NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Dartez Jacobs, DB, Georgia State University

NFL Draft Diamonds and our staff have been bringing our readers Prospect Interviews over the past 2 years and this year we mixed up the questions and added some fun questions for our readers. We have tons of NFL staff that read our interviews, and we actually received several of the questions from NFL scouts we speak too. This gives them a little bit more information regarding your character. We hope to bring you more than 300 interviews of NFL Draft Prospects this season. You will be able to track them all on the front page of our website in the banner.

What is your name?

Dartez Jacobs

What is your Height/Weight?

6’1, 211 lbs

What is your position?

Safety

Where do you play college football?

I’ve just finished my collegiate/academic career at Georgia State University.

Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field?

I’m very active in my community and have been a part of several community service projects with nonprofit organizations in the Metro Atlanta area. I have mostly volunteered with The Usher’s Newlook foundation & Love Beyond Walls in serving others. Every opportunity is rewarding, but one in particular would have to be my time working with the elderly. My aunt is the manager/program coordinator over a day care facility of senior citizens called “Our Senior Services”. The center is for older individuals with Dementia or Alzheimer’s. I’d had the chance to help her out on a few occasions and it was an experience I’d never forget. The people I met may not have been 100% aware, but they definitely enjoyed my company and I appreciated theirs. It showed me that life should be cherished and our health shouldn’t be taken for granted.

What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?

Principles of Logistics & Argumentation

Where are you from?

Atlanta, GA

Who is your role model, and why?

My grandmother, Francis Jacobs. She is a strong woman of Christ and someone I think very highly of with respect. She’s taught me a lot not only by her kind words and wisdom, but also by her actions living in obedience through the word of God. She is of great health, and more importantly at peace.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Growing up I started off with Baseball and went into all 3 sports year round. I played Football, Basketball, and Baseball all throughout High School.

Did you play any other positions in football?

I’ve played Strong Safety, Dime, Nickel Back, & OLB in my career at Georgia State

At your position, what separates you from others?

I’m a versatile player. I was used a lot of different ways in our defensive scheme in several positions. I love having the opportunity to create turnovers and take momentum away from an opposing team. I’m an effort guy who will always compete.

When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?

I’ll match up our defensive schemes with the offensive plays the opponent runs. I visualize where I’ll fit in certain situations. I look for the go to WR’s and tendencies across the board. I check for the running backs they use and what they bring to the game. The QB’s release, pre/post snap mannerisms, and how he moves in the pocket versus pressure. I will also spend some time looking to see which plays they run on 3rd downs with another safety playing the dime position. Special teams is also emphasized so I’ll take a look at the long snapper’s set up, time up kicks, and see how they set up return formations for weaknesses.

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

Tim White, now a WR at Arizona State. We were former teammates at College of The Canyons. Dude has God given talent; his change of direction and athleticism is high caliber.  

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

I probably couldn’t compare my game to one specific player, but I do take from guys like Kenny Vaccaro & Deone Bucannon. When looking at size and style, they were used in a similar fashion to how I was used position wise. They’re aggressive and play to the whistle.
What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it?
Facing the uphill task of obtaining a Division 1 scholarship coming from a JC…
(in a nutshell) I took a chance and made the sacrifice going across the country to a Junior College in order to play at the highest collegiate level. Being an out of state player at a non-scholarship school, it was difficult staying the course and very discouraging at times. You had to utilize every legit avenue you could find in order to stay afloat financially. I’d stayed in 2-bedroom apartments with 5-6 guys, & somehow rented out a small room with a Mormon family at one point in order to continue pursuing my goal. Regardless, I overcame my circumstances through my faith in Christ, & persistence.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I visualize myself making plays.

What is your biggest strength?

My versatility

What is your biggest weakness?

I tend to over analyze route concepts when in center field 1/3 coverage.

If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?

I’m a competitive player, who loves the game. My reasons for achieving success reach so many people, and I play for them. They’re my “why”. I want to reach my full potential and if I’m put in the right situation I can make a positive impact. In my career up to this point I’ve been through a lot of adversity, I know what it looks like and I’ve overcome it. I want to be put on a bigger platform to better position myself to help others and this is a way I can reach that.

Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up?

Sean Taylor, Seattle Seahawks

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?

Lianne La Havas, Michelle Obama, Maya Angelou   

What will be the first big item you buy once you are in the NFL?

Pay my younger brother’s college tuition

Rapid Answers:

• Tupac or Biggie?
• NFL Network or ESPN?
• Coke or Pepsi?
• Pizza or Burgers?
• Dogs or Cats?