NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Khalil Pope, P, Faulkner University

Name: Khalil Pope aka “Reverend” 

• Height: 5’10

• Weight:178

• Position: Punter / Holder

• College: Faulkner University

• Twitter: @khalilrpope

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

I’m from the beautiful city of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. My favorite thing about the city of Hattiesburg is definitely the community, hospitality, love, and pride.

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

1. Film study is the most vital part of the game because you learn to improve your strengths and critique your weaknesses. It’s all for the purpose of learning and getting better.

2. Strength and conditioning is extremely key because your physical strength and endurance are the things that prepare you for the entire season.

3. Practice is a collaboration of film study along with strength and conditioning. If a team or a player has studied film very well and is in great physical shape, nothing but success will come from that situation.

What do you worry about, and why?

•  My future is the part of life that I worry about most because I want to be the best possible while achieving my goals and my aspirations. I worry about my future because want the best and I don’t know what roadblocks will be there to try and stop me. I’m not afraid of obstacles but I’m more afraid of the unknown.

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

Being in college, I have surely failed a few tests. The way that I have personally overcome failing tests is dusting it off, studying harder, surrounding myself with smarter people than myself, and trying again.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  Keeping a positive attitude!

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

•  Joronnie Hinton (University Of The Cumberlands)

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

•  Minister, Sports Broadcaster, Teacher, or Coach

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

•  I’d clean my room first. The room is where everything starts.

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

• It depends on the age at this point.

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

•  The Black Panther because he is a family man, a community guy, and a responsible guy with great powers.

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

•  My biggest adversity in life has been learning to trust again after being stabbed in the back by a so called friend. 

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•  My most embarrassing moment was when I fell down the risers at middle school show choir practice.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• The most memorable moment that I’ve had was placing a punt on the one-yard line in front of our home crowd. It was beautiful!

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  Go Hard – Lecrae

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

•  Perseverance

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

•  My great grandfather. I never got a chance to meet him or talk to him.

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

•  The View

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL? 

•  Matt Ryan

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  I’d rather be respected because people respect you when you stand for something. People just like you when you go with whatever they might want. It’s a huge difference between liking people and respecting people.

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

•  Ray Rice because he was great and if he could have done one thing differently, he might be one of the greatest.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

•  I absolutely hate to lose. Losing hurts. Nobody likes to hurt, especially when the preparation to win has been executed the right way.

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

My mother has the biggest influence in my life overall. From public speaking, being hospitable, being disciplined, being kind, and smart, my mom has been the biggest influence. My mother has helped shape me into the man that I am today.