2020 NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Jacob Protzman, DE, Wayne State College

• Name: Jacob Protzman
• Height: 6’4.5”
• Weight: 255
• Position: Defensive End
• College: Wayne State College
• Twitter: @JacobProtzman

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

• I am from Grimes, Iowa. It is a town in the suburbs of Des Moines, I like it there because it has a small-town environment, with a city right next to it, you get a mix of the countryside and city environment.

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

• I would rank practice first, because you get a look at the opposing teams plays and can get a feel for what the game will be like. I would rank film study second, film study is very important for picking up opponent tendencies. And I would rank strength and conditioning third, while strength and conditioning is extremely important in the offseason, during the season it is mostly for injury prevention, which is still important.

What do you worry about, and why?

• I worry about being unprepared, because if you fail to prepare you prepare to fail.

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

• An example of a failure of mine is not getting a desired grade on an exam, while I did not fail the exam, I did not get the grade I had desired. I was upset and knew I had to prepare differently. To study for this next exam, I changed my approach to not just memorizing but learning to apply the material. This helped me score my desired grade on my next exam.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• My teammates would say my best quality is my relentlessness and tenacity. I give everything I have on every play; I don’t take plays off.

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

• Trey Pipkins of Sioux Falls

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

• My career would be a veterinarian.

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

• I would clean my car first, because that’s the most seen by people.

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

• I would save one family member, I would save my family member because I know and care about them, while I don’t know who the three strangers are.

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

• I would be the Hulk. Because he has two sides a genius scientist side and a muscular powerful side.

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

• My biggest adversity in life was being successful in both football and school. I overcame balancing these two by having determination, perseverance, and time management. And as a result, I was extremely successful in both football and the classroom.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• One of my most embarrassing moments was going out to practice and I had forgot my helmet, I had to run back into the locker-room and grab it.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• The most memorable play of my college career was during my junior season against Southwest Minnesota State on the road. It was the last play of the game, and I got the sack, that sack set the school record for sacks in a game at 5.

What song best describes your work ethic?

• “Till I Collapse” by Eminem.

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

• I think the most important trait for success at the next level is being able to learn from previous mistakes.

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

• My grandfather, I never really got to know him while he was alive.

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

• I would name it Blitz.

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?

• Maxx Crosby of the Raiders

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• I would rather be respected. Respect has to be earned and people look up to you.

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

• JJ Watt, he is one of the best defensive players of all time and is one of the hardest working players, but he has been injury prone these last few seasons.

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I hate to lose, it’s a horrible feeling watching the other team celebrate winning.

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

• My dad he works extremely hard in everything he does in life from his family to his job.