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NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: John Weidenaar, OT, Montana State University

Montana State offensive tackle John Weidenaar played ever game since coming to Montana State
Montana State offensive tackle John Weidenaar played ever game since coming to Montana State

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? 

John Weidenaar 

What is your Height/Weight? 

6’7” 295lb.

What is your position? 

LT

Where do you play college football? 

Montana State University 

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

Mentoring young men off the field, going to have recess with grade school kids around Bozeman, leading chapels I was invited too

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

451 Agricultural Policy 

Where are you from? 

Manhattan/Churchill, MT

Who is your role model, and why? 

The Lord Jesus Christ, because was He was the greatest Man to ever live and He is my Savior and Friend and much more.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Basketball (1st love), Track (throwing events, and 4×1 relay)

 Did you play any other positions in football? 

  • High School: TE,DE, and OL
  • College: Only LT 

At your position, what separates you from others? 

I play nasty and I use the athleticism I’ve been given to do it. I hustle down the field with my great speed (for my size) and get the extra block. Pair my athleticism up with pass blocking I’m able to do that effectively and I love running blocking because the aggression it entails.

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

In myself, I look first at my stance and ask “am I giving anything away?”.  Then I look at what was the play and then look to see if I did my job and did I do it with correct technique. If I did not do that I find out why and how I can improve.  In my opponent, I look for mannerisms and if those mannerisms or pre-snap tips give away anything like twist, blitz, stemming, etc. Also I look at the alignments of the defense and try and find out the coverage and then look at the LB’s where they’re at and then the DL. If things change I is it because of the O’s formation or are the doing something. For the opponent I’ll most likely face (whichever d-lineman) I look for favorite moves and if they have any weaknesses I can exploit. 

Who was the toughest player you ever faced? 

Brad Daly (2013 Buck Buchanan Award Winner)

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

Nate Solder, because I’m tall like he is and carry our weight well. Smooth athletic ability for being over 300lb (although I’m not there yet).

john weidenaarWhat was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it? 

My pride and sin which separated me from the Lord eternally. Overcame it (with Help) by submitting my life to God. I found out that I myself alone was not able to meet His perfect and Holy standard to be allowed into His Kingdom. I realized I was on a straight path to eternal judgement (Hell) but it was so hard for me to accept the fact that being a moral/good person wasn’t good enough for Heaven and that in true reality I’m an evil person at heart. I was guilty of committing sin (Nahum 1:3 “He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished”). I needed to submit my heart and will to Him because He is the only One who could save me from the guilty verdict of my sin through His Son, Jesus who bore my sin on the Cross. He is the only One powerful enough to beat my sin and that was shown by His Resurrection. I didn’t want too submit my life because I wanted my sin and I loved my sin so much. It was and is the best and hardest thing that has ever happened in my life. What’s rough about it, is I have to get over my pride and sin everyday(Daily Repentance).

Do you have any pre-game rituals? 

Do whatever it takes to get loose but be focused on the game and my assignments and be ready for adjustments. I feel like early in my career I would psych myself out with rituals and wouldn’t play as well. I play the game because I love to play and I have a competitive nature and I do whatever it takes to not get over stressed so I can just play my best and hardest.

What is your biggest strength? 

My athleticism, able to move well doing my job and then extra doing what others can’t cause of a lack of athleticism. 

What is your biggest weakness? 

Stopping a bull-rush

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

I always strive to be the best because I like to have fun and I feel like the only way you can truly have fun is if you’re the best at what you do. And I am confident I have been gifted with the tools to be the best and have the work ethic to always try and be the best OT.

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

  • Player: John Lynch, I liked seeing him truck dudes.
  • Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

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

Jesus, Apostle Paul, and My Grandpa Jack

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

Farm land for my family farm.

Rapid Answers:

  • Tupac or Biggie? Neither- Garth Brooks
  • NFL Network or ESPN
  • Coke or Pepsi? Neither
  • Pizza or Burgers?
  • Dogs or Cats?

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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