NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Tyler Scozzaro, OC, Jacksonville State University

• Name: Tyler Scozzaro

• Height: 6’3

• Weight: 305

• Position: Center

• College: Jacksonville State University

• Twitter: @Scizzie77

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

•  I was born and raised in a small town named McCalla, Alabama. McCalla, is a great area with great people and is a place I am proud to call home. The thing I love most about McCalla is the positive energy and the family like atmosphere.

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

•  Strength and Conditioning, Practice, Film Study.

What do you worry about, and why?

•  Not achieving my goals and being successful.

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

•  I remember coming out of high school having no offers and people giving me no chances of playing at the next level. I walked on at Jacksonville State University in the summer of 2013 and remember telling my mother to give me 1-2 years and I would be on scholarship. I accomplished that goal and ended up having a great career at Jacksonville State. I earned 2017 Walter Camp First Team All-American and 2017and 2018 First Team All-Conference.   

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  My teammates would say my best qualities would be perseverance, toughness, and leadership. No matter the circumstance or injuries I was going to lay it all on the line for my team’s success.

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

•  Derek Mahaffey

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

•  I have an undergrad degree in Business Management and a Masters in Sports Management. I would either try to work my way up to be a manager of a company or be involved in something related to sports in helping and inspiring student athletes.

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

•  Room

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

•  I would choose a family member. My family has helped me and been there for me countless times in situations that I couldn’t go through alone. There wouldn’t be anything in this world that I wouldn’t do for my family.

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

•  Overcoming my season-ending knee injury in 2015. I injured my knee in Fall Camp of 2015 and it just so happened was the year we went to the FCS National Championship. I used that feeling of not being out there with my brothers in 2015 as motivation. That pain helped me persevere through it and come back and have a successful career.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•   When I had a snap infraction penalty.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•  Definitely the 4^th and 20 Touchdown vs Kennesaw State in the 2^nd Overtime.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  Gods Plan – Drake

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

•  Mental Toughness

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

•  Mike Murphy a Navy Seal hero. Murphy was the first member of the U.S. Navy to receive the Medal of Honor award since the Vietnam War for sacrificing his life for his brothers.  I would love to just sit down and talk to him.

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

•  The Warpig

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL? 

•  There isn’t a player in the NFL that is overrated they are there for a reason.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  Respected. It doesn’t matter if they like me or not.

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

• I feel if you are blessed enough to play in the NFL that these things should not even be in question of someone having off-field issues. I would probably say Johnny Manziel. If Johnny would have just kept his head on straight and not let the spotlight get to him he could have had a shot to be a great NFL player.

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 Mother, she has been there for me in ways I can’t even explain. I can’t tell you how much that lady means tome and I would do anything in this world for her.