2021 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Brendan Nichols, DL, West Liberty University
- Name: Brendan Nichols
- Height: 6’3”
- Weight: 280
- Position: DL
- College: West Liberty University
- Twitter: @_xcvii__
What is the best restaurant in your hometown city?
• The best restaurant in my hometown city would be City Barbeque. I say this because the variety of their menu far exceeds the impression of the name of the restaurant
When breaking down your film what will stick out?
• Initially, you will see how fast I can get off the ball. As the film continues you will see how versatile I am on the entire D-Line, and then see my motor from watching me make plays all over the field from the backfield to 30 yards downfield.
If you won the lotto, what is the first thing you would do with the money?
• The first thing I would do after winning would be to finish paying off my church’s debt from building a new location. I want to help out my community as much as possible, and give back to those who have helped me throughout the years. My involvement with the church is very important to me and if I won the lotto, I would give back to the church before anything else.
What has been your biggest failure?
• To date I believe my biggest failure was not taking my high school academics more seriously. If I could go back and be a more serious student in high school I would. But this failure has taught me numerous lessons and helped me grow, not only as a student but as a person as well.
What do your teammates say is your best quality?
• My teammates say that by best quality is the energy that I bring on and off of the field, along with my versatility.
Who is the hardest working teammate on your team?
• My teammates and I are all very hardworking and dedicated, but when it comes to the hardest working teammate, one stands out more than the others. I would have to say that Kenyon Felder is the hardest working because he trains off the field, and is constantly working to improve himself more and more every day.
Have you ever had a nickname? What is it?
• I have so many nicknames that it’s ridiculous, but a couple would be “Big B, Tank, and B-Dawg”.
What is your degree in, if you do not make it as a football player, what is your dream job?
• My degree at West Liberty University is in Exercise Physiology. Besides wanting to be a professional football player, I have aspirations of owning the #1 Physical Therapy firm nationwide. Being a business owner and using my degree at the same time is a huge goal for me. I would like to be able to own a successful business while also helping others who need Physical Therapy services.
What is your coolest life moment?
• My coolest life moment was when I was able to sign my scholarship papers to ensure that my mother didn’t have to pay for my schooling anymore. I was proud of myself for working hard and receiving a football scholarship to West Liberty, and I was thankful that I was able to make my mother proud at the same time.
What song would you sing at Karaoke night?
• At Karaoke night, my go-to song would be one of my all-time favorite old school jams “My My My” by Johnny Gill. I like the song because it gives off a natural vibe, in my opinion, of the raw, genuine love you might have for someone. I say this because I’m an “old head” when it come to the romance category.
If you could pick any actor to play you in a movie, who are you picking?
• Without any hesitation I’m picking Denzel Washington to play me in a movie. I would pick him because he has an unmatched act spectrum. His ability to change character voices, and have multiple roles in a single movie, make him unmatched. As a very close second, it would be Will Smith.
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Who is your favorite football team?
• My favorite football team is the Pittsburgh Steelers. It started off innocently because I liked the color scheme. But as I got older and learned the history and realized the meaning of the steel curtain, I grew to love and bleed the black and yellow.
If you had a warning label, what would yours say?
• “Sarcastic is an understatement”. I would say this because I’m a funny guy without trying to be because of my wittiness, but still having my funny yet smart-mouthed ways
What is your biggest fear?
• My biggest fear is staying in the same spot after I’ve failed at something, and I do not want failure to stop me from reaching my goals. Sometimes it is hard to keep moving forward when you have failed at something. I work on my fear every day to help make sure that it doesn’t keep me from becoming the person that I want to be in life.
Who is the most underrated player in the NFL?
• In my opinion, the most underrated player in the NFL is Marvelle Ross. When you consider not only his size but his background, his athleticism is unmatched. Because of these things people may have already formed an opinion about him, when in reality, he’s going to blow your mind the first opportunity he has to touch the field professionally
Take us through game day, How do you prepare?
•On game day I’ll wake up before the team meal and do a 30 min yoga session. This helps me relax, prepare, and focus. After completing my morning yoga session, I will go to the team meal and eat with my teammates and coaches. While eating I’ll put my music on and start getting mentally prepared. Next, before meetings with the team and the coaches, I’ll get dressed in my undergarments. That way, as soon as meetings are over, my music is back on, and I can start to get taped up, Then I hit the field in my bottoms, and do my own stretching and drills before we come out as a team.
Do you have any hobbies?
• I don’t particularly have any specific hobbies, but I just like to have fun with whatever it is that I’m doing. I like to remain a positive person and keep other’s spirits up no matter the occasion.
If you had to compare yourself to someone in the NFL, who would that be?
• I would have to say Quinnen Williams or Daron Payne are players I would compare myself to in the NFL.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life and explain why?
• My mother has been my biggest influence! She has never given up on me, even when I gave up on myself. She is my backbone and never let me actually quit, and she was there for me, literally, when nobody else was. She made sure I never missed a practice or game whether I was playing or not playing, and especially when I wasn’t.
What motivates you to work hard?
• The mere thought of being able to pay back my mother and grandmother is what keeps me motivated. They sacrificed their last to make sure I was good and have what I needed. I know I’ll never be able to pay them back for everything they have done for me in my life, but it’s the intention and principle behind just the thought of being able to, that makes me work that much harder every single day.
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