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

We did numerous community service activities as a team. We had a chance to go help clean up and rebuild the shore in the aftermath of a pretty severe storm. It was a good chance to come together with the community and do some good.

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

The hardest class I ever took was an Astro 205: Planets in the Universe. Ended up being a lot more math based than I expected and I had to work fairly hard to get a passing grade.

Where are you from?

Columbus, New Jersey

Who is your role model, and why?

My father is my role model. He’s worked tremendously hard throughout his life to help put myself and my siblings in great positions to succeed and give us opportunities he didn’t have growing up.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

I played basketball and ran track (Long Jump, Triple Jump, 110 hurdles)

Did you play any other positions in football?

I’ve played every position in a game aside from punter/kicker in my years of playing football. Throughout High School and College I was Running Back, Wide out, Defensive Back and returner.

At your position, what separates you from others?

At my position, my size and versatility separates me. Corners with a big frame are a premium, and I also have the ability to move back to play safety as well.

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

Tendencies with certain players. Receivers often take certain splits when they’re going to run certain routes, or teams will run certain plays in different field position scenarios.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

The first game of my collegiate career I was matched up with Ryan Spadola, All American Receiver from Lehigh University. He was a big, explosive receiver with a lot of experience and I had to match up with him as a freshman.

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

Byron Maxwell. He has good size, is a solid tackler, and has great ball skills.

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

The biggest obstacle was doing an additional year of high school in order to get into Princeton. I did a post graduate year at the Taft School, and how to raise my GPA and test scores in order to be admitted to the university.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I listen to the entirety of Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor and The Cool albums before every game.

What is your biggest strength?

My biggest strength is my size and versatility.

What is your biggest weakness?

My biggest weakness is that I’m still learning the position. I was a receiver all throughout high school and was converted to DB when I got to school, so even after four years I’m still learning new techniques and fine tuning my game.

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

I’m relentless.

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

My favorite team was and still is the Eagles, and my favorite players to watch were Ed Reed and Charles Woodson.

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

Kobe Bryant, Lupe Fiasco, and MLK

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

First item is definitely going to be a car. Something simple, but I don’t have my own car so I’d need some wheels to get around.

Rapid Answers:

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