2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Cevon Mitchell-Ford, RB, Sterling College

• Name: Cevon Mitchell-Ford
• Height: 5’8
• Weight:194
• Position: Runningback
• College: Sterling College
• Twitter:@5TooLive__

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

•  I am born and raised in Sacramento, California. The Capital with a lot of great athletes to come from the area. The weather is unbeatable and love for the sport of football in this town is what makes it easy to love. 

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

•  1) Film – If you know what you need to work on or what your opponent is going to do before they do it then you put yourself in a better position to make a play.
2) Strength and Conditioning  – The body is important in the sport we play. Once you are in the position to make the play then the athletics come into play. Whether it is to outrun the defender or use your power to pull through tacklers. Being in the right condition is what separates the average player from the greats.
3) Practice -It is cliche to say but practice does make perfect. This is where I can learn from my mistakes and utilize all that I have learned from film study and conditioning. The practice is where you apply the first two concepts in preparation for the game.

What do you worry about, and why?

•  I worry about letting myself and my mother down. She has put time and faith into me since I was 5 years old. That is why everything I do is for the purpose of being the best at what I do. So that she can see that to me this is a business and I am utilizing the time I have on and off the field in that manner.

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

•  During junior college, I let myself down with my lack of focus in the classroom. This led to me not being able to have the best recruiting process as possible. Missing out on opportunities to play on full scholarship changed my mindset. Feeling the disappointment and watching my mom feel it with me showed me I did not want to fail again. I then started to take school more serious and when I arrived at my university the lowest grade I have received since is a B-. Instead of feeling bad I decided to make the best out of the opportunity and take full advantage of the opportunity to learn.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•  My teammates typically say that my best quality is the fact that I can get along with anyone on the team. Being able to know all my teammates and how to encourage everyone in a way that works for them individually.

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

•  PJ Johnson 

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

•  Without football, my career would be working as a psychiatrist in the medical field. Helping people with mental health disorders while also have a side job in my own practice as a marriage counselor.

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?

•  Although I would try my best to save everyone, I would have to say the three strangers. Knowing how my family is and how we look out for others before ourselves I would be pressed to put them first.

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

•  Luke Cage, the man is indestructible and that’s the mentality that I like to have on the field.

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

•  The biggest adversity in life would be losing my cousin who was more like a brother to me. He was also in the football life and was trying to accomplish more than anyone I have ever known. He had passed away right before my sophomore season of college which messed with me mentally for a few months. I hit a point where school and football was a loss of interest. To overcome I realized that even though we were the same age he was my biggest fan as I was his. I changed my work ethic and my love for the game grew more because I knew that if he were here he would be on me about slacking. The fact that he was stripped from the opportunity to be great is what pushes me every day to finish what we both started at 5 years old.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•  I was on a date and my retainer with my fake tooth fell out of my mouth in the middle of the conversation. 

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•  The most memorable play of my college career is in junior college when I was at American River College. I had run over the safety for a 30-yard touchdown. It was so loud that the whole crowd silenced and went crazy once I scored. The run ended up on World star and YouTube so I felt accomplished with that one.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  Future – Blood, Sweat, & Tears

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

•  The best trait a person could have to succeed at the next level is to listen. It sounds simple but I feel like many people always try to act on or overdo themselves by not paying attention to detail. Once you can learn to listen then you can learn how to apply and act in the way that best fits for the team. Listening puts you in positions to be successful.

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

•  It would be my cousin Deston Garrett. He too was a football player with crazy athleticism. We were all in this journey to play college football together and I know that any school he went to he would have made a huge positive change for them on and off the field. For that one day, I would want him to be able to watch me play so that he can see that I am have not given up on what we started.

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

•  The Spot 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

•  Taron Johnson 

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•  Respected because that means the love from people will be genuine. They will not put you in positions that could put your future in jeopardy.

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

•  Onterrio Smith because he was one of the best athletes to come out of Sacramento. He was in an era where the athletes coming from my city were paving the way for us who are trying to reach college and NFL dreams. Also, he played Running back so I definitely saw him a great in that position.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

•  I love to win so much that I hate to lose

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

•The biggest influence on my life is my mother because of how much she has done for me on her own. She had put me through private schools to make sure I received a good education. Keeping a roof over my head and food on the table. She has shown me how to be a man and that I never have to depend on anyone to do for me. Watching her come from barely being able to make ends meet and now owning a home and close to retirement is inspiring. She is living proof that if you take advantage of the opportunity and persevere anything is obtainable.