NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Richard Olekanma, LB, University of Toledo

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: Richard Olekanma

• Height: 6020

• Weight: 243

• Position: LB

• College: University of Toledo

• Twitter: @Richardisfresh6

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

• Born in Lagos, Nigeria and I moved to Downers Grove, IL when I was 5. My hometown is a big suburb north of Chicago and what I love most is the people. Most neighbors knew each other and it was like a big family.

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

•  Film study: Need to be able to know your strengths and weaknesses as well as your opponents.

• Practice: Need to translate film study and practice and perfect techniques to go out and play fast on game day
• Strength and conditioning: Maximizing strength speed Is very important as well as being able to play the entire game at full speed.

•  Born in Lagos, Nigeria and I moved to Downers Grove, IL when I was 5. My hometown is a big suburb north of Chicago and what I love most is the people. Most neighbors knew each other and it was like a big family.

What do you worry about, and why?

•  Not being successful, I want to make sure I maximize my full potential and not waste anything I have.

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

•  I failed to start in my first two years in college and almost transferred. But I stuck with it put my head down and kept working and I’m glad I did

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  Dependable 

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

• Corey Davis of the Tennessee Titans

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

• Being a businessman 

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

•  Room, one of my high school coaches said if you can’t keep that clean there’s no way you can keep your life in order.

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

• My family, they mean more than anything to me

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

• Chris Tucker in Rush Hour and he’s a funny dude and does some wild stuff.

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

•  Leg injury that sidelined me awhile, I really had to trust the process and keep my head down and just work in the dark to get myself right.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• Dropping a wide open pass in my high school playoff game

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• Critical 4th down against Tulsa ran through and made a TFL.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• Kings Dead

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

• Persistence 

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

• My great grandfather, he was the first chief of Nigeria and I would have loved to meet him he was a very respected man.

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

• Club Dub

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL? 

•  No one

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  Respected, because it’s earned by doing things the right way and showing what kind of person you are. Being liked comes and goes and can change for giving someone the wrong look, respect lasts forever.

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

•  Kareem Hunt he was a teammate of mine and it’s tough to see him out of the league.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Hate to lose

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

• My parents. They had a hard path getting here and driving me around for different sports stuff while providing for me and my sister and raising us.