2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Evan Gray, RB, University of New Hampshire
- Name: Evan Gray
- Height: 5’10
- Weight:228
- Position: RB/FB
- College: University of New Hampshire
- Twitter: @evangray32
Tell us about your hometown, and what you love most about it?
• I am from Centreville Virginia. It is a suburban city around Washington D.C. I have spent most of my life here and love how close it is to our nation’s capital. Being so close D.C is nice because you are close to so many historical buildings such as the Pentagon, White House, and the National Museum of African American History. Growing up in Centreville, I went on field trips to D.C all the time.
List these three in order of importance and why: Film Study, Strength and Conditioning and Practice?
• I would say strength and conditioning is the most important of these three because for me it was always important to stay in shape and get myself in the best shape possible to play the best I can. The next important one would be film study because watching film is the best way to learn from mistakes, get familiar with defenses I will play against, and get mental reps of plays to understand each assignment I have in a play. And lastly practice is when you put all your conditioning and film study and perform to the best of your ability.
What do you worry about, and why?
• I worry about not living up to my expectations because I strive to succeed on and off a football field. I try my best to plan and be ready for whatever I face in life. So, I guess I am always worried about not achieving my goals in life because I work so hard to achieve them.
Give me an example of when you failed at something. How did you react and how did you overcome failure?
• I have always struggled with academics and during my freshman year I had to take a sports media relation class and received a D in the class. In order to receive credit, I needed a B in the class and needed to retake the class. After this failure I was determined to do better in this class and the next time I took it I went to my professor’s office hours twice a week, I would ask my professor to look at my assignments. I bothered him as much as I could to show him a willing to do better in this class, and it paid of because I got an A in the class.
What do your teammates say is your best quality?
• They would say my best quality is probably that I always like to be ready and on time for things. My teammates would always mess with me about how prepared I try to be for anything we do. I always like to make sure I am ready for whatever I must face especially when it comes to football. Some examples are if we had practice at 6:30 in the morning I would most likely be in the locker room at 5:30 or getting treatment. I like to make sure all my equipment is ready so I can be the first one on the field or workout in the off season.
Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?
• I would say the best player I have played against was George Odum. He was a safety and played on Central Arkansas, and now I believe he plays on the Colts. George was very talented and was very physical. He always seemed to make a play no matter where he was on the field
What would your career be if you couldn’t play football?
• When my days of playing football come to an end, I would love to get in athletic administration in the collegiate level. I would love to take a grad. assistantship for event management. That way I can work under an athletic program to gain experience and earn my master’s degree as well.
Room, desk and car – which do you clean first?
• I would clean my room first. While at the University of New Hampshire, coach Mac, who is the head coach, showed us a video of William McRaven who is a US Navy Admiral. He talked at the university of Texas’ graduation commencement ceremony. He talked about how if you want to change the world, you need to start by cleaning your bed. He would further explain that making your bed reinforces the fact that the little things matter, and if you can not do the little things right you can’t do the big things right. Those words stuck with me and after that I always make sure my room and bed look good before I leave for the day.
If there was a disaster and you could either save three strangers or one family member, which would you choose and why?
• It would have to be a family member. My family is very important to me so it would be hard to save three strangers over them.
If you could be any television or movie character, who would you be and why?
• I would have to say T’challa from the Blank Panther movie, because I have always loved the Marvel movies and I think the Black Panther is the best hero out of the Avengers.
Tell me about your biggest adversity in life and how you’ve dealt with or overcome it?
• For this season, I would say my biggest challenge was leading my team as a captain. Being a captain at UNH meant everything to me, but it was very challenging. More responsibility was placed on me because I was the only offensive captain and our head coach had to step down this season due to health reasons. I just took it one day at a time and wanted to lead by example and preach the culture of this team on and off the field to show younger players what is expected of them.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
• Before I went to college, my brother and I went to an amusement park in Virginia and we met two girls there who wanted to go on this ride in the park called the hurler. I told myself I shouldn’t go on it because I get bad motion sickness on roller coasters, but I was trying to impress the girls we were with. I made a terrible mistake because after the ride I threw up multiple times in front of the girls.
What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?
• My most memorable play in my collegiate career would have to be my touchdown when we played Central Arkansas in the playoffs in 2017, who at the time was ranked 4th in the country in FCS football. It was the first drive of the game, and we needed to score after they scored on their first drive. After I was able to convert on two 4th downs in the drive we were in the red zone and we ran a trick play that made me appear like I was blocking for a run and went out on a pass for the touchdown.
What song best describes your work ethic?
• I would have to say I go to work by Kool Moe Dee, who is an old school rapper. I love old school hip-hop and I usually play this song before games and practice.
What is the most important trait you can have (Physical or Non-Physical) to help you succeed at the next level?
• I would have to say an important trait have is my positive attitude. I like to think of myself as a team player and will do anything a coach asks of me in order to win a football game. If I am asked to work on something, I will make it my business to be the best I can be at whatever is asked of me. Whatever opportunity I get I will work as hard as I can and will be doing it with a smile on my face.
If you could bring one person back from the dead for one day, who would it be and why?
• I would want to bring back Martin Luther King Jr., because I would love to sit down and talk to him and just ask about his life from his point of view.
If you were to open a dance club, what would you name it?
• If I had a nightclub, I would probably have to call it the Gray Room Nightclub, and it would be located in D.C.
Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?
• Taysom Hill is a very underrated player in my opinion. He is the back up quarter back on the saints, but they use him as a fullback, special teams’ player, and trick plays. He is very versatile and plays physical and I think that makes him a very good football player.
Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?
• I would rather be respected because I think respect is important to have when you’re on a football team. Without respect you lack credibility and without that you are not a good teammate.
What player who had his career derailed by off-field issues do you feel for the most and why?
• I would have to say Colin Kaepernick because I have always thought he was a talented player. He is a great quarterback and led his team to a Superbowl, but his acts of protest have made teams not want him.
Do you love to win, or hate to lose?
• I love to win. I have worked hard all year to get ready for the season and I work hard during the season in order to win. As much as I love to compete winning is always the main objective in my eyes.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
• My father is the biggest influence in my life. Growing up he was the main reason why I wanted to play a sport in college. My father played soccer at Clemson University and won a National Championship their as well. knowing this I wanted to succeed in sports and get to the next level, and he was very supportive to me and helped me whenever I needed it.
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