NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Paea Moala, LB, Idaho State University

• Name: Ualeni Paea Moala
• Height: 6’1
• Weight: 240
• Position: LB
• College: Idaho State
• Twitter: @pmoalakkf

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

• I’m from Reno Nevada, & love to always come home from college to see how different things have changed & to see my family and friends.

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

• 1. Strength & Conditioning 2. Practice 3. Film Study

What do you worry about, and why?

• I worry about failing & disappointing those who are looking up to me. Fear of failure is one of my biggest things, but hungry for success.

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

• I failed at getting a scholarship out of high school, so I went Juco & took that opportunity as my second chance at going D1 & making the most of it. It is why I made it to Idaho State.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My physicality & ability to lead by example.

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

• Troy Andersen, Montana State QB. He’s a hell of an athlete.

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

• I would probably play rugby or some other somewhat physical sport like lacrosse.

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

• I would clean my room & desk first, I don’t have a car to clean so there’s that.

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

• This would be a hard one, I’d for sure save my family but depending on their ages, I would have to consider to choose who to save.

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

• I would be Thor from Avengers Infinity War because he came back from the brink of death to wrecking everyone &  almost saving the universe from Thanos.

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

• My biggest adversity in life was having no offers straight outta JUCO, the waiting game was killing me. I didn’t know what I was gonna do, I full-ride offers & I didn’t want to have my parents continue to help me out with college. So I kept working out every day & most importantly praying to the man above & waited for his answer & Idaho State was it

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• I was playing little league football & in between plays I lost my tooth & the ref noticed & stopped the game to look for it & pulled me out a play & I was toothless for a while after that happened.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• It would be playing against Western State, the first game of the season. It was a screenplay & the guard is pulling towards & so I basically flat backed him & tackles the running back right after.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• Shine by Meek Mill

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

• My work ethic & adversity. Having that mentality that I am the baddest MF on the field & letting no one boss me around & letting my physicality do the talking.

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

• It would be my grandpa, he was the wisest man I ever have known

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

• The movies, so when ya wife asked you where you were at, you can say I was at The Movies.

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL?

• I don’t really know, I don’t pay enough attention to players like that to know who’s overrated it not. Coaches will put in the best players on the field, they’ll sniff out guys who don’t live up to the hype I believe.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected, because liking someone is temporary, respect goes a long way.

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

• My teammate Mana Laulu from juco, hell of a ball player but was just too poor to continue doing the juco struggle man. Hate seeing talent go to waste.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Hate losing, but it’s more fuel to the fire to win.

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

• My pops, he is the true definition of hard work & adversity & humble. Came to the US barely knowing any lick of English, & managed to raise me & my siblings the best life we could have ever had.