2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Lloyd Hightower, CB, University of Idaho

• Name: Lloyd Hightower
• Height: 5’10 
• Weight: 190
• Position: CB
• College: University of Idaho
• Twitter: @lloydhightower

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

• Temecula, California is where I spent a majority of my upbringing.  It is a quaint town that is picturesque and very community orientated. It’s surrounded by mountains and has a lot to offer through parks and some lakes. What I love most would have to be the location and people, it is nestled right between San Diego and Los Angeles.

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

• Strength and conditioning first. Strength and conditioning are the foundation for high performance and execution on the field. I pride myself on strength training as it contributes to my consistent attendance at practice and games, rarely ever missing      either one. Practice is so vital that missing even one is crucial to the development of a player. Practice allows you to improve and gives you the opportunity to make mistakes without it costing you a big play in the game. I try to chase a perfect practice. Lastly, film study is imperative to understanding the game plan and knowing what to expect. You’ll see something you didn’t see on film in every game, but when that happens just rely on coverage rules, coaching, technique, and trust the process. You need to be able to understand film and watch it effectively so you can establish the lessons learned and use the knowledge to gaina advantage on the field.

What do you worry about, and why? 

• I worry about making my parents proud. My mom and dad constantly state they are proud of the man I have become and what I have accomplished. Even with my parents persistent encouragement, I continue to try to exceed their expectations.They share with friends and family how proud they are, but I need confirmation for myself that they can go to bed every night and not worry about their sons future.

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

• Making the transition from Wide Receiver to Cornerback is an example. At first, this transition was a huge challenge that I struggled with. Playing Wide Receiver in high school to Cornerback in college proved to be a learning curve. Initially, I was not achieving the results on the field that I wanted, but I have been able to overcome the adversity with hard work and determination, which led me to later excel at my position. 

What do your teammates say is your best quality? 

• Professionalism on and off the field. When it is time to lock in and focus i do. When it is time to have fun and relax outside of football I am able to. My teammates and I have been through many ups and downs and by keeping a positive attitude and maintaining composure I am able to stay focused and execute. 

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

• John Ross (Bengals), Jaleel Scott (Ravens),

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

• I would start my own business. I am passionate about helping people who struggle  financially. This led to an idea of a peer-to-peer micro-lending app. I would pursue that. 

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

• Well if they’re all already clean it’d be whichever became dirty first.

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

• This hypothetical question is very difficult because it battles moral ethics and emotion. I would like to say that I would save the three strangers, but in the situation I feel I would attempt to save a family member first. Of course if there was a way I could sacrifice myself for both parties I would choose that option 10 out of 10 times. 

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

•Will Smith in really any of his movies; Hancock, Fresh Prince of bel-air, Pursuit of Happiness. His roles are meaningful and he has been one of my favorite actors my whole life, because he embodies each character in all his roles.

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

• Not being heavily recruited or really even being recruited at all until the end of my senior year was a difficult time. I knew from a young age I wanted to play college football as a kid everyone wanted to play at “Oregon” or “Alabama,” but as you get older you realize that it does not matter where you play you just want to play football. While everyone was applying for colleges in lue of the deadline that was quickly approaching, I was still relying on getting a football scholarship. I treated each game my senior year as a resume which led to interest from a couple colleges. Ultimately, I got an offer from the University of idaho and never looked back. 

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• First play of freshman year was a kickoff return against University of Washington and I fumbled after Budda Baker and Sidney Jones vice-tackled me.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• Last game of the year before our bowl game in 2016 as a true freshman, I was able to block a punt, recover it, then run it into the endzone for my first real solid play of freshman year.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• All the Above – Maino

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

• Work ethic. Without a strong work ethic you don’t have a chance and you will not succeed in my opinion. Talent only gets you so far. Natural mental and physical abilities only get you so far but hard work will allow you to surpass expectations.

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

• My best friend, Shamar Turner. He passed away last year after a motorcycle accident and was way too young. I would bring him back so I can watch him be sucessful, he was on his way to doing great things.

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

• The Jump Bump

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?

• Jason Verrett while he was healthy or Marlon Humphrey 

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected. Not all the things you say or do will be liked by everyone, even though that is what we strive for that is not always the case. On the football field, if someone respects you that is a huge honor. It means you play hard, you’re an above average player, and you let your play speak for itself.

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

• Josh Gordon is a player I feel never reached their full potential due to off the field issues. Through checking himself in and out of rehab trying to stay out of trouble and get back to the field Josh Gordon has been the epitome of “what could have been”. A hall of fame talent as some have predicted can’t seem to consistently stay on the field.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Both. I believe more learning comes from loses. If you are a competitor you are greatly affected by losing and loses are where you grow as a player, and as a person. In turn those lessons learned lead to more winning which we all love.

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

• The biggest influence on my life has been my parents and older sister. They all have become successful and I strive to carry that on. I go to them with all the turbulence and conflicts I face in life if I cannot figure it out myself. Both of my parents are examples of hard work and dedication and paved the way for me in my sister. My family is my backbone, they have the biggest influence on my life.