2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: David Albert, K/P, University of Incarnate Word

• Name: David Albert
• Height: 5’11
• Weight: 200
• Position: Kicker/Punter
• College: Incarnate Word 
• Twitter: @duhveed_alberto

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

• I’m from Grand Prairie, Texas in DFW! I’ve loved growing up there because of its city but suburban feel to it. Bordering Arlington, there was always stuff to do growing up from going to Six Flags, Rangers games, and even the lake 5 minutes from our house! 

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

1. Strength and Conditioning  

2. Film Study 

3. Practice

• Getting your body right is the first step because it prevents injury and prepares your body in muscle memory with explosion making your job easier when practice comes. 

• Film Study is next with the reason being to drill your mind what you will see and experience repeatedly, where it becomes second nature when presented the same situation in real time. 

• Practice I save for last solely because now that your body and mind has been prepared for what will come, your able to give more quality reps in practice which in turn makes you a better player! 

What do you worry about, and why?

• The only thing I ever worry about is being outworked. The Lord guides my steps in my life and if one door shuts its His plan. So, whatever happens is meant to happen, but one thing is for sure I will always be prepared and ready for when God gives me an opportunity in life. 

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

• My first true test came in high school when I missed a field goal with 3 seconds left in regulation which sent us to OT tied. I had never been tested until then because up until that game my junior year we had never had a close game. I hit the extra point in OT which gave us the lead and the win. It was my first real taste in what a career as a kicker would be, and I feel I grew a lot from that moment which catapulted me into success later in handling bigger situations. 

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• I’ve been told before that I do good in seeing the bright side of situations and always keeping my head positive, which is key and what we do as kickers! 

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

• It would have to be Eric Medina (Texas Southern) when I was at Alabama State before I transferred to Incarnate Word. It seemed that every time we faced each other we would go back and forth with kicks for our teams.

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

• I would still be somewhere in marketing and PR because of the way I feel I am good with people and relating to everyone on a personal level! 

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 would save my family member first but go out of my way and possibly put my life down for the 3 strangers to save them as well. I know where I’m going when the Lord calls me home, so that’s why I don’t fear death and would give my life up for them so that they could get a chance to know Jesus. 

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

• Vince Vaughn, I’ve been told I act like him with how he plays characters in movies that are very connecting with people and animated in his personality. 

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

• I received a phone call September 9^th, 2019 that my best friend/mentor/and Uncle Harley Corder had passed away 2 nights before. Having to play the biggest game of the season the following week against ranked HBU at their home stadium it was going to be the toughest week of my life. I drove to Monroe that week during our bye, attended the funeral, and drove back 2 days later jumping right back into practice. He always believed in me when no one else did, so throwing in the towel and not playing, even though considered, was not an option. I wrote his initials on my wrist right before kickoff and played my heart out for him. We pulled off the upset and won the game in miraculous fashion. So, pushing through the pain and playing for him knowing he was watching me above was one of the hardest but most rewarding things I’ve had to endure in my life. 

I ain’t the one, I promise you ???????? #ForTheBrand @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/MThMTHgegg

— Dave⚡️’20/1/2/3 AFC East ???? ‘23 WS Champs???? (@duhveed_alberto) September 29, 2019

What is your most embarrassing moment?

• We ran a fake field goal against Miles College my sophomore year in the Turkey Bowl and while trying to dive into the endzone I got leveled on National TV by the defender and he planted me into the ground haha.

What was the most memorable play of your collegiate career?

• My first magic city classic my freshman year at Alabama State, hitting the first extra point of the game at Regions Field in Birmingham in front of 82,000+ on national television. My dad came to that game and watched me play in the biggest game in my career up until that point. My kicking career had started in junior high, kicking junk footballs on a muddy field in Arlington. So, through years of hard work and support, we had made it to the biggest stage I had ever seen. When I saw him after the game all we could do was laugh because we were just in awe of what God had blessed us with in living out my dream. 

What song best describes your work ethic?

• No doubt its “Forever” by Drake ft. Kanye, Lil Wayne, and Eminem

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

• Its drive, and heart. What puts you over the top is how bad you want it and believing you can no matter what it may look like at the time. Belief is a very powerful thing; it brought together nations and has moved mountains in human history. Even God talks about it in the bible saying, “through the faith as small as a mustard seed the mountain will move at your command”. So, with hard work, determination, and refusing to accept defeat, anything is possible. Someone is going to be that person, why can’t it be you?

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

• I would bring back my best friend/mentor/and Uncle Harley Corder. Just to talk with him one more time, tell him I loved and missed him, and hoping that he would be proud of me today. 

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

• It would be a Latin Dance Club called “Tico Fievre”. Which is Spanish slang for “Costa Rican Fever”. 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• I think Stephen Hauschka is. Kickers don’t normally get respect anyway, but he is currently in his career 24/25 in the playoffs with the only miss coming from 50+ yards. In playoff football, every point is crucial, so having a guy that will deliver points every single time guaranteed, no matter the pressure is huge in my opinion. 

Would you rather be liked or respected, and why?

• I would rather be respected. It means people may not always like me (that’s life anyways), but they respect what I do because I do it at the highest level of detail in never giving half effort. 

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

• Michael Vick. We all make mistakes, and some mistakes were made by him. But he served his time, was remorseful, and worked back to the NFL still having a great career. Would he maybe have gone to a super bowl with the falcons in the years he lost? Very likely so. But he always has my utmost respect in the fact that you are who you choose to be, and you never have to be defined by your past no matter what anyone says! 

Do you love to win, or hate to lose?

• I hate to lose. I understand the importance of it, because it develops you more as a person and helps you grow as an athlete. But it stings so bad that I hate losing more than I like winning. It’s the drive I have that pushes me to win in every detail of the day so that I’m prepared for when big moments come! 

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

• My parents without a doubt. The have both made huge sacrifices for me that helped me be in the position I am today. I can’t thank my mother enough. Growing up on a farm in Costa Rica being the youngest of 7, she dreamed of coming to the United States for a better life for her children. Through years of hard work and waiting for the filing of paperwork, she earned her visa and moved to New York at my age, by herself, to chase her American dream. While working at H&R Block, she met my dad and they would get married and move to Texas having 3 kids which included me. The reason I work my tail off every day, is I hope to be the first Costa Rican to make it to the NFL, so I can go back to Costa Rica in Puntarenas where my mom was born and give back to the country who gave me my mother. Building schools, churches, and boosting the economy by attracting more investors to help the people of Costa Ricaand giving them hope that you can do whatever you believe in no matter where you come from. That’s my main goal. Even if I don’t make the NFL, I plan on working my way up in whatever corporation I’m at to gain the resources to do so. My mom gave up everything for me, so it’s only just for me to do the same.