NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: LaVonne Gauthney, OL, Valdosta State University

  •    Name: LaVonne Gauthney
   •    Height: 6001
   •    Weight: 300
   •    Position: Center
   •    College: University of Akron/ Valdosta St University
   •    Twitter: @BiggBoii52

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?
   •     Columbus, Ohio is where I’m from it’s a great city and growing. I say what I love most about it is the opportunities it gives people to keep moving forward in life. 

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?
   •    Strength and conditioning because champions aren’t born in the summer they are in the offseason. Lifting weights and being in shape is the start of it. Your body is a temple and you must build that temple to be strong and ready.

   • Next, I’ll say film study you have to learn andwatch what your coach wants you to do when you go out there on the field.Mental reps and visualize what needs to be done. 

• Final, is practice now it’s time to put it all together. Showwhat your body can do and how much you learned from film to apply it out on thefield.

What do you worry about, and why?
   •     I don’t really worry the reason is everything happens for a reason and you must keep moving forward.

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?
   •     Something I failed at in life is my performance in the classroom through my freshman and sophomore year of high school. I was failing school not doing what I was supposed to do missed out on playing sports my sophomore year. I had to man up and take care of what I had to do instead of pointing the finger at everyone else. I figured it out that it was my own responsibility learn that I am responsible for my own actions. To help overcome that as well is telling the youth of my own mistakes teaching them that they don’t have to go through the same thing as I did.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?
   •     My teammates would say my best quality would be I would help them to the best of my ability and treat them like my own brother other than that they would say I have a big chest always smiling.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
   •    The best player I ever played against is Jatavis Brown

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football? 
   •     My career would be a High School footballcoach and Athletic Director

Room, desk, and car – which do you clean first?
   •     I would clean my room first I actually start off by making my bed every morning.

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?
   •    If there was a disaster I would have to say if I was in the situation I would have to choose right when it happen I can’t say on the top of my head on who I would save I just hope I would never be in that situation. Strangers can soon be family members and family members can soon to be strangers.

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?
   •     I would want to be The Hulk the reason being is because he my favorite superhero doesn’t talk to much just takes cares of business.

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?
   •     My biggest adversity in life is this past August my father suffered from a stroke to the point they said he would lose his life. I kept my faith and kept praying for him and my family even though I was down Georgia. I had to tell myself his words to me before I left to my first school is “to keep doing what I’m doing everything at home will be fine”. Every time I got to visit him he keeps getting better each and every day.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
   •     The most embarrassing moment is my high school grades.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?
   •     Last play to the end of the first half against West Georgia we run our final play designed to throw and our Freshman QB runs it and everybody runs down the field picking up blocks and he scored.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•     Alicia Keys- If I ain’t got you. There’s a reason for that.

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level? 
   •    The most important trait I have to help me succeed is my versatility.

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?
   •     My Father’s Father he always talked about him and he didn’t have him growing up. I think every man needs their father.

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it? 
   •  If I was to open a dance club it would be named BigBoi Palace.

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 
   •   The most underrated player in the NFL is  Dion Dawkins.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?
   •     I would rather be respected the reason being one I’m a man of respect and respect goes a long way. To get respect you must give it that’s how I always be taught.

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?
   •   A player who career I feel for the most with off the field issues is JaMarcus Russell. His actions off the field about not preparing yourself for the next step and your actions can end quickly no matter who you are. Teaching me you always have to be ready when your number is called.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?
   •     I love to win.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
   •   The biggest  influence in my life is my best friend,future best man (one day), one of the biggest sports fan, chicken finger eatinga man that goes by J Kirk the J is for Jeremy. To be honest I can write a bookabout him and I can’t express how blessed I am to have him in my life. Hebrings me lots of joy and happiness the guy is my right hand man. Calls me tocheck up always in my corner to cheer me on. Typing out my why is hard to do,there’s really just so much to say that leaves me speechless and how muchimportant he is to me and how much he taught me in life. I know he will alwaysbe on my side as well I would be there for him. Me explaining him isn’t enoughyou just have to meet him he just an awesome individual that I love to deaththat’s my brother.