2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Chris Rowland, WR, Tennessee State University

• Name: Chris Rowland
• Height: 5’8
• Weight: 175
• Position: Wide Receiver/RS
• College: Tennessee State University
• Twitter: @crowland30

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

•     I’m from the town of Nolensville, TN located 30 minutes south of Nashville. It’s a very small country town you’re bound to run into a past friend or someone you know if you go out. The thing I love most about my town is the community, the people of Nolensville are very welcoming no matter who you are.

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

•     1. Film Study comes first. To be able to know the game you have to have a better understanding for it mentally not just physically. 2. Practice comes next. Now you go out an execute the game plan by practicing it. You’re not just playing blind though, you’ve done the film study, you know what’s coming next from the defense/offense because you’ve seen it before. 3. Lastly, strength, and conditioning. Even though is last, this is still very important. After working so hard from practicing and banging your body up all week, It’s a must you find a way to build your body back up after all the pounding it takes. That comes from lifting weights and being in shape.

What do you worry about, and why?

•     I tend to not worry about many things because my faith in God is strong so any doubts or discomfort that creeps in I turn it over to him.

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

•     I failed to make the dean’s list in my freshman year of college. I Overcame it by using that failure as motivation to come back harder next semester to excel not only on the field but off.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

•     I’m the hardest working person they’ve seen.

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

•   I’m not sure if this counts, but the best player I had the privilege to go against every day in college is my former teammate now a Baltimore Raven DB Terrel Bonds.

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

•     Pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant.

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

•     I would clean my room first. I lay my head to rest in that room, I would like for it to be clean.

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

•     Knowing me: My reaction without thinking would immediately go towards saving my family member first because they mean everything to me, but I want to be able to lend a hand to save everybody. If there is still a chance to save the others best believe, without hesitation, I’m going to because all life is precious no matter the age, race, gender, or sexuality.

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

•     If I could be a character from a television show I would be Naruto. Because he possesses incredible powers that are unrivaled.

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

•     My biggest adversity I dealt with in my life, would have to be when I broke both my ankles. I had many doubts about whether or not I was going to be the same player again or if I’ll ever play again. All sorts of doubt ran through my head. But the way I overcame it was that I kept trusting God’s process because everything happens for a reason and I was positive that the storm in my life at the time was going to pass.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

•     My most embarrassing moment would probably be when I was a kid. I had earned the title of being the fastest kid but I lost to a girl in a race. I remembered gaining some humility that day while getting laughed at and made fun off.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

•     My most memorable play in college would probably be the 70-yard score I made against APSU.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•     Pitbull – Triumph

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 that helps me succeed is my ability to create and space and my quickness to diagnose certain converge by the defense.

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

•     One person I’d bring back from the dead would probably be my grandfather. I would show him how far everyone has come and how successful his grandchildren are becoming.

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?

•     Jakeem Grant is the most underrated player in the NFL in my opinion. His team just uses him as a return specialist but his talents go far beyond just returning. He is a dynamic receiver that can change the game with the ball in his hand.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

•     I would rather be respected. I could care less if a person likes me or not as long as that line of respect and no disrespect is there.

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

•     Chad Johnson, I would have liked to see a more focused version of him while he was in the league.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

•     I Hate to lose, One of the things I can’t stand.

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

• My mother has the biggest influence on my life. My mother has always had my back no matter the situation, held my hand when I was sad, gave me her shoulder to cry on, and always encouraged me when I was down. She’s shown me, unconditional love, no matter how upset she got with me. There’s nothing more I want to do in my life than to make my mother proud and happy and to give her everything that her heart desires.