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2022 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Jesiah Carlton, LB, Wingate University

Jesiah Carlton Wingate University 2022 NFL Draft
Jesiah Carlton the star linebacker from Wingate University recently sat down with NFL Draft Diamonds writer Justin Berendzen.
  • Name: Jesiah Carlton
  • Position: LB
  • College: Wingate University 
  • Height: 6’1/2″
  • Weight: 230 lbs
  • Twitter: @tru_carlton
  • Instagram: @jlc13_ 

1.) What are your favorite things about playing football for Wingate?

My favorite thing about playing for Wingate is the culture of hard work that is the standard for our team. We focus on the phrase “OneDog365” to be what everyone should practice while on and off campus to make sure work is always being done. Adding on to that, is the guys on the team. We push each other everyday while building bonds that will last a lifetime.

2.) What should we know about Jesiah Carlton the person?

What to know about me is that I love the grind of football. Growing up football was just a sport that I played in the summer but over my college career I have found that it has to be more than just a hobby. In order for the game to reward you, you have to put in the work and fall in love with all that comes with it. That includes the highs and the lows that you may face.

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

The player that I would choose to hang out with for a day would be without a doubt Odell Beckham. The passion that he shows towards the game is truly inspiring and a big part of why he is one of my favorite players. He also brings a swag to the field that is unmatched. He is the second reason for why I wear the number 13.

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

For me, football was never really a choice because of how big I was as a child and because of the career that my dad had while playing at Winston Salem State. What made me decide to start taking football seriously was being exposed to the life that a professional player can live and the opportunity to take care of my family off of a paycheck that comes from me playing the sport I love. I thought of what life would be without the sport and I was not ready for that. 

5.) What is your favorite workout?

My favorite workout to do is hang clean. There’s nothing like the feeling of getting under a heavy weight and screaming all the way to the top of the rep. All explosion lifts are a favorite of mine because they are the building blocks to being good at football.

6.) What are your favorite moments from your football life?

My first favorite moment of my football life was my sophomore year of high school when my team won the first conference championship in school history. That team was full of guys that I call my brother and we had a lot of great talent. My next favorite moment was when I played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. For a full week I was surrounded by some of the top athletes in North and South Carolina and we got to compete for the title, in which my team came out on top. The last moment was my freshman year of college when we won the SAC conference championship. That season I got my second ring, and I got to learn a lot from some of the vets on the team.

7.) What sets you apart from other linebackers?

What sets me apart from other linebackers is my speed and instincts to make a play. Being fast on the field allows you to play more freely because at any time that you mess up you can quickly recover to get back in the right spot. Instincts fall right behind the speed by making sure those mess ups on the field are minimal. When you can go out on the field and play without thinking, you will make a lot more plays than a player who is constantly in their own head.

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

The energy that I bring to the field is a confident and exciting vibe that has been the same since I was a child. Your typical leaders are those who scream and yell to keep everyone in check but I have always been taught that the best leaders just do it and don’t say much. I like to make others feel like when they are on the field they are doing nothing but having fun. This method has always been my go to because when you’re having fun you don’t think about the things that don’t matter.

9.) How do you prepare for games?

I prepare for games by relaxing and letting my music take my mind away. I have a playlist that is designated to my pre performance that is filled with songs that simply get me in that dog mode. I also like to get a good stretch in so that not only my mind is relaxed but also my body. Another thing I do to prepare is watch College Football big hit complications. I started doing this in 4th grade and it stuck with me ever since.

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

What a team would get in a player like me is someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to win. I’m willing to do the dirty work all while keeping the mentality of a player who is a starter. I will come to practice everyday ready to work and learn from those who have more knowledge than me about the game. All I need is for a team to give me an opportunity and my work ethic will take care of the rest. I also will bring energy to the locker room and weight room so that everyone around is getting the best out of themselves each day.

11.) What are you looking forward to in your upcoming season?

What I’m looking forward to in this upcoming season is proving to myself that I am who I say I am. I’ve been grinding hard for the past year so that when an opportunity for the next level is presented, I know that my preparation will carry me there. I’m also excited to see what my team is capable of doing with our first full game season since 2019. We have a lot of young talent and leading them to another championship is something that I see as my biggest goal.

12.) What is a moment that improved you as a football player?

The moment that improved me as a football player was the entire Covid 19 quarantine. With so much time to just think, I had to make a decision on whether I was going to be a player that played my four years and got a job or a player that was working to make it to my ultimate childhood dream of being a professional football player. The decision was easy to make because of what goals for the life I wanted to live after college only would be met if I gave my all to football and moved with a chip on my shoulder. I had to think back to all the unqualified positions that God put me in and know that if i worked hard enough those opportunities would come back around. Quarantine is when I realized that in order for me to make it to the league I had to turn my lifestyle into one of somebody already there.

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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