2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Khiry Keith, OL, Black Hills State University

• Name: Khiry Keith
• Height: 6’2
• Weight: 285
• Position: Offensive Line – Center/ Guard
• College: Black Hills State University
• Twitter: @khiry_keith

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

• I grew up in Phoenix Arizona and studied at Marcos De Niza high school in the Tempe area. I loved many things about my city. I like the weather because it was sunny year-round, great for sports. Which is a reason why we produce great athletes?  Also, I like the fact that it is a big city with a lot of diversity of people and things to do.

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

•  I would say first strength and conditioning so that you can be in great shape. Then that transfers over to second, practice. Lastly, film study. Because you can study film from practice or games. To see what you need to work later at practice.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I worry about my goals, I have set for myself. I want to be successful and accomplish many great things. So, I am constantly working at something.

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

• I think a failure I learned from was going through high school and not giving my best effort in the classroom. Which resulted in me not qualifying to be accepted straight into a university out of high school. So, I took the junior college route. Where I learned better work and study habits. Which resulted in me leaving junior college with a 3.0 GPA

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• I think my teammates would say that I am a hard-working person with a positive attitude. I am always working on something and chances are you will probably see a smile on my face while doing it.

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

• Tony fair a dominate nose guard I played with in junior college.

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

• I would most likely continue to go to school and get my masters. To pursue being a Sports Psychologist.

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

• I would clean my room because it is your home. No one wants to come home to a dirty home.

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

• If I had to choose one family member to save or 3 strangers, I would save my mother. Because love her too much not too.

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

• I would most like be some type of superhero from Marvel. I feel like every kid at some point in life wished for some type of superpower.

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

• I would have to say growing up in a single parent household. It was just me and mom. we struggled at times. But It never held me back from anything because my mom is a very hard worker and held it down for us.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• My most embarrassing moment was when I 15 years old, a Sophomore in high school. During our last game of the football season. Starting off the game I was playing center and I must have been anxious because I flinched the ball twice back to back resulting in a 10-yard loss. Then right after that, I snapped the ball too high over my quarterback’s head and we got a safety. That game still haunts me.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• My junior year when we played Dixie state, we ran a reverse counter. Where I was the front puller. I got a knockdown block resulting in a 40-yard touchdown.

What song best describes your work ethic?

•  Hustle Hard- Ace Hood ft. Rick Ross

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

• Physical, being an O Lineman requires you to be strong and aggressive in the trenches.

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

• I would bring back my Grandpa he was also so supportive and would be proud of what I’m doing.

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

• I would name if “Pop Out”. So I could advertise and say “Come Pop Out to the dance club”

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• David Johnson running back from the Arizona Cardinals. The guy is simply a baller he’s strong, fast, agile, and can turn any bad situation into a good outcome.

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected. It doesn’t matter if someone likes you or not because if they don’t respect you, they have no value for you. I think respect goes a long way.

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

• I’m not sure honestly. Over the years there are so many it’s hard to pinpoint just one player.  I feel all you can do is just learn and see what happened, and not to fall down that path.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Hate to lose.

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

• My Mother has the biggest influence on me. She is a single parent mom who took care of me all my life. She is from Los Angeles California and is the first one in our family to go to college and graduate. She even took it to step further and got her master’s degree while raising me. She taught me to work hard, stay out of trouble and be a respectful stand-up person.