NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Max Gray, WR, Rocky Mountain College

• Name: Max Gray
• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 190
• Position: Receiver / Punt Returner
• College: Rocky Mountain College
• Twitter: @alldaymaxgray

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

• I am from Arlington, Washington. Arlington is about 45 minutes North of Seattle, so it is near the city life but has its own small-town, country feel to it. I love the trees, the mountains, and the ocean.

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

•  (1) Strength and Conditioning. This is where you separate from the pack. It’s the early morning and late nights in the offseason that prepares you physically and mentally for the season. Once the offseason ends, it’s too late to get an edge on the opponent. You’re either ready or you’re not. (2) Practice. Practice is very important. I believe this is where every team builds confidence in themselves and with each other. If you never practice you can never get better, but if you aren’t in shape you won’t be able to have a great practice. Great practices lead to great team wins. (3) Film Study. I am big into film study. Before every game, I watch hours of film and take pages of notes. I think this is important for calming my nerves and helping my confidence. The reason I ranked this last is that although it helps me understand my opponent, at the end of the day I can still get on the field and just play football regardless of watching film or not. To be great you still need all three.

What do you worry about, and why?

•  I try not to worry too much. My friends will say that I stress about everything, but that’s because I want to be great. Whatever it is that I’m doing, I want to be the best and to win. I sometimes worry about not doing things at the ability I know I can. If I worry too much when I’m living in fear of the past or the future, and I don’t want that.

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

•   To me, failure is not meeting expectations, especially when people are depending on you. If I make a mistake in a game I feel like I am not playing at the level I need for my teammates. There have been times where I’ve run a poor route, missed a block, or dropped a pass, but I will always keep fighting to find a way to win. I overcome these failures by not focusing on them. Instead, I keep a level head and play at the moment.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  Being reliable.

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

• The Wood brothers (Ryan and Brian) were DBs on my team at Chadron. They were ball hawks and they loved to hit. Competing against them every single day made me a better receiver and a tougher person.

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

•  Find a way to have fun and make money. I don’t want to do the same thing every single day behind a desk for the rest of my life. If I had to pick a career outside of playing football it would be coaching college football. I think being a teacher or personal trainer would be a good gig too.

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

•  Room.

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

•  Depends on the situation regarding health, age, etc., but I would take care of my family first. I think everyone would want to save their mother or grandmother over anything in the world.

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

•  Michael Scott. He is the world’s best boss, all of his employees are his best friends, he isn’t necessarily worried too much about money, he helps underprivileged children go to college (Scott’s Tots), and he’s always trying to have a good time.

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

•  Transferring colleges was a big obstacle for me. I wasn’t released from my old college, so I was very limited to the schools I could transfer to. I worked harder than ever to be the best I could for the Rocky Mountain College football team that gave me a chance. I overcame it by just appreciating what I learned from transferring and where I went because of it.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•  I don’t get too embarrassed anymore because we all mess up and nobody has life figured out, but I definitely was a little embarrassed when I was hypnotized in front of my freshman class.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•  My brain flushes out almost everything after every game so that way I can focus on the next. The most memorable plays I do remember are when my family was watching me play. A few days after my grandmother passed away, I scored a touchdown and the energy from her, my family at the game, and my teammates were incredible. It was an emotional moment that I’ll never forget.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  I love Lil Wayne’s music so I’ll go with “Ima Go Getta.” I think it’s important to work hard and to get what you want in life. The best way to do that is to put your head down and grind when things are dark, your alone, and people don’t believe in you. Never quit.

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

•  I never get too excited and I never get too upset. I try to always keep a level head. I believe that when people panic, that’s when they make mistakes. I don’t panic. I try to always be in the moment.

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

•  My grandmother. A lunch date would be nice.

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

•  Planet Rocky.

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL? 

• They’re all in the NFL for a reason. However, I did read that Sam Bradford has made $134 million in his career, but he has never made the playoffs or a Pro Bowl.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  Respected. I believe there are some people that don’t like me, but they respect what I’m doing.

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

•  Terrell Owens—though mostly on the field issues. T.O. could have played at least a few more years in the NFL, but they didn’t give him much of a chance to play again. After having the incredible career he had and making the game fun to watch, I feel he is extremely disrespected. The Hall of Fame voters proves my point.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose? 

•  I will accept whatever happens, but I hate to lose. Winning is always fun, but I expect to win.

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

• My father. He does whatever necessary to make sure his family is happy. He grew up in a difficult situation and worked his way out of it. He still never stops working hard through pain because he wants his family to have a better life. He wants and expects me to be great.