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2023 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Kamren Watkins-Hunter, DB, Georgetown University

Kamren Watkins-Hunter the standout defensive back from Georgetown University recently sat down with Evan Willsmore of Draft Diamonds
  • Name: Kamren Watkins-Hunter
  • Position: Defensive Back
  • School: Georgetown University
  • Height: 6’1
  • Weight: 185
  • Twitter: @Kamren84

Talk about your experience as a student. What is your major/minor? Did you participate in any other activities or campus organizations other than football?

Being a student at Georgetown University has really been a blessing. I enjoy every moment of it, whether it’s going to class, being on the field , or just being in the environment itself. The teachers make it easy for me to feel like I belong because they go above and beyond to make sure I am comfortable in their class.  I also have acquired a great group of friends that make Georgetown feel more like a home. I am double majoring in management and finance while also having a minor in mathematics. While football takes up the majority of my time, I made it a priority to become involved in a Black Leadership club, as it helped me connect more with the other African American students at Georgetown.

What do your teammates say is your best quality?

I believe my teammates would say my best quality would be my work ethic. This is because I work out multiple times per day including before practice and after practice. I strongly believe that hard work is the key to consistency which leads to success. Every workout my mentality is that I have to outwork myself each and every day because nobody is going to work harder than me.

What kind of role do you see yourself in on the team? What scheme and/or position suits your skill set?

The role I see myself on the team is an independent leader. What I mean by an independent leader is that I lead by example with my work ethic and attitude toward the game. At the same time, when it comes to being vocal and lifting up the team I try my best to do this because I have so much passion for the game I want that energy to also inspire my teammates. I make sure that if something doesn’t go as planned I cheer my teammates on so that it doesn’t affect them for the whole game. The scheme that suits my skill set the most is man coverage because I see myself as a lockdown corner and I can’t call myself that if I’m only good when I’m playing zone coverage. I feel that man coverage is what separates a corner from a lockdown corner.

Who is the best player you have ever played against in college?

I do have to admit there are a lot of great players in the league and I did have some challenges. With that being said though, I would have to say the toughest person I played against would have to be my own teammate Joshua Tomas (JT). I was fortunate enough to have an FCS-receiving leader on my team in which we would have daily battles going back and forth. These tough battles helped me prepare for the games because I had to go against an elite receiver every day in practice. I knew guarding JT I had to be locked in because any slip up he was going to take full advantage of it. Going against JT has elevated my game even more.

Which one of your teammates impresses you the most?

This is a difficult question because I love all my teammates and we have a lot of great talent on the team. Shoutout to my man Ibri Harrell and Joshua Tomas. The one who impressed me the most though would have to be the man on the other side of the field, Wedner Cadet. He is another lockdown corner like me and made the HERO FCS Freshman All-American team, not too much to say after that just turn on the film. 

What makes you different from others at your position? 

What separates me from the rest of the players at my position is my mentality towards playing man and not just man, but press man. I love the challenge of lining it up against the best receiver and being on an island. My confidence grows when I’m consistently locking them down and they are no longer a factor in the game. This helps me play better and makes it easier for me to make more plays. There maybe times a ball gets caught, but that happens when you’re playing man a lot and there is a saying of having a next play mentality. Another thing is that I try to perfect my craft at all levels in my game, whether it’s making tackle, man or zone coverage. I want to the be best at them all.

Describe a time in your life when you were able to overcome a struggle.

The time I struggled the most would have to be my Sophomore year of high school. I went to a new school and didn’t really know how to fit in. I was going through personal issues finding a stable home, while also figuring out life at my new school which made me want to quit football. I thought about quitting because I felt it was necessary for my mental health, but my younger brother gave me the strength and courage to continue. I am glad I made the decision to continue playing football because it has afforded me many opportunities which I never thought would have been possible.

If you didn’t play football, what other sport would you play?

I would definitely be playing basketball right now. That was actually my first love until I realized I wasn’t going to grow past 6’1. I really enjoyed playing basketball, because there were more opportunities to contribute to your teams victory.  This was exciting for me, I really thrive off of helping my team win.

What is something that you are most proud of? What would you say is your biggest achievement?

I would say I am most proud of getting into Georgetown University. This is my biggest accomplishment because I come from Hartford, CT a place where you are likely to either end up in jail or dead. I was fortunate enough to have a great support system ( Supreme Athlete, Martin Manson, and my family) who helped to guide me in the right direction. Through hard work and dedication, I was able to break the chain of not being successful in a place where it is easy to get caught up. I am very blessed to be in the position that I am in currently, but there is still more work to do.

Describe one of the most memorable plays of your collegiate career.

The most memorable play of my collegiate career would have to be getting an interception in my first game as a starter. 

At first, I was questioning if I could contribute in college the same way I did in high school. That interception made me realize that I could actually make the same plays or even more in college. It gave me the confidence to keep making plays throughout the season and helped me continue to develop as a player.

Do you have a favorite athlete or professional team? Is there a player that you model your game after? What gets you “pumped up” before a game?

My favorite professional athlete would have to be Odell Beckham Jr. I know it’s interesting that a wide receiver is my favorite athlete when I play DB, but I do have my reasonings. When Odell came into the scene and caught a ball one-handed, he brought new energy to football. That is my goal, I don’t want to just play football I want do something in football that has never been done before in my position. Honestly, I don’t have a certain routine when I play football. The one thing I can say I do before every game is I get hyped with my teammates by either dancing or rapping my favorite song loudly and that energy carries over to the game. Also, I do pray as well because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for God. In this instance I believe not having a routine is the best for me because I don’t have to stress about missing a certain part in my routine, which can mess up my mindset for the entire game. I try to keep it as simple as possible.

What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies? Any secret talents?

In my spare time, I do have a cliche hobby that most athletes try to get into. I really enjoy rapping because that is all I listen to when I’m getting ready to play football. I started a couple of years ago just freestyling, but then I got good enough to make some music. The music is currently unavailable to the public because I’m focused on football, but just know I do have some heat in the archives. This may sound a little nerdy, but my special talent is that I can solve a Rubik’s cube in approximately 2 minutes.

Why do you play football? Who or what motivates you the most?

I have two motivators when it comes to playing football. One of them is my little brother because he is my biggest fan. He pays attention to everything I do and I wanna make sure that he continues to have me as a strong role model in his life. 

The other pains me the most to talk about, but it’s my best friend who is now deceased

He was about 5’8 155 pounds, but he had the heart of a lion. He was the hardest worker I ever met and I knew that if we were in any competition I would have to bring my A-game because his foot was always on the gas. He was the one who improved my mindset of being a hard worker. Day in and day out I think about these two because they drive me to be not only the best football player but also the best person that I could possibly be.

What do you want NFL teams to know about you?

I want NFL teams to know that when they get me they are getting an extremely hard and dedicated worker. If someone is more talented than me then that’s cool, but I know for a fact they will not outwork me because I refuse to be outworked. Also, they are getting a high-energy type of guy because I love having a great time and putting smiles on people’s faces. At the same time, I am an intelligent player because I didn’t just get into Georgetown for my athletics, but I have big brain which makes it easier for me to understand the playbook quicker. Whichever team takes that chance on me, I am very confident that they will not regret it.

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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