That’s why they call them ‘Line’ men
Despite their importance, football linemen are rarely noticed. Baylor offensive left tackle Jason Smith certainly will be noticed during Saturday’s opening round of the NFL Draft.
Linemen often deliver the best lines during interviews, and Smith certainly didn’t disappoint:
Would he be surprised if he was the No. 1 pick: “Obviously, no. I wouldn’t be surprised because it’s been talked about, they’ve mentioned it and I’ve also gone on a visit. If I’m the No. 1 pick, I’m not going to be surprised. I’m going to be privileged.”
Would he be disappointed if he were not the top pick: “I’m not going to be disappointed or happy if I’m not. I’m going to be happy that I’m at New York, so somebody likes me. At the end of the day, I’ll have a job. Those are things I can’t control. I don’t focus on the things I can’t control. I worry about the things I can control. I can worry about how I look when I’m in New York, those kind of things. How my suit fits my body. I can focus on the shoes I wear. I have no thought process on what team is going to take me, what pick I’ll get drafted, or how much money I’m gonna make.”
On the interview process leading up to the draft: “Just be yourself. You don’t put on a front because people can always tell who’s faking and who’s not.”
The biggest criticism of his game (run blocking): “Nobody ever questions my effort and my attitude because those are the things I can control. Over the years, there certain things I’m good at, and certain things I’m not good at. I focus very, very hard at things I’m good at so that I’ll be very great at them. And the things that I’m not good at, I’ll practice on those with a high intensity and high compassion toward them so I get good at them. You can be nitpicky about a lot of different things, but at the end of the day, I’m a football player.”
On joining the NFL: “I understand these are grown men. There are no boys in the NFL. There are only grown men. You have to be about business, 24/7. As a man thinketh, so shall he be. If you’re thinking good, you’ll be good. If you’re thinking bad, you’ll be bad. I’m a product now. I’m not somebody’s little son, I’m not somebody’s friend. I’m a product. I’ll be paid to do my job. If I don’t do my job, they’ll find a guy that can do that job and they can fire me. Obviously, I understand as a person that I don’t want a real job, so I like the job I’ve got.”
Who will join him in New York City: “I have a very, very tight circle. My circle consists of me, my two brothers, my two fathers, my two mothers, one of my coaches from high school, three coaches from Baylor and two friends who are alumni of Baylor. So that’s a very small circle. That’s how we roll — small, to the point, then back home. You don’t need 100 people to get one job done.”
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