NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Derek Nixon, LS, Grandview University

• Name: Derek Nixon
• Height: 6’2
• Weight: 240
• Position: LS
• College: Grandview University 
• Twitter: @nixonderek

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?
• I live in a small town in northwest Iowa! Population of around 4,000 people! I love most about this town is the small town community always coming together 

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?
• Practice strength and conditioning and then film! Why? Cause practice is where you get better and the weight room is about endurance and last is film cause if you can do the first two consistently film should come natural to watch and get better! 
What do you worry about, and why?
•  My family. Cause I love them and I don’t want to disappoint them!
Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?
•  I failed at becoming the starting LS my sophomore year of high school and I overcame that by putting in a lot of extra work with my dad off the field!
What do your teammates say is your best quality?
•  Probably my personality! I’m never in a bad mood always looking to have fun the with my team mates 
Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
•  Its gotta be Gary Johnson I played against him when I was at Ellsworth and he was at dodge city and he was the toughest blocker to get off
What would your career be if you couldn’t play football? 
•  I’ve always wanted to be a police officer so that’s what I’d choose as a career 
Room, desk, and car – which do you clean first?
•  My room will always be cleaned first!
If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?
•  Family member! I’m a big family man and they mean the world to me  
If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?
•  Kelly Severide cause I think being a fire fighter in Chicago would be sweet
Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?
•  My grandpa passing during finals week my freshman year of college! I over fame by doing what I know he would want me to do!
What is your most embarrassing moment?
•  My first ever varsity play my freshman year of high school! I tripped over my own feet on kick off return 
What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?
•  sophomore year at Ellsworth going against Iowa western and I had a muffed punt recover that put our offense in good field position and we ended up scoring that drive 
What song best describes your work ethic?
• DIRT by Florida Georgia line 
What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level? 
•  physical because physicality is huge in the game of football
If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?
•  My grandpa clark. Just wanna talk to him one more time!
If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it? 
•  easy E’s east side 
Who is the most overrated player in the NFL? 
•  Kirk cousins 
Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?
•  respected cause if you’re respected you’re most likely gonna me likes 
What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?
•  Derrick Thomas it’s a bad deal how it happened and he was a excellent football as well as person! His documentary on espn is my favorite 
Do you love to win, or hate to lose?
•  I hate to lose I’m super competitive 
Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
• My dad because what hasn’t that guy done for me! He introduced me to this wonderful game! 

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com