NFL DraftProspect Interviews

2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Donald Johnson IV, DB, Bethune Cookman University

Donald Johnson IV the hard hitting, play making DB from Bethune Cookman University recently sat down with NFL Draft Diamonds owner Damond Talbot
  • Donald L. Johnson IV
  • 6’1
  • 188
  • Defensive Back
  • Bethune Cookman University 
  • @showtime_37

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

  • I am from the beautiful city of Jacksonville, Florida. Where the sun is literally always shining, even when it rains. What I Love most about Jacksonville is, everywhere you go you experience the same type of Love. Our city Loves to see one another succeed. 

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

  • Strength & conditioning 
  • Film study
  • Practice 

Your body is the main source of where your productivity comes from (strength & conditioning), I learned that becoming a student of the game first is what makes you the Great player you strive to be (Film study), and once you’ve done all these things previously, it’s time to put them all together on the (practice) field. 

What do you worry about, and why?

  • Most people are afraid of success, but not me. I worry most about rejection. 

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

  • My failure story goes back, My freshman & Sophomore years of high school. I didn’t make the football team, my Junior year I transferred schools just for the 2 weeks of the season to roll around and dislocate my elbow which put me out for the rest of the season. In my head, I thought of giving up so many times. But I prayed and prayed, and The Lord gave me a new mindset and I began to Grind all off-season going into my senior year. I ended up transferring to a private school my senior year and balled out with 7 ints. and a boatload of tackles. Also got invited to 2 all-star games and received a scholarship to Bethune-Cookman University. 

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

  • My Leadership & energy I bring to the team

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

  • Tariq Cohen (NCA&T)

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

  • I would definitely become an actor 

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

  • My room, because that’s where I spend most of my free time, and everybody growing up had those “Go Clean your room” speeches.

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

  • One Family member, because we have a bloodline to continue. 

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

  • Martin Lawrence, he top 5 greatest actors/comedians of all time. 

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

  • Freshman year of college, it was a hard transition initially, with school work, and waking up on my own. And managing everything, but as the semester went on I developed a system and got a planner & calendar to help me keep everything in tact. 

What is your most embarrassing moment?

  • It would have to be, getting crossed over by our principal in our Students vs. Faculty basketball game in high school. 

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

  • Definitely would be vs. University of Nebraska, on 3 and 9. They were driving the ball down the field & I was the 1 high safety, and read the QB’s eyes and intercepted the backside post. On the Big10Network. 

What song best describes your work ethic?

  • G Herbo – 100 days 100 nights

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

  • My knowledge of the game 

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

  • My grandfather, he always told me. He’d be there for my first int. In college football, but he wasn’t. I’d just like to bring him back to show him the ball and let him know I did it. 

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

  • Slip & Slide 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

  • Jawill Davis (Greenbay Packers)

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

  • Respected, because once your respected, people have no choice but to like you. 

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

  • Josh Gordon, because he had the potential to be one of the greatest WR to plan this lovely game. 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

  • I absolutely LOVE TO WIN 

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

  • My Mother & Father, because they’ve been married my and life, and literally been there for me, through every up and down in my life. Rather it be life, sports, school, everything. They also instilled Jesus Christ in my life. And without him, none of this could be happening right now. 

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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