First off -what are you up to now?
I’m still playing – I’m, playing in the Indoor Football League for the Cincinnati Slingers. I’m playing the linebacker position for them.
How has that adjustment to indoor football been?
It’s been a big adjustment – there are lots of restrictions. Less people, smaller field and you wear regular shows. It’s a high-paced, high-scoring game. A good defense in this league holds teams to 20 points- not like in the NFL or college where it’d be 10 or less.
How has thee off-field adjustment been for you?
It was hard – I’m able to be more available for my kids now though. It was tougher for a while -I was going through depression – not being able to be where I wanted to be and where I thought I should be as a football player. I had to acclimate to a 9-5 schedule. I never planned for life after football.
What helped?
Just being around good-hearted people has helped – people who prayed with and for me. The Jim Thorpe Award Family helped too – I could chop it up with those guys – that reassured me that there were people out there who could help and who had connections.
What made success with the Steelers so difficult to achieve?
Initially when I was drafted I started off fifth in the depth chart. I couldn’t showcase what I could do. I was getting no reps at practice – I was barely breaking a sweat. I was just doing special teams work and footwork drills. They’d run the first team then the second team in practice – they’d trickle in some third team guys into the second team …imagine being fifth…
Did you talk to the coaches and veteran players – did they offer an advice?
Coach Tomlin said that guys like me needed to make the team on special teams. Troy Polamalu retired that year – I think they wanted me to learn under him. That forced them to have to find a starter right away. Mike Mitchell and Will Allen had just signed contracts and they had Shamarko Thomas and Robert Golden as their special teams aces there.
I bonded with Shamarko and Mike. They helped me understand the plays, audibles and checks. Shamarko also helped me a lot on special teams techniques.
They had to make a quick transition from Troy to finding another starter -I think the coach was overwhelmed a bit and had to focus on that versus being able to spend more time developing me.
What were you able to do then?
In preseason they had the first team running most of the first half to try to get it all solved. I went in mostly at the end of the game when teams were really just running out the clock. I got to play more in the last game versus Jacksonville when they sat more of the starters and made some plays in that game.
I made some plays and messed up sometimes too – I just think the mistakes were more scrutinized. I just didn’t get much opportunity. And I just wasn’t the guy to go and ask for more playing time…
Not that that would have likely made a difference…
No! They weren’t going to give me more playing time just because I asked!
How did you learn about getting drafted by the Steelers?
I was pretty down when they called – I thought I’d go much sooner – like round four. I was taking the mother of my kids to the airport – we had a later flight booked for her because I thought I would have been drafted already. So I was at the airport when Mike Tomlin called and asked if I was ready to be a Steelers? It was wonderful experience – by buddy Justin Gilmore was with me – he does all the work for my videos, logo and branding.
I ask guys drafted late this – would it have been better if you went undrafted and got to choose a team with an ideal fit versus being drafted?
Most definitely. I had teams calling me during the draft and sending me offers to sign as a free agent – Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Chicago…
What was the knock on you that caused you to drop considering you had an NCAA record-tying 14 interceptions and won the Jim Thorpe Award and Jack Tatum Trophy in college?
I think people labeled me as a non-tackler, which is funny since I’m playing linebacker now. I have always been a totally willing tackler – it just was never the part of the game that I was asked as much to do. I was expected to be the coverage guy in college and I excelled there. It’s just what I did better than the other guys there then. They had James Sample who can cover but was just stronger in the run game. I was a good tackler – I just was better in coverage. They just played us according to our strong suits but we could both play strong and free safety. I think that hurt me in the draft though- I only had 39 tackles. But I had 14 interceptions and didn’t give up many touchdowns either!
One other thing too – there were rumors that my head coach didn’t say a lot of positive things to coaches and scouts too. He wanted me to come back. I left as a Junior – he even had advisors come in and try to convince me to stay.
At the combine I injured my hamstring to add to all of that – I wasn’t able to participate in the field and running drills. So all of that hurt me in the draft I think.
What memories stand out most to you over your time there?
The comradery and atmosphere were great there. Seeing those big name guys you watched on TV be so down-to-earth as people – they didn’t treat you as someone beneath them.
The rookie tradition where we all did skits was fun. Me, Bud Dupree, Doran Grant…we imitated James Harrison and Mike Tomlin and had the whole team laughing.
Knowing the road you’ve traveled, what advice would you give guys trying to make a roster?
Find something you’re good at that will help you stand out. Find something they can label you as great at – find that one thing. You don’t want to be good al a lot of things but not great at anything.
And be great at special teams. You won’t get a shot as a lower round at starting right off the bat.