NFL DraftProspect Interviews

2021 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Myles Manalo, LB, Western University

Myles Malano
Western University linebacker Myles Manalo is a hard hitting and mean player. He recently sat down with NFL Draft Diamonds owner Damond Talbot. (Photo Credit: Joanna K Photos)
  • Name: Myles Manalo
  • Height: 6’3
  • Weight: 230
  • Position: ILB
  • College: Western University 
  • Twitter/Instagram: @mylesamanalo

What is the best restaurant in your hometown city? 

• Cullaccino Bar + Kitchen which is downtown Burlington, you will never leave unpleased.

When breaking down your film what will stick out? 

• A bigger linebacker who is physical but able to move, that has loose hips and instincts to the football.

If you won the lotto, what is the first thing you would do with the money? 

• Pay off my parents debt and make sure they live happy and worry-free for the rest of their life.

What has been your biggest failure? 

• I wouldn’t say I have failed in anything, I see it more of a learning experience than failure.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

• Intense motivator – I like to talk to myself and pump my self up pre-game as well as yelling to rally up the boys and make sure everyone is ready to go on that opening whistle.

Who is the hardest working teammate on your team?

• Antonio Valvano easy.

Have you ever had a nickname? What is it?

• Mapano coming into my first-year ahah

What is your degree in, if you do not make it as a football player, what is your dream job? 

• My degree is in history where I plan on becoming a teacher as well as coaching football, to pass down my knowledge to the next generation of athletes. 

What is your coolest life moment? 

• Being an uncle at a young age and being able to be tight knitted with my nieces and nephew while experiencing each of them grows older. 

What song would you sing at Karaoke night? 

• Rockstar – Nickelback 

Check out NFL Draft Diamonds 2021 Small School Rankings

If you could pick any actor to play you in a movie, who are you picking? 

• Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? everyone thinks I’m Hawaiian.

Who is your favorite football team? 

• Pittsburgh Steelers 

What is your biggest fear? 

• Letting those down who invested in me. 

Who is the most underrated player in the NFL? 

• KJ Wright 

Take us through game day, How do you prepare? 

• Cook a big breakfast when I wake up that usually consists of 4 strips of turkey bacon, a cup of white jasmine rice, and 3 over-easy eggs. When I arrive at the stadium on game days I like to wake myself up before by taking an ice-cold shower before putting on my equipment to go on the field. But before any of that, I like to get all of my equipment I’m using readily so that I am able to just sit in my locker, eat a couple of bananas and blast my music where I can do any last-minute stretching and rolling out.

If you had to compare yourself to someone in the NFL, who would that be? 

• Dont’a Hightower because he’s a linebacker who is a hammer rather than the nail and I have believed and been taught at a young age that you always have to have the mindset of you being that hammer willing to crush anything that comes your way, Hightower is a bigger physical linebacker that does not shy away from contact but as well as a guy who is able to move sideline to sideline.

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

Growing up and being the youngest out of 5 boys, my brothers and parents have been by my side since day one. I am thankful for all the hazing and beatings my brothers gave me growing up ahah it allowed me to grow up being a natural competitor where I wanted to beat my brothers in everything we did growing up, this taught and gave me to have the mindset that I will beat you and I will not lose. My parents have given me everything since day one, they gave up many things for me to have even if that sent them back a couple of steps, they have done everything for me since I could know and this is what drives me to repay what my parents have given to me, but lastly the legacy of the Manalo name. I want to leave a legacy through my name of football that won’t be forgotten and I want others around Canada to remember my name, this is what drives me to make it next level and keep playing football as a job. 

What motivates you to work hard?

Understanding that football will one day end, it’s just when. It opened my mind up that this is a once and a lifetime opportunity where my body can only go through this once so every day I will work my hardest and trust the process as it will lead me to my end goal.

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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