2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Markel Smith, RB, Missouri Western University

• Name: Markel Smith
• Height: 5110
• Weight: 232
• Position: Running Back
• College: Missouri Western University
• Twitter: @Almightykel23

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

• I am from St.Louis, MO. I live in South city and one thing I love most about my city is the food.

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

• If I would have to put the three in order of importance and why? I would have to put film study first because knowing the game helps you play better. Next I would put strength and conditioning because you need to be able to be strong enough to endure the hits and damage to the body. Finally I would put practice because that is just making the craft better and you know how to play football, so its just tuning things up. 

What do you worry about, and why?

• One thing I worry about daily is not being able to say I made my parents proud. 

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

• I failed to attend the college I wanted to committed to due to grades. I did not give up I took a longer route and made my dream come true and graduated from Illinois State University. 

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My teammates would say my best quality would be hard working in terms of never giving up. 

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

• My career would be training kids if I were not to be playing football. 

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

• I clean my room up first because it shows what type of person you are because you sleep there.

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

• I would probably save my family member because it would be my first instinct to help someone I love.

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

• My biggest adversity would have to be being not academically eligible and me not giving up and still chasing my dream and taking a longer route to get to division I and graduating from a 4 year program.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• My most embarrassing moment would have to me being kicked out of my ACT.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• My most memorable moment in my college career would have to me being announced new comer of the year. 

What song best describes your work ethic?

• A song that best describes my work ethic would have to be meek mill- Dreams and Nightmares.

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

• My most important non-physical is my mental strength that I feel would help me have  successes at the next level.

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

• If I could bring one person from the dead it would be my aunt because I know my mom misses her sister. 

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

• If I could open a dance club I would name it ” club vibe” 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• The most underrated player in the NFL to me is Dak Prescott

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• I would rather be respected because you do not have to like me, I am not here for you to like me and respect goes a long way rather than being liked. 

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

• Ezekiel Elliott because try and make a bad name for him because of off the field issues and he is not that type of person at all

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?

• The biggest influence on my life would have to be my dad because he get up every morning and goes to work with no excuses and does his job no matter what he has going on at home. ( family issues)