2022 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Jalen Spady, C, Florida A&M

• Name: Jalen M. Spady 
• Position: Center
• College: Florida A&M
• Height: 6’2
• Weight: 312
• Twitter: _JSpady
• Instagram: j.spady

What makes you a top prospect at your position  in the 2022 NFL Draft?

– My football IQ, and my work ethic. I feel like I am elite in both categories and it’s my separating factor.

At what age were you first interested in the sport of football? 

– I’ve been interested in football since day 1, I’m the son of a college football coach so it’s been a part of my life for some time now. The love for the sport runs deep.

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

– NFL teams should know that I bring energy to everything I do, and I love to compete in any and everything. 

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?

– I would donate to the organization 4Ocean. They travel around cleaning beaches, rivers, and lakes donating their time and energy to reducing pollution around the world.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

– Be where your feet are, and control what you can control.

Who was your childhood hero?

– My childhood heroes were my parents, just seeing them work together to raise me and my brother inspired me to try to be like them. They always did their best to make sure we had what we needed or wanted and made something out of nothing at times. True inspirations to me.

Who is the most underrated teammate in your locker room at your school?

– I would say, WR Chad Hunter, was injured most of last year but this year he made some pro-level catches in big-time moments.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

– My biggest pet peeve is when people don’t listen to instructions, mainly because you have to spend more time explaining them again taking away from what you need to do.

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome?

– The quarantine in 2020 brought a lot of challenges that I had never faced before. They shut down all sports, money was tight at the time, and we had to stay inside for weeks. This is when the advice to be where your feet are and control what you can come into play and soon enough, we were back in some capacity.

Tell me something about your school and why it is so special to you?

– A school is truly an amazing place, the pride that everyone has in saying they go to FAMU is special. That’s special to me because you’re never alone anywhere you go as a FAMU graduate. It has truly been a life-changing experience.

What is your favorite snack food?

– Takis hands down would be my favorite snack food.

What is the best part of football?

– Winning games. That’s what all the preparation goes towards so when you finally do get that win, there’s nothing better than that.

If you could sell yourself in one sentence what would you say?

– I won’t be outworked by anyone, and I truly believe I am a steal that would bring value to any organization that chooses me.

If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be?

– I watch a lot of Ryan Jensen, I try to emulate some of the things he does within my style of play so I would say he’s, by comparison. 

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why?

– I would have dinner with Lewis Hamilton because he embodies what excellence is in his sport, Kanye West because he’s one of my favorite artists and has a creative mind, and finally Muhammad Ali for his dedication to being the best and always working like it.