NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: I’Tavius Mathers, RB, Middle Tennessee State University
NFL Draft Diamonds website 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?
I’Tavius Mathers
What is your Height/Weight?
5’11, 201
What is your position?
Running Back
Where do you play college football?
Middle Tennessee State University
Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field?
The coolest thing I’ve done off the field was Camp Ability, I had the opportunity to interact with kids with disabilities. They touched my life more than I touched theirs, it was a great experience.
What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?
Psychology
Where are you from?
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Who is your role model, and why?
My mom is my role model because she’s been through a lot of tough situations and she never gave up so when things get hard I just think about her.
Did you play any other sports growing up?
Yes, basketball and I ran track my senior year of high school
Did you play any other positions in football?
No
At your position, what separates you from others?
Being able to catch out of the back field, my vision, and change of direction
When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?
I look to see who is the best DE, LB, I want to know if they are physical and do they like to finesse
Who was the toughest player you ever faced?
Zach Cunningham from Vanderbilt
If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be and why?
I don’t compare myself to anyone, I strive to be the best version of I’Tavius Mathers
What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it?
Transferring from Ole Miss when a lot of people doubted and questioned my decision. I had to sit out a year, and could have easily given up or been content with being ok. I took that year to grind harder, become a better person, teammate, and player.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
Talk to my brother
What is your biggest strength?
My vision
What is your biggest weakness?
I don’t have a weakness but there is always room to improve and learn more
If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?
You should draft me because I’m accountable, dependable, and durable. You would not have any off the field problems with me.
Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up?
Ladainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?
Walter Payton, Tony Dorsett, and Ladainian Tomlinson
What will be the first big item you buy once you are in the NFL?
Probably a Truck
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