NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Deddrick Lovelace, DE, University of West Georgia

• Name: Deddrick Lovelace

• Height: 6’4

• Weight: 251 lbs

• Position: Defensive End/ OLB

• College: University of West Georgia

• Twitter: dlove1598

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

•  I’m from Birmingham, Alabama; a place where it’s survival of the fittest. What I love most about my hometown, is that it made me tough and taught me valuable life lessons. Seeing guys like Mario Addison, Marcell Dareus, Jared Cook, Eric Bledsoe and Demarcus Cousins make it out, it showed me that it was most definitely possible. God first, along with hard work and dedication is the reason I’m here today. 

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

• I’d consider film study to be first, because perfecting your technique along with knowing and understanding your job each and every snap is a key contributor to success. Also, studying your opponents strengths and weaknesses is vital as well. I was always taught to respect every opponent enough to prepare for them. Next, I’d half to say strength and conditioning. Football is a violent game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The more of a force you are, along with the physical endurance/capability to outlast your opponent, just being flat out RELENTLESS is the deciding factor in every matchup. Strength and conditioning also plays an important role in injury prevention, I’m sure remaining healthy over the course of the season is at the top of every elite athletes’ agenda. Last but definitely not least, practice. In order to perfect something it takes a lot of repetition, practice is where that takes place. Showing up early, being one of the last to leave is one of the best ways to take advantage of practice. All three categories go hand and hand; and can most definitely lead to ones success or failure at the next level. I’d consider all three to be very important.

What do you worry about, and why?

•  Failure! Failure is my biggest fear besides God. I’m honestly not the type to worry much, solely because my faith in God is so strong and I’m a firm believer of God knowing what’s best for me and him granting me the desires of my heart. Just the thought of failure drives me to put myself in the best position to succeed. My work ethic, my passion, my drive; all stems from the thought of failure.

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

•  Basketball was my first love. Coming out of high school I wasn’t highly recruited, I really didn’t get to expand my game and showcase all my talents due to the system in which I played in. I always compared my height/size to guys at the next level, 6’4 forwards just didn’t really exist. But due to my strength and insane leaping ability I was forced to be a forward/post player because a force in the paint was something my high school team lacked. For the love of my teammates I chose not to transfer and I played the role that was needed for my team to succeed. My goal had always been to play basketball at the division 1 level. At that time I most definitely felt as if I failed myself because most of the guys in my senior class were signed or signing to D1 programs. Like I stated earlier I wasn’t highly recruited so I decided to accept a scholarship to play basketball at Gadsden State Community College. Going JUCO would give me another shot at being able to play college hoops at the division 1 level. Going into my freshman year of college I knew the past couldn’t be changed, the only thing I could do was make the best of every opportunity going forward.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  My work ethic, I’m literally a gym rat. I love working out and putting myself in the best position to succeed. I’m my biggest critic, I’m always finding ways to better myself. Just the thought of being outworked, drives me that much harder. 

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

•  Quentin Stanford

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

• A real estate agent as well as a sports agent/advisor. 

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

•  Desk

If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?

•  I’d save the one family member, I was raised to put family first. If I consider a person family, there’s no extent or limit that I wouldn’t go for them. Love is what love does!

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

•  Christopher Gardner (Will Smith); The Pursuit of Happyness. Solely because he showcased what it really means to sacrifice, he had drive and determination. All the odds where stacked against him, he could’ve easily made excuses and given up but he hung in there and fought the fight.

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

•  Growing up without a father was indeed one of the greatest obstacles I had to overcome. As a kid I grew up confused because a lot of my friends and teammates had both parents and I only had one. My grandfather was a father figure but he lived in Montgomery, AL. So that full time, in home father figure was non existent. Sports was my outlet to a lot of the things I went through and it still is to this day. Seeing how my teammates with fathers pushed them, got extra work in with them and just basically guided them was something I longed for on a day to day basis. At times I had to push myself and be what I was looking for, it was very frustrating but looking back I wouldn’t have rather had it any other way. It made me strong!

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•  I was in church one Sunday as a kid, I remember sitting on the pew next to my mom as service was going on. I felt something brushing up against my leg, at the time I thought it was my moms dress. Come to find out, it was a huge wasp crawling up my pants leg. When the wasp stung me I jumped up and was running around the church screaming and hollering. Everyone was clapping and saying “amen…amen….look at god!” They thought I had caught the Holy Ghost. I immediately ran out of the sanctuary into to closet bathroom, which was the women’s restroom and pulled my pants down and a huge wasp came flying out. I immediately smacked and killed the wasp, after that I looked around and I was in the bathroom with like four women, all of whom were looking at me like “what are you doing in here?” There I was standing with my pants around my ankles crying, embarrassed just flat out embarrassed.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•  This one particular game the RB was doing a lot of trash talking on the field, I was lined up at right end. The tackle pulled away from me so I was shuffling down the line horizontally, reading the QB and the QB handed the ball off to him, I went in and secured the tackle. As I was throwing him to the ground, the same mouth he used to trash talk was indeed the same mouth he used to squeal as he got slung to the ground. That squealing sound was priceless!

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  Nipsey Hussle- Victory Lap ft. Stacy Barthe

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

•  Mindset, the body literally follows whatever it’s instructed to do by the mind. Being in the right space mentally and fully understanding the task at hand can really increase chances of success. 

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

•  Willie Lee Lewis I, my grandfather. He was literally my role model and best friend. I grew up in a single parent household, my biological father was never there. He was the father I never had, he taught me valuable life lessons and taught me how to be a man. My grand pops instilled great moral values inside me, if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be who I am today.

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

•  The Endzone

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

•  Minkah Fitzpatrick/Trey Flowers

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  Most definitely respected, coming from the environment in which I come from be respected goes a long way. Being respected speaks volumes.

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

•  Rolando McClain, because he was one of my favorite linebackers from The University of Alabama. I loved his style of play, he had so much talent and God-given athletic ability.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

•  I hate losing with a passion!

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

• My mother, Cynthia Lovelace has the biggest influence on my life solely because I’ve watched her sacrifice my entire life to do the best she could to provide for me and my sister. She never complained once, there were many times she went without; to give us a better life. I’m sure she didn’t enter parenthood thinking she’d half to do it alone but she played the cards she was dealt and did the best she could, my mom is a warrior. For that, I owe her my life.