NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Gerald Dixie, CB, Virginia University of Lynchburg

NFL Draft Diamonds has interviewed some of the best small schoolers to make it to the NFL.  Last year our team interviewed over 750 players from NAIA to the FBS.  This year we went to NFL teams scouts for every question on this interview.  Ten NFL scouts who are avid readers of Draft Diamonds put this interview together for our reader’s pleasure.  We hope you enjoy this interview, with another potential NFL draft prospect.

• Name: Gerald Dixie
• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 200
• Position: Cornerback/Specialist
• College: Virginia Univ. of Lynchburg
• Twitter: @iAmGerald

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?

• Buffalo/Jamestown (NY) The food, of course! Everybody knows Western New York has the best food. Wings, Sahlen’s, Chiavetta’s…I could keep going. The people are great. The support they give towards others is awesome. Sports of course- but one thing we love to see people doing in WNY is grinding it out no matter what; sunshine, snow, rain, sleet, snow, snow, did I say snow yet? That be in sports or within the community as long as you’re working hard we’re behind you. WNY is great, WNY is love, WNY is Home.

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?

•  1)  Strength and Conditioning 2) Film Study 3) Practice … just as it is above in the question.Personally…
• 1) Strength and Conditioning is number one because that is what helps me last in this business. My armor while at the battle is how I look at it. If I want to win and continue to win, I first must be ready, health and fitness wise. Numero uno! 2) Film Study is number two because it simply allows me to get to know someone’s tendencies, habits, and tricks. I pay close attention to the chemistry between WR(s) and QB(s). Of course, I’m studying the man who will be in front of me more but depending on our scheme set for them that week or position they have me playing that week, I could study the QB more than usual. Film to me is the KEY TO WINNING. If I do my 1/11 at work that day and everyone in the office (the field) does too- there should be no reason as to why we shouldn’t be successful. 3) Practice is what gives the hard work from training and knowledge from studying the time to perfect the scheme set.

What do you worry about, and why?

• Whether my professor will give a 20-page paper not only in one class but two classes I take with him. I honestly try not to worry much, that be family or anything- brings stress and negative energy.

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?

• I failed one class. I wasn’t surprised, my work ethic wasn’t where it needed to be. Overcame that failure by learning my lesson and realizing there’s definitely things I’m not going to want to do but that’s life.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• That’s a good question, haha. They’d definitely say I’m a funny laid back guy who works hard.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?

• A former teammate of mine, WR Darrell Wallace. I’ll have to find some tape on him honestly. This guy has good speed but keeping up with him wasn’t the issue, it was his strength at that position that made me respect WR and kind of really made me change my game at the line with my jam. He likes contact and his hands were just as strong. By far the best WR I’ve faced and probably respect. Other than DeAndre Hopkins but I haven’t faced him, yet.

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football?

• Definitely an athletic director, guidance counselor or pursue something law for sure.

Room, desk, and car – which do you clean first?

• Room, that’s where I sleep of course. Desk, clean workplace= less stress. Then my car. I don’t know how but it always becomes a mess.

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?

• If I even had a decision like that I’d attempt to save both but family first, always. They’ll get the same effort I gave to save my family member.

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?

• Bill Murray in Space Jam. Yeah, that’s cool and all to say you played with The GOAT. But who can say they hooped with Bugs Bunny?! He played in a basketball game with everybody we knew and watched growing up. Wow.

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?

• Biggest adversity in life as well as what I’m most thankful for is being the oldest out of all my siblings (6)  knowing I can’t mess up or quit anything no matter how hard it gets is stressful.  Because for all of them I’m their mentor and someone they look up to. They expect me to do great things and that is what I have been doing so far on my own and must continue to do. So what I do is take that weight of adversity and stress and turn it into fuel. Those six are my crowd. As long as they’re watching, learning and excelling as well, I’ll continue to accept this adversity and turning it fuel for growth.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• A chair pulled out from under me in high school.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• JUCO, caught an interception on our own 40yd line ran it back, spun around two players of theirs at the 5, stumbled and fell at the 1yd line, but it was my first collegiate interception. I didn’t even care I fell, I was too happy.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• Any song talking about focus.

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level?

• The way I approach the next level. Yes, it’s football, but it’s a business first. Yes, it’s fun, but it’s a business. Yes, I want to play as long as possible, but it’s a business. I understand this is a job, nothing is guaranteed, oh and don’t think you can’t be replaced, ha! My size and work ethic will help me in the league. But to succeed while there and stay? Remember, just like life, tomorrow is not guaranteed- to work your butt off.

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?

• 32yr old Muhammad Ali- ask him how it felt up till the fight before he beat Joe Frazier after losing to him the first time. I want to know how he took on the adversity going on in his life up until the second opportunity.

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it?

• Chances (I thought hard about that one)

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected. Means I’m carrying myself and doing my job well.

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?

• Not much into players off-field issues, but what did Tebow do? Man, he was doing pretty good to me.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Hate to lose, because it means we didn’t prepare enough and that’s embarrassing. When a team loses you can clearly see where they were not prepared at.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?

• My grandmother, Maxine Hackett-Morgan. Sacrifice, patience, and love are what she displays through life, and I can’t thank her enough.