NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Zach Drew-Toles, WR, New Mexico Highlands University

•    Name: Zacchaeus (Zach Drew-Toles)
  •    Height: 6’3”
  •    Weight: 185
  •    Position: WR/Slot
  •    College: New Mexico Highlands University 
  •    Twitter: ThrowItUpTo_21

Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?
  •     I’m from Fort Wayne, IN the second largest city in Indiana where everybody knows everybody and almost everyone on the Southside of town is almost related in some way, shape, or form. What I love most about my hometown is the people, I’ve learned so much from so many different people and built countless relationships there, Fort Wayne will always be home and I will never stop loving that city.

List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?
 •     Film Study first because the game is about 75% mental and you have to know your opponent better than you know yourself to be successful. Second, will be practice because practice, is where you take what you’ve seen on film and apply it to the field. This is where you get to sharpen your skills and continue creating separation from your opponent. Strength and conditioning last but not least because this is where you add the finishing touches in a physical game such as football you’re body has to be prepared for a beating week in week out and the weight room is where it all starts and helps with injury prevention along with conditioning. When it comes to conditioning you have to take it seriously you want to be able to make it to the fourth quarter and still feel as if it’s the start of the game and this all goes back into the mental aspect of the game strength and conditioning trains the mind to push through tough times and makes you tougher all three go hand and hand.

What do you worry about, and why?
 •     I worry about letting my mom down because I saw my Mom go through so much to make things happen for me that I don’t want to let her down by not getting this degree because I know it means the world to her.

Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?
  •     I failed making the basketball team at my middle school 6th grade year and 7th grade year. I remember going home and crying because I knew I was better than some of the kids that made the team I just didn’t get the opportunity to show it because I was passive and wanted others to shine. I overcame this failure by going to the YMCA everyday and practicing and playing against older competition that way when it came time for me to play with my own age group I was ready.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?
  •     My ability to make the tough catch.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
  •     Colorado Mesa CB Antonio Clark much respect for my boy we battled that entire game.

What would your career be if you couldn’t play football? 
  •     I would work for Complex Magazine and talk and work in their sneaker department because I am big on sneakers from the history to various styles.

Room, desk, and car – which do you clean first?
  •     Room first because that’s your sanctuary and it’s always nice to come home to a clean room.

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?
  •     You have to go with the strangers because there’s three opposes to one family member it’ll hurt but at the end of the day it’s the right thing to do.

If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?
  •     Adonis (Creed) Johnson from the movie Creed because he was determined to make a name for himself and prove his worth no matter what. His drive kept him going and no one could stop his belief.

Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?
  •     College would have to be the biggest adversity I’ve faced because I’ve gotten so many credits and still couldn’t graduate because they weren’t they right classes and I’ve wanted to give up so many times but I still continue to grind it out and push through until I receive this degree. I just keep my head down and keep working at some point all of this dedication will pay off and I will have that degree and will have made my family proud.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
  •     Getting a whooping in front of the entire gym when I was younger because I cussed at one of the parents because I felt he was disrespecting our team while we were losing. My mom whooped my tail in front everybody and I couldn’t do anything but just accept it and move forward but it’s still funny til this day.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?
  •     Seeing my boy Kam score his Touchdown vs Adams State I didn’t realize until he passed me while I was blocking that he was running the ball and I took off to go catch him and celebrate with him.

What song best describes your work ethic?
  •     Gucci Mane & Young Scooter – Keep Workin

What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level? 
  •     Competitiveness I live to compete because my whole life I had to compete to prove that I could hang.

If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?
  •     My great grandmother who just passed March 2nd because it’s so much catching up we still had to do, and I just wanted to tell her I love her and give her one last big hug.

If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it? 
  •     Red Light Special

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 
 •     I still say it’s DeAndre Hopkins because I feel he still doesn’t get the respect that he deserves, he is by far one of the most physical receivers in the game and catches everything thrown at him. He runs great routes and continues to beat double coverage. He’s just a gritty football player and how he plays the position.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?
  •     Respected hands down because I don’t need anyone to like me just like I don’t have to like anybody but respect goes a long way. Respect is based more on reason then it is feeling or emotion. 

What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?
  •     Michael Vick because Vick was everything to the sports world and kids growing up. Vick having to go to jail for fighting dogs when we’ve seen countless people fight dogs and walk away free hurt. It took away from his career because he was right in his prime and we knew he had a lot to prove.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?
  •  I hate to lose but sometimes you have to fail in order to become successful.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
  •    My mother and my grandfather I watched them work hard everyday to make sure our family was well taken care of. My mom I had to wake up for work at 4:30 every morning to go to work so me and my sister could enjoy some of the things we got to do. That one would work extra hours to help get me through junior college for two years my mind would miss meals because she wanted to make sure I was well taken care of. My grandfather was my only father figure he showed me how to be accountable and how to grind for what I wanted in life, and he showed me how to fight through adversity. My grandfather challenged me to get better everyday and I appreciate him for it. Without these two I wouldn’t be half of the young man I am today.