2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Devin Mines, DB, Gardner-Webb University

• Name: Devin Mines
• Height: 5’10
• Weight: 193
• Position: DB/OLB
• College: Gardner-Webb University
• Twitter: @DCM_Greatness26

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

• I was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. I absolutely love the diversity it’s grown to be and the opportunities that have come with that. From all the access to such great activities to the abundant opportunities for success- coming up with this city has been truly rewarding. 

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

 I would say conditioning and practice are first on my list because you need to be in shape to be able to play and practice is the closest reps, you’ll get to a game rep that isn’t an actual game. Next, I would say Film study so that way you can learn you and your opponent’s strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies which will help you by understanding what people like to do in certain situations and the way receivers would run their routes. It also helps you correct mistakes that you make during practice so you can become a better player. Even though the weight room is one of my favorite places I would rank it last. It helps you become a stronger and more flexible football player and it also helps prevent injuries but there are also so many football players who aren’t strong in the weight room that are amazing football players.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I’m finding myself now worrying about what my future may hold. I get anxious about the inevitable but try to live out my life expecting the unexpected and understanding that what could happen, probably happened for a reason. 

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

• In high school, I failed to keep my grades up enough to receive football scholarships. Understanding that a higher education is expensive, I knew I had to find a way to pay for it. Throughout my junior year, I was sure to make every effort to get right enough to be eligible for college football and even further achieving my goals academically. 

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• They say that my heart for the game and the energy that I bring every day with everything we do is my best quality. There is never a day I’m not smiling and just happy to be able to play the game I love. 

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

• Josh Allen, the current Quarterback for the Buffalo Bills 

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

• I would get into coaching football if I couldn’t play it. 

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?

• I would save my family member. I grew up in a very close-knit family so I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I let one of my family members die in a disaster.

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

• I would be Tom Cruise from his Mission Impossible movies because he is always able to do the impossible no matter what adversity he faces.

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

• My biggest adversity in life was when I tore my Labrum and had surgery to repair it my sophomore year. I had to go through a six-month recovery to completely heal it. I overcame this by just going into rehab everyday working hard to get shoulder back right so I could get back to 100 percent.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• My most embarrassing moment was when I was out all day with my mom, and I spilled red Gatorade all over my white t-shirt and I walked around with. huge red stain on my shirt all day

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• My most memorable play so far in my college career is a big hit tackle for loss in which I also caused a forced fumble my sophomore year against Western Carolina 

What song best describes your work ethic?

• “Believe in me” by Lil Duke

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

• Knowledge of proper technique is a very important trait I value. I feel anyone can be bigger, faster or stronger, but if you don’t know what you’re doing and how you’re doing it- you’re no better than the next guy. This is what I feel sets me apart.

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

• I would bring my grandmother back because of how close I used to be with her. I really just miss talking with her, hearing her laugh and messing with her. 

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

• Greatness

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• Jaylen Samuels the running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected, I feel like respect holds more weight and will take you farther in life than just being liked.

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

• Josh Gordan because he had potential to be one of the best to play the game. However, his off-field problems always caught back up to him making him unable to play.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I hate to lose

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

• Both of my parents have been a huge influence in my life just through seeing how hard they worked for my sister and I to have the best life they could give us. They always made sure I was doing right and keeping my priorities are in order. Of course I didn’t learn to appreciate this until later, but I’m definitely grateful for them teaching me how to handle my business.