NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Jachin Watkins, RB, Johnson C Smith University

• Name: Jachin Watkins

• Height: 6’0

• Weight: 220

• Position: RB

• College: Johnson C Smith University 

• Twitter: hopoff_myjoc

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

• My hometown is New Bern, NC and what I love most about it is my high school, the roots that were laid into me to become the athlete I am today.

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

• Practice, Film Study, Strength and conditioning. Without practice and film study, strength and conditioning is useless. Football is 90% mental. You have to be in the right place at the right time to use your strength and conditioning correctly. 

What do you worry about, and why?

• I have no worries. I have faith in God that he will lead me in the right direction so long as I keep working and staying focused.

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

• I was dropped from two collegiate football programs for marijuana. I was upset and disappointed in myself. I let my family down when they expected more from me. I stayed strong through the dark time got my mind right and bust my tail to get back into school and to play football. I used prayer and just asked God to guide me in the right direction. He showed me the way and I graduated with honors with a degree in Sports Management

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• Hardworking and leadership is the feedback I receive from all teammates 

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

• Trenton Cannon 

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

• Entrepreneurship 

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?

• One family member, my family has done so much for me in dark times that I would be betraying them if I had the opportunity to save them and I didn’t 

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

• Tom Kirkman from the tv show Designated Survivor. He was appointed to be the designated survivor during the State of the Union and the capitol blew up so he was made President. I would love to take on the great challenge and responsibility to protect our country. 

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

• I spoke on it earlier but being dropped from two collegiate programs for marijuana use. The situation humbled me more than anything and took me back to square one and I had to decide how bad I wanted to great. I let down a lot of people and that was the main factor that kept me going along with my faith in God. Prayer kept me alive and gave me hope to keep fighting. I succeed and got through that dark time and it showed me to never give up on your dreams even when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• Letting my family down, and being sent back home until I figured out where I was going to finish school. I didn’t want to show my face in my hometown

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• Receiving touchdown after a two step gather hurdle

What song best describes your work ethic?

• Dream and Nightmares Intro -Meek Mill

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

• My mind, I think above and beyond and thirst for knowledge 

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

• My father. I lost him at a very young age and one conversation with him would be everything I’ve ever wanted.

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

• Off the Rip

Who is the most overrated player in the NFL? 

• I can’t judge any man that’s in the NFL. He obviously did something that made him a professional in the eyes of scouts and coaches

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected. If you I am respected, my abilities and talents are recognized whether I am liked or not.

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

• Josh Gordon, I was somewhat in his shoes so to have that experience first hand helps me understand him. 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Hate to lose, I give it my all

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

• My mother. She has shown me the true value and meaning of perseverance and sacrifice. The things that she has done and fought through shows me that I can make it though anything that’s thrown my way.