2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Dwaine Thomas Jr., OLB, Southeastern Louisiana Univerity

• Name: Dwaine Thomas Jr.
• Height: 6’1
• Weight: 225
• Position:OLB
• College: Southeastern Louisiana University
• Twitter:@Thomas__Waine

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

• I’m from Hahnville Louisiana. It’s a small town in St.Charles Parish. Not much happens there. The thing that I love most is that everyone knows everyone. I have a lot of family that stay close. 

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

• Practice is most important because that’s where you’re building your playing habits and learning to recognize what you’re seeing

• Film is second because that’s where you get your preview of what you will see at practice & in the game. You can learn the other teams tendencies so that you can get a beat on what they like to do. 

• Strength & conditioning is third because that’s where you prepare your body for the season. I put it as third because it’s for the physical part of the game. I feel as though football is more mental than physical 

What do you worry about, and why?

• I worry about making my family proud because they’ve always put so much belief in me. I just want to make them happy. I always felt I owed it to them to be the best that I can

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

• One example of a time I failed was when I first got to college my grades were terrible. I ended up on academic probation. I responded to that by making the honor roll the very next semester. I realized it would take extra effort to do the things i needed to do in the class room. I realized I had to take advantage of the help that was offered to me.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My effort. When I see the ball I go after it. I want to make the play Myself as opposed to watching someone else make it. The best players always end up around the ball because the are in constant pursuit of it.

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

• In my opinion the best player I faced in college would have to be Alvin Kamara. He made so many plays in a bunch of different ways. He did it catching the ball, running the ball, and as a return man. 

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

• I want to be my own boss so I always thought about getting into real estate or selling cars

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

• I clean my room first then the desk. I’ve never had a car

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

• I’m saving my family member. I don’t know the strangers but I love my family and I’ll always put them first. 

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

• I would be David Rice from the movie jumper. He has the ability to be anywhere in the world at any time. With just 1 thought he could he half way around the world

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

• The biggest adversity in my life was losing all my grandparents and uncle when I was very young. It hurt me a lot because they all passed before I was 13. I overcame it by doing the things that I know would make them happy and I think that is what carried me this far in life.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• The most embarrassing thing that’s happened to me was almost drowning at a pool party when I was in the 7th grade.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• The most memorable play of my college career was a big hit in our playoff game against Villanova. I was rushing the passer and after the quarterback threw the ball I ran down the field and got a big hit on the tight end. It saved a first down because they were on 3rd down and he fumbled. 

What song best describes your work ethic?

• Kodak black- Gave it All I got

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

• Great effort and a high motor takes people a long way. Effort makes up for a lot of things

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

• I would bring back grandma on my mother’s side so that she could see how far I’ve come. She was the person who brought me to all my sports events when i was little but she passed when I was 10 years old

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

• I would name it The Shakedown 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• Taysom Hill- his ability to make an impact at any point in the game is amazing. His versatility makes him very dangerous 

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• I would rather be respected. In life everyone will not like you but respect will get you what you deserve. 

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

• I feel most for Josh Gordon. You hate to see such a great talent not be able to overcome himself. I feel he could have been historically great with the path he was on but he was never able to stay on the right path. 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I love to win. Not many feelings in life can top the feeling of winning. The rush that comes with winning is unmatched.

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

• The biggest influence on my life has been my Mom. Watching her is what taught me strength. When times were hard she always found a way to make things happen. She was a young parent taking care of 2 kids before she even turned 20. She did her best to provide for us and watching her do all that made me feel like I owe it to her to be the best man I can be. She raised me the right way