2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Montrice Johns, DT, UNLV
Student-Athlete Profile:
- Montrice Johns
- UNLV
- DT
- 6’4”
- 325lbs.
- San Diego, CA
- Twitter: @Montrice_Johns
- Major: Sociology
2019 Statistics:
- GP: 12
- Total Tackles: 16
- TFL: 2.0
- Sacks: 1.0
- BK: 2
As an athlete, what is your motivation?
I have a lot of motivation as an athlete. Day in and day out you have to wake up and grind in some type of way throughout the day because there is someone out there in the same position as you who is putting in the work just like you and you can’t let them get too far ahead and leave you behind. Not letting down my loved ones is also very important to me because at the end of the day family is what I got.
What defines success for you?
Success for me is when you climb into bed at the end of the day you can close your eyes to go to sleep and have no worries or regrets about the day you just finished.
What would your teammates say about the type of teammate you are?
Funny, caring, and energetic when some music comes on. I don’t just play for myself I play for the name on the front and the back because that’s what matters most to me.
What are some of your personal “rules” that you never break?
Never let my emotions get the best of me in a crucial situation. Learn as much as I can whenever I can, and give it all I got.
When did you fall in love with football?
I can’t say I ever really fell in love with football but I respect it with all my heart. This sport takes a toll on you and your body is paying the price. It has to be when I went to JUCO after my first year at D-1 FBS, went south the grind to get back at the highest level at that time for me was so nerve-racking and all I could do was give it all I have and hope another coach gave me a chance, and they did.
What do you do to calm the butterflies before a game?
Pregame music. I’d slide on my Beats and let the flow of the music distract me from what made me nervous.
Who is the toughest player you’ve competed against during your collegiate career?
Myself. I say that because only you can put limits on yourself which I did a lot of in my career and I finally put an end to that.
Who is the best player in the NFL?
I’d have to go with Khalil Mack or Lamar Jackson. Khalil because he is just such a dominant force on the defensive side of the ball. My reasoning for Lamar is because he incorporated his style of playing into the game and he is just having his way on the field week after week.
What is the best part about competition?
All those days of work and training paying off on game day with a W.
What is your team of choice on Madden, why?
Ravens, Chiefs, and Seahawks because I love a team with a mobile quarterback and solid running back. Also, they need to have a good linebacker I can move around and lurk with.
Failure is inevitable in life. How do you handle situations that don’t go in your favor?
I learn from it and do whatever I can to get a better outcome the next time failure comes my way.
Who is your sports hero? Why?
I don’t really have one. I never was one to idolize but I am still a fan of other athletes.
Is there a current/former NFL player that you model your game after?
I don’t model my game off of one specific player. I look at all the dominant ballers like Von Miller, Aaron Donald, Khali Mack, and Cameron Jordan and take moves from them that I believe I can add to my skill tree.
Knowing what you do now, what would you go back and tell yourself as a High-School Freshman?
Stay in the books, the work ethic was there on the court and field but not as much in the academics.
What is your go-to restaurant near campus?
Dog Haus.
If your life was a book, what would its title be?
“The Show Goes On.”
What is playing in your headphones before a game?
Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Drake, Future, and Young Thug.
If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, living or deceased, who would it be and why?
Lebron James, because I’m trying to make a new friend business-wise and personally.
When football is over, what will your legacy be?
I may have not wanted to do a lot of think like the five o’clock morning but I sure as hell did them and my kids will be able to say their dad was a college athlete which isn’t an easy thing to do.
Give me your elevator pitch to a Pro Football GM in 15 words or less. Why should we invest in you?
I’m a big man that can move with a lot of growth left in me.
