NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Chris Osei-Kusi, WR, Queen’s University

        •       Name: Chris Osei-Kusi
        •       Height: 6’1
        •       Weight: 197
        •       Position: WR
        •       College: Queen’s University
        •       Twitter: OseiKusi9
        •       Instagram: @OseiKusi

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?
       •        My hometown is approximately 30 minutes outside of Toronto, in Brampton, Ontario. What I love most about my hometown, as trivial as it may sound, is the level of competition. Brampton boasts many top athletes in a variety of sports. A quick google search of professional athletes in Brampton will back this up. There is no doubt in mymind that competing with the best allows you to become the best and that is what growing up in Brampton has allowed me to do.

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength andConditioning and Practice?
       •        Although each of these activities provides an element that is crucial to succeeding in football, I would say that practice is the most important of the three. Without mastering my craft and becoming the best player I can be there are limitations as to what I can do asa football player. If I know my opponent plays man coverage on second and six+every time but don’t have the ability to beat him, I am unable to do my job.

Given that, I would rank film study as the second most important aspect out of the three. Every advantage you can get in footballis significant and this is what film study gives you. Attacking the weaknesses of the defense is integral to winning a football game.

Lastly, I would rank Strength and Conditioning as the least important out of the three. But, strength and conditioning cannot be avoided. Just like practice and film study, strength and conditioning cannot be ignored if you plan to be a successful football player.

What do you worry about, and why?
       •        I worry about not being given an opportunity. You cannot succeed if you are not given the opportunity and support to become the person and/or player you believe you can become. Regardless of the sacrifice and dedication you put into your craft, without an opportunity to be successful, your dedication can be rendered useless.

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and howdid you overcome failure?
       •        When I first started playing football with the Brampton Bulldogs, I was sent to play DB because I didn’tcatch the ball consistently enough. Though I had no interest in playing DB, I told myself I would become the best DB on the team. While doing this, I caught hundreds of footballs daily, hoping for another chance at receiver. Fortunately for me, one of the starters on the offence couldn’t come to our regular season opener and I got my chance. I scored a touchdown and averaged 30 yards a catch.I never backpedaled again.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?
       •        I believe my teammates would say mybest quality is my competitiveness. Whether it is on the field, in the weight room or in the classroom, I will compete. I absolutely love competing because it brings the best out of everyone. If I fail at something, it will never befor a lack of effort and I’m sure my teammates would attest to that.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
       •        Although I’ve had the honor to play against a multitude of great DB’s, I would say the DB who impressed me themost is Justin Howell. In a couple of games against Carleton, he showed a lot of good qualities and gave me a tough matchup. It came as no surprise to me that he stuck with the Ottawa RedBlacks after being overlooked.

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football?
       •        If I couldn’t play football, I would pursue a career in law, consulting or civil service. I plan to pursue acareer in one of these fields once my football career is over. There are many transferable skills that I’ve learned from football that will benefit me in these industries.

 
Room, desk, and car – which do you clean first?
       •        The first thing I would clean is my room. A healthy working environment fosters productivity. If I clean my desk by throwing things around my room, I am still distracted by the clutter around me. Considering, I don’t have a car, this wasn’t really a consideration. But, I do have a bike that I care for dearly.

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one familymember, which would you choose and why?
       •        Although difficult to admit, I would save one family member. There are many opportunities and experiences thatmy family has awarded me throughout my life that have left me forever in their debt. If I have an opportunity to save their lives, I would do it in a heartbeat.

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?
       •        If I could be any entertainment character, I would be Michael Scofield from Prison Break. Without thinking twice, Schofield risked his entire life to break his brother out of jail. Every single step was meticulously planned, who wouldn’t want to be that intelligent?

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with orovercome it?
        •       Although it is difficult to pinpoint one adversity specifically, all of them related to putting in maximum effort and not receiving the results I believed I deserved. It is very difficult to not feel entitled to certain results because you feel you put the requisite work in, but this is not the case. Regardless ofthe sacrifice you’ve made, success is never guaranteed. I’ve overcome this by learning from every lost game, every dropped pass and every lost rep.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
       •        My most embarrassing moment had to be in 2016 when I fumbled a punt return against Ottawa right before halftime. I could discuss that play with extreme detail given how many times I’ve watched it. Nonetheless, this was a critical juncture in the game and that turnover gave them some momentum heading into the second half. I blame myself for that loss.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?
       •        If I had to choose one play in my career that really set the stage for me it would be scoring a game-winning punt return touchdown against York in my rookie year. Although this was early in my career, I feel it is significant because my coaches and teammates instilled the utmost confidence in my abilities. After this play, I knew I belonged.

What song best describes your work ethic?
       •        The song that best describes mywork ethic is Grinding All My Life by Nipsey Hussle. Throughout the song, Nipsey discusses the hard work andsacrifice he had to display to get to where he is now. Although his opportunity was limited by factors outside of his control, he uses his hard work and dedication to prevail; regardless of the circumstances.

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) tohelp you succeed at the next level?
       •        Ambition. I have never been comfortable being average and I believe this bodes well for my prospects moving forward. Without ambition, you are welcoming complacency and that is the first step to failure. If your ambition fades, so will the passion.

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it beand why?
       •        I would bring back Malcolm X. To sit down with Malcolm X to hear about his experiences would be amazing. He is the epitome of courage, leadership, and perseverance. I’m sure I’d learn a whole lot.

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it?
       •        The Playbook; encouraging people to Spend all their time in it

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?
       •        Doug Baldwin is the most underrated player in the NFL. Baldwin brings all the characteristics of a number one receiver but is never treated as such. Every season you hear that the Seahawks need a number one receiver and every season you get consistent production from The undrafted receiver, Doug Baldwin.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why? *
       •        This is a tough question because it’s difficult to command respect if you are not well liked and vice versa. IfI was forced to choose one, I would choose to be respected. If you are respected there is something that you’ve stood for that people can appreciate.This says volumes about your character.

What player who had his career derailed byoff-field issues do you feel for the most and why?
       •        I feel the most for Colin Kaepernick. Knowing you have the skillset and mental fortitude to play in the NFL but are being denied access to an opportunity because of your social beliefs is a difficult feat to accept. It is disappointing that we expect athletes to be role models but exile them when their story is not supported bymainstream media.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?
       •        I definitely hate to lose more than I love to win. When I win, the feeling last for days, sometimes weeks. When I-lose, that loss could resonate for months or even years before I can fully recover.

 
Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
       •       The biggest influence on my life has been a combination of my family and friends. The everlasting support has been extremely important for me. While playing football, you go through plenty of adverse situations and sometimes it is beneficial to talk to people outside the realm of football. You get a different perspective that allows you to step back and be truly grateful to consistently do what you love.