2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Trini Charlton II, RB, Benedict College

• Name: Trini Charlton II
• Height: 5’8”
• Weight: 185
• Position: Runningback and Slot receiver 
• College: Benedict College 
• Twitter: @trinicharltonii

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

• I was born in Tallahassee but I’m from Havana, Florida, a small town outside of Tallahassee. What I love about my home town is that everyone almost knows everyone and everyone is fairly friendly. 

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

• Strength and conditioning, film study, practice. Strength and conditioning is to prepare your body for the season so that you can compete and perform at a high level. Film study for mental reps to limit mistakes so that we can execute on the field. Then practice to compete to prepare you for Saturday’s. 

What do you worry about, and why?

• I have no worries. I consider myself a professional optimist. When one door closes another one opens. 

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

• In high school, we had a test called the FCAT. If you don’t pass the FCAT, you don’t graduate. I didn’t pass the FCAT throughout my years in high school. The alternate was the ACT/SAT to graduate. I took the ACT 6 times, however my score wasn’t enough to graduate so I wasn’t able to graduate/walk with my class nor was I able to sign a LOI. At that point I was discourage but I kept pushing. That following summer I never gave up and I took the test two more times and that last time I scored a 21 which was more than enough to graduate so my high school set up a summer graduation so I could be able to walk with the people who wasn’t able to graduate in May with the rest our classmate. From then on, I had the mindset that if I can do that, I can do anything that I put my mind too. 

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• I’m always positive and I keep everyone going despite the conflict. It’s always light at the end of the tunnel. 

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

• I don’t know. Every team has its ballers. 

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

• I always wanted to be a truck driver like my dad but I always wanted to be a coach and mentor the youth so they can take the right path to success. 

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’ll save my family member. I believe family is always first. 

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

• Flash he is the fastest thing on earth. He moves faster than the speed of sound. I believe super speed is an amazing super power. 

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

• Tearing my ACL, that whole process humbled me more than anything. The doctor told me that it would take a whole year for me to fully recover and I recovered within 9 months. Now I feel better than ever. 

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• I was with my friends at an event where it was open mic night. I tried to do stand up comedy for the first time. While telling a joke somebody yelled “man get off the stage” and everyone laughed so I got off the stage. 

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• Before i came to Benedict I had sat out 2 seasons. My very first game I had a 60 yard run right up the middle along with a few other 20 yarders against Livingstone college. I ended up getting mvp of that game. 

What song best describes your work ethic?

• YFN Lucci- Heartless

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

• My drive and ambition. I keep everything positive even when it’s negative. 

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

• My cousin E.K. He’s one of the reason I wanted to play sports. 

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

• Pressure 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• Taylor Gabriel 

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respected because rather someone likes or dislikes you, their respect for you will always take you a long way. 

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

• Ray Rice, although what he did was wrong. He admitted what he did was wrong and he was a great player who was respected and had respect for others. 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• Love to win. Winning motivates me. The more wins the more confidence a team has. 

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

• My dad is my biggest influence. Despite how he grew up, he works everyday on the road to support his family so that they can grow up to be whatever they can be. He strives on always being the hardest worker. “Work hard so your life will be easy”.