NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Shak Taylor, CB, University of Kansas

• Name: Shak Taylor

• Height: 6’1

• Weight: 185

• Position:Cornerback

• College: University of Kansas

• Twitter: LifeOfShakialll

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

• I’m originally from Lakeland, FL and what I like the mostabout it is everyone is always themselves no matter what. And although it is atough place to make it out of, they always support and show love to those whoactually do make it out.

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

• Strength and Conditioning, because it allows me to be ableto go harder longer than the opponent, Film Study, then Practice. All aredefinitely important though, and go hand in hand.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I try to control the controllable and not let anything getin the way of me playing my best. I don’t worry too much. I try to staylevelheaded.

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

• Coming out of high school, I felt that I came up short ofmy dream of being an FBS player (I qualified late). I just worked harder andused it as motivation to go out and compete hard every chance I got.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My footwork for a tall corner and my work ethic day in andday out. I don’t look at practice as practice, I look at it as a chance tocompete, get better, and work on my technique.

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

• Kyler Murray

What would your career be if you couldn’t playfootball? 

• Football has given me so much, and provided so muchopportunity. I can’t really imagine life without it. But I would probably go intobusiness if I wasn’t playing football.

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

• Room

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

• Tough question, but I would save my family. Family iseverything to me.

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

•  I would be Flash, because he so fast that he reallycan do whatever he wants without running out of time.

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

• Leaving my mother’s house at the age of 16. I had to growup faster than most at that age & really had to learn how to do EVERYTHINGon my own. Without that situation I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am today.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•  Slipping and falling in the snow my freshman year atSouth Dakota State.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• Either Intercepting Oklahoma or my first pick 6.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  Gunna – Underdog

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

• I’m a long corner but I still have some change ofdirection ability like the small guys, so I transition well. As far asnon-physical traits, I’m a student of the game, a sponge. Always working tosharpen my mental game.

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

•  Hard to choose just one. Wish I could bring a lot ofpeople back.

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

•  VIBES

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL? 

• I can’t answer that. They have all made it to where I wantto be. I may comment on that once I have made a career for myself in the league.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected for sure. I believe that respect is somethingthat you work hard to earn. I’m a worker, and when it’s all over I want to berespected by my peers as one of the most competitive and hardest working peoplethey’ve ever met.

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

•  Josh Gordon, because I feel like his “problem” ismisunderstood and critics/fans are only making his mental become worse.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Hate to lose for sure. Winning is the expectation

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explainwhy?

•My uncle Robert Nelson Jr. He showed me what it’s reallylike to work hard on your craft day in and day out. He showed me that I canmake it from Lakeland, Florida where you have to overcome so much.