2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Clarence Thornton, DL, Southeast Missouri State

• • Name: Clarence Thornton
• • Height: 6’3
• • Weight: 275
• • Position: DT/DE
• • College: Southeast Missouri State
• • Twitter: @__clarence50

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

• New Orleans has it’s own culture that can’t be compared to anywhere else honestly. It has good food, good people and a fun atmosphere.

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

• Film study, Practice, then Strength and Conditioning. Film study to look for certain tendencies in my opponents game that I can expose, then practice to translate what I see film into action to develop muscle memory before game day, and then strength and conditioning because that is what gets you prepared to play all 4 quarters at your hardest.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I worry about my future a lot. Not just because I have people depending on me, but because I want to accomplish everything I have set for myself.

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

• My freshman year I didn’t play as much as I wanted to because I couldn’t learn the plays coming straight out of high school. I was disappointed in myself but I stopped feeling sorry and decided to get in the playbook and watch film more often to get a better understanding of our defensive scheme. Before you know it, in the last 6 games of the season I was in rotation making plays.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My athleticism. For a guy my size they always told me that I was quick and agile to be so big.

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

• One of my former teammates Drew Forbes. The most athletic offensive lineman that I’ve ever played against. He was big, but he was also fast and light on his feet.

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

• I’d be a Youth Sports Director.

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

• The room comes first because I can’t operate in a cluttered room.

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

• The one family member. I love my family so I wouldn’t let anything happen to them.

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

• SuperMan because I could be able to use all of his powers on a daily basis to make my life easier.

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

• Losing my cousin Calvin. He was more like a brother to me because of how he was always around me and my sister. Just me accomplishing my goals in life was a way of me overcoming his loss. He was always proud of what I did so I know I’m making him happy up there.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• It had to be in little league during my championship game. We was losing and my momma started yelling real loud at the refs saying they was cheating for the other team and she got kicked out the game. I was embarrassed at first but we came back and won so I found it funny in the end.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• My first interception against UT Martin.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• Dedicated- NBA Youngboy

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

• Your commitment and being coachable.

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

• My cousin Calvin just to be able to give him a hug and tell him I love him face to face one more time.

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

• The Next Move

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?

• David Onyemata

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• Respect is more important than someone liking you so respect.

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

• Shawn Oakman. I was ready to see how he would perform in the NFL with his size and athleticism.

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 mom and sister. They taught me the importance of resiliency and how to never give up on what I want to accomplish if I ever want to be successful in life.