NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Jay-Tee Tiuli, DT, Eastern Washington University

   •    Name: Jay-Tee Tiuli
    •    Height: 6’4
    •    Weight: 328
    •    Position: DT/NT
    •    College: Eastern Washington University
    •    Twitter: _jnt99

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

•    My hometown is Seattle. I loved that majority of my family is from there and its where I was brought up.

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

•    1) Film: once you’ve understood the game and can study an opponent, it separates your game from everyone else’s. It’ll slow the game down for you to play faster

• 2) Strength and conditioning because you want to build a motor and make sure you’re a physical specimen when on the field. You want to make sure you can play longer and out physical your opponent for 4 quarters.

• 3) Practice is 3rd because if you can do the first 2 things, practice should take care of itself. Practice is where you master your craft. 

What do you worry about, and why?

•    I worry about letting my family down because they’ve done so much for me to be in the position I am in today.

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

•    Early in my college career (Freshman) I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep playing football. I felt as if things weren’t going my way, in terms of grades and financial reasons. I thought about calling it quits but I remembered that I had to do school and football for my family. I later realize that I had to do it for myself too.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•    Resiliency 

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

•    Cooper Kupp

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

•    Something that has to do with sports and helping with troubled youth.

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

•    My room. The room is the reflection of your mind.

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. 

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

•    If I could be in any movie It would have to be a Marvel movie. They need a Polynesian character.

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

•    My biggest adversity in life was to watch my parents struggle to make sure my siblings and I were living comfortably. As I was getting older I could see the stress that my parents were going through with living check to check. My siblings and I never felt like we were struggling because our parents never let us feel that way, but as I got older I started to see it affecting them more. I wanted to step up and get a job, do school and football all at the same time but my parents never let me. They wanted me to further my education and pursue my football career. I had to trust them and appreciate there hard work that they instilled in me to repay them one day.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•    Can’t really think of one.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•    The fumble recovery for a touch down against southern Utah.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•    Need sum mo – Derez De’shon ft. Lil baby

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

•    Football IQ and self-discipline. 

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

•    I would bring back my grandfather. I know my family would love that.

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

•    VIP, I don’t know

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

•  James White

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•    Respected! Not everyone is going to like me but I’m not going to let no one disrespect me. 

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

•    Johnny Manziel never got to see his fullest potential because of something he could control. 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

•    Tie

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

•    My parents because they’ve done everything for me and my siblings. I admired how hard they worked and hustled to make sure we were good. I admired how strong we were as a family that we didn’t even notice we were struggling and that starts with my parents.