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2022 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Gianni D’Arienzo, DB, William Jewell College

Gianni D'Arienzo, DB, William Jewell College
Gianni D’Arienzo the solid defensive back from William Jewell College recently sat down with NFL Draft Diamonds writer Justin Berendzen.
  • Name: Gianni D’Arienzo
  • Position: DB
  • College: William Jewell College
  • Height: 6’0″
  • Weight: 195 lbs 
  • Twitter: @gdarienzo18
  • Instagram: @saint_g29 

1. What should we know about Gianni D’Arienzo the person?

I am a good person. I am trying to leave this world better than what I left it. I feel like a person is judged based on their legacy and I want my legacy to be remembered by people as someone who always was smiling and having fun or trying to get you to get better whether it be physical or mental. 

 2. What is your mindset when you are on the football field?

My mindset on the field wins every rep. Treat every rep the same so whether it’s the first play or last play win my rep. 

3. What does it mean to you to be a captain on William Jewell?

It actually means a lot to me. I have always been a hard worker but I have never been a captain and being voted by my teammates to be a captain just makes me feel good to be recognized by not just coaches but by my teammates.  

4. What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

I’ve been playing football since I was 6. I love the sport. This is all I have known. I can remember when I was younger and I couldn’t even watch a game because I would want to go outside and play catch or something. Now once I was in high school I believed in my abilities and knew I could go to college off my skill and even possibly get paid to play football. And why would I want a job when I can have a career in what I can have fun and do what I love. 

 5. If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day who and why?

What a question I feel like there are so many players that I could have a good time with but if I had to choose one I would choose Mr. PRIMETIME himself, Deion Sanders. I think Deion has so much knowledge that he could teach me not just in football but in life. This could help me mentally just be better in life as a whole. 

6. What sets you apart from other defensive backs?

My versatility and my football IQ are what I believe sets me apart from other defensive backs. With my versatility, I have played both cornerback and strong safety at the collegiate level and I would love to play more in the slot if possible, I also started one game(a bowl game) at outside backer at JUCO, I always play any and all special teams that my team may need me to do. And with my high IQ, I can coach up players at any position as well as be able to recognize what plays the other team may be running. 

7. What are your favorite things about playing football for William Jewell?

I love playing for my teammates at Jewell, I love the community that surrounds Jewell and I love how my coaches, trainers, and teachers all have faith that I can accomplish great things in this life. 

8. How do you prepare for games?

I study the other team’s game film earlier in the week. As the week passes I watch more practice film to see how I can do things better and Thursday night and Friday I go back to watch the other teams film to see if I see a tendency, whether it be play calls, or player alignments, or even just the pace at which they play. 

9. What is your favorite workout?

I like to do Bulgarian split squats with my back leg elevated.

10. What would a team get in a player like you?

Teams would get a play-maker, someone who is always where he is supposed to be, and also someone who leads by example.

11. What are your favorite moments from your football life?

I would say it was a fairly recent moment. In my first NCAA game, I had a couple of PBUs, a couple of tackles and I feel like I had a great game that led to us winning, after the game, our interim head coach, Coach Lit, gave the post-game speech and awarded me the coin that the refs used with the captains at the beginning of the game. It was again just one of these moments that I got recognized for working hard and having a good game. 

12. What type of energy do you bring onto the football field?

I bring calming energy to the field. I’m never to high and I never get low. I try to help my teammates keep their heads and not let their emotions get the best of them.

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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