NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Jacob Duffrene, RB, Nichols College

• Name: Jacob Duffrene
• Height: 5’10
• Weight: 210
• Position: Running Back
• College: Nichols College
• Twitter: @Duffrenej

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

• I am from a city called Waltham in Massachusetts, it is just a few miles away from the City of Boston. What I love most about my hometown is that it helped shape me into the person I am today. I have learned countless lessons from the people there that I will take with me for the rest of my life. Waltham is a pretty decent size and something else I love about it is that everyone appreciates everyone else and always looks out for each other. My hometown has given me many opportunities and I will forever be grateful for that.

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

• First would be film Study: Film Study helps me study the other teams defense and I am able to break them down to see where their weaknesses are and how to exploit their weaknesses so I can help my team succeed against our opponent. Next would be Strength and Conditioning: Strength and Conditioning would fall second because for football being strong and condition will show and separate you from being a good player and a great player. Next would be Practice: Practice helps with bettering myself. Working on the little things will help me gain more knowledge from learning and adapting in certain situations on the field, which is my goal, to be better than I was the day before.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I worry about letting people down because I know my worth and I know my potential, which drives me to accomplish any task or challenge given to me. I have come so far and put in countless hours to football, film, and training that I want to succeed in in everything I do.

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

• An example of a time I failed was Junior year of college. I had two tests in statistics and didn’t study very well, I failed both and had a D+ with 1 week left before mid-terms. I promised myself that week that I would end the class with an A-, and I ended up accomplishing that goal. I was determined to succeed so I worked hard, I went to tutoring sessions and the Academic Center we have on campus and I also took advantage of the professor’s office hours for questions I had about the material. I took advantage of everything that was offered to me because I wanted to better myself and I knew I was able to accomplish anything I dedicated myself too.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My teammates would say my best quality is that my consistency, because I showed up every game and practice ready to learn and become a better player, which when we needed a big play they counted on me.

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

• The best player I have ever played against in college would have to be when I played at my D2 school, Saint Anselm College. We played against Daquan Holmes who was a Defensive Back and played for American International College and has now signed an NFL Contract with the Green Bay Packers.

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

• If I could not play football my career would be different, but I would still pursue my other goals which would be to work in Law Enforcement. I have always wanted to work Federal or somewhere in Homeland Security to protect our country and make a difference even if I have to start small and work my way up.

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

• I always clean my room first. First thing I do when I wake up is make my bed so it would lead to me cleaning up everything else in my room. I spend a lot of time in my room and I think that having a clean and organized room to start and finish your day in is important to leading a clean and organized life.

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

• If there was a disaster, I would save my mother. My mother has been through everything for me and has made many sacrifices to get me where I am today, and I owe my life to her. She has given me everything I need to succeed and without her, I do not know where I would be today.

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

• If I could be any television or movie character it would have to be Derek Luke. I would choose him because of the movie Friday night lights which is one of my favorite movies.

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

• My biggest adversity in life would have to derive from my sophomore year of college. My sophomore year I had to transfer out of D2 football because I failed out academically. I left fall semester and was not sure if I was going to get into any school because of how low my GPA was. Nichols College then gave me a chance to overcome this hump in my life. I am so thankful for this opportunity because since arriving here at Nichols College, this past spring semester I have made Honor Roll/All Academic, and this semester I have been named to the 2018 Google Cloud All-American Academics All-District First Team. This is how I overcame this adversity that impacted my life enormously.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• My most embarrassing moment would have to be when I fell at my prep school’s graduation on stage in front of everyone. I was able to eventually laugh it off but in the moment, it was definitely embarrassing.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• The most memorable play of my collegiate career would have to be my first game of the 2017 season, which was my junior year. It was my second touchdown of the game, but this stood out because I had scored on a 35-yard pass. This play helped my team beat the team that ran up the score on us the previous year. It was a great feeling and will never forget it.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• All the Above by Maino (ft T-Pain)

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

• The most important trait you can have to succeed at the next level physically would be strength. I believe I’m above average when it comes physicality which is very important because it helps progress my personal game and will show when going up against these bigger linebackers. A Non-Physical trait that is important would be being able to watch film and break down what the defense does incorrectly to use to my advantage when it comes to game time.

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

• If I could bring one person back from the dead it would have to be my cousin Kelly. My reasoning behind this is because he passed away at a very young age and did not get to live out a full life. He had a bright future and I would love to see where life could take him.

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

• Despactio

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL?

• to be honest I don’t think any player is an overrated player in the NFL. Reason being is because they were able to make it out of thousands of football players who try and make it to the NFL and don’t. Them making it to the NFL tells you they earned it and that their an outstanding player but just isn’t playing up to their full potential.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• I would rather be respected. I would rather be respected because growing up my parents always taught me to earn peoples respect and to follow what we call the “Golden Rule!”, Treat people the way you want to be treated.

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

• Johnny Manziel. This kid was one of the most exciting players to watch and had a great future ahead of him, but I believe he let the fame get to his head and began partying doing what he wanted and not following rules which eventually dragged him to a place where he needed to stop playing football and reevaluate his life. After leaving the NFL he has not been the same.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I and hate to lose because I expect to win at everything I do. Winning to me tells me I did what was necessary to help my team win the game. I hate to lose because that tells me that there is something I could have done to help my team win and that I need to work harder to improve for next time because there is always room for improvement in any player.

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

• There has been two people who have had a huge influence on my life. Those two people are my Mom and Dad. The reason my Mom and Dad have influenced my life is because they have always been in my corner. Even with my ups and downs they always been on my side and wanted what was best for me because they knew that once I make one mistake, I learn from it and will not repeat the same one. My Mom and Dad have both made so many sacrifices for me and my family that they put our happiness above their own, which helps motivate me and keeps me striving to be successful. They also pushed me to continue with football since I was 7 years old and after that first year they knew I was capable of being one of the best athletes in football and I never looked back since. So, one day I hope I can show them that all those sacrifices and late-night work shifts they did for me were not for nothing.