2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Zachariah Clendenin, OL, Alfred State College

• Name: Zachariah Clendenin
• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 285
• Position: Offensive Line
• College: Alfred State College
• Twitter: @zzzclendenin52

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

•  I am from Belmont NY, a very small town in western New York where we have one stop light and more cows than people. What I love most about my hometown is how well the community interacts with each other. With having such a small community, you know everyone, and while some might say that’s bad, I disagree because of the comradery and the fact that all 500 or 600 people have your back if you need them.

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

1. Strength and Conditioning- You’re only as strong as your weakest link. Athleticism and form will only get you so far, being the strongest you can put you at an advantage or at a highly competitive level.
2. Film study- Because you wouldn’t know how to practice and game plan week to week without studying your opponents’ film.  
3. Practice- Championship teams aren’t made with practice, they are made in the offseason and behind the scenes with hard training and film study. Practice should be used to just put it all together.

What do you worry about, and why?

I worry about my mother a lot, her health is failing and its always on my mind, I strive and hope to make myself as financially stable as possible, so I can make it to where she doesn’t have to work anymore.   

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

My first semester in college, I ended up with a 1.3 GPA, I was ashamed of it and it really bugged me. Originally I tried pointing my fingers at others but I realized I was wrong and needed to fix it myself. I really focused on doing better in classes my next semester as well as sought out help from my professors, this caused me to have a 3.21 and continued to pass classes in college.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

I’d think my teammates would say perseverance would be my best quality. Playing football for me has never been an easy road, going all the way back to high school.

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

The best two players I have ever played against in college were both on my team during my freshman year. Jack Pope and Diandre Jenkins

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

Police Officer.

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

Car, I spend the most about of time in it.

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

1 family member, my family means the world to me. I don’t know if I could live with myself either way in this situation, but if I still had my family member it would help the situation out.

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

Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I love NCIS, when I was little any time I was with my grandma we would watch it. I would want to be him because he always seems to make the right decision, in the end, his moral character is amazing, and the way he carries himself is just spectacular.   

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

My biggest adversity would be trying to find a place to play football in high school. My school didn’t have football so I and my family just kept pushing to have my school and another school merge for football, it finally happened my junior year at a place that was 26 miles round trip Monday- Saturday. I and my family never missed a practice or fil session.  

What is your most embarrassing moment?

My most embarrassing moment was in my senior year of high school at a jazz band concert, I ripped my pants down the middle seam zipper to belt loop, then my teacher told everyone there.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

When I pancaked a defensive lineman from the University or Rochester.

What song best describes your work ethic?

TNT by ACDC

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

My brain and knowledge for the game.

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

My Pop Pop, because I miss him and wish I could see him almost every day.

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

Snaps all you can eat and dance (can’t be a lineman without a buffet)

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

I still think Adrian Peterson is.  

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

Respected because the right people will always like you.

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

Adrian Peterson, I don’t think he should’ve been out a whole season because he disciplined his son.

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 father because he has done so much for me, and has done so many little things to teach me to be a proper man.