Wright’s the Right Stuff: USC Trojans Cornerback Shareece Wright on NFL Draft, Lockout & His Football Future
With fans focused on the NFL Draft this week, CYInterview welcomes one draft prospect who is expected to be selected in the early to mid rounds. USC cornerback Shareece Wright shares with us his thoughts on this unique NFL Draft. This draft is different than in other years due to an ongoing lockout by owners against players. Mr. Wright talks about the scouts assessments of his playing, as well as what to expect from him as a player.
My impression of Shareece is that for the team ending up drafting this Pac 10 cornerback, he is the type of player who possesses a good character and will make a fine addition to their team. You can read and listen to the entire interview below and learn more about this soon-to-be NFL rookie.
Listen to the Shareece Wright CYInterview:
(Backup Player: Including IE)
Chris Yandek: Durability and experience are some of the things that scouting reports note about you on the negative side, what do you think are some of the things you know you’re going to have to improve upon in the football game? And as you said to me, you don’t know why the durability is on there.
Shareece Wright: “Yeah. I mean, like I said, I don’t know why the durability is on there after, after I had a consistent season. Like I said, having 73 tackles, being third on the team as a corner and making a lot of plays, it’s kind of mind boggling that they talk about my durability still. One things I flex, I’m gonna have to catch the ball at the next level. I had 13 [tip deflections underneath] if I would’ve turned five of those into interceptions, I probably would’ve been there, the number one, two corner coming out because there’s nobody else who had interceptions who were in the top five, other corners which we came to learn, but that’s one thing I know I’ll have to do and keep studying the game and keep developing mentally as a football player.”
CY: As you say, after you end up getting drafted, what do you want your future teammates and fans of the NFL team to know about you?
SW: “I want them to know that I’m a very passionate person. I really love the game of football. I love being a part of, playing with great players. I love the whole competition about the game of football and how it’s not an individual sport at all. It’s a team sport, having that team chemistry and stuff like that. I want them to know that they’re gonna get a player that they can depend on, that they can count on to be there every day and be willing to learn and wants to be one of the best.”
CY: Rookies are obviously being affected by the ongoing lockout, some things include you’re not allowed to train on site of the team that you’re supposed to be and of course having access to the play books for example. I wonder what kind of impact you think the lockout might have on rookies like yourself?
SW: “Yeah. That’s one thing that’s gonna be big for us who are getting drafted in this upcoming draft is to reach out to the players on the team and the players that are already there to reach out to them and get the play book and learn football and learn the system, get with them as much as possible and start working out with the veteran players who are all trying to put together workouts right now. I think it will be very important that we all, we contact, reach out to the players that are on the team for help.”
CY: No one knows when the NFL Lockout will officially end, however do you have any plans in the meantime as this all gets sorted out?
SW: “No. Just stay in shape. Just stay in shape and be ready to go whenever that time comes. That’s the biggest thing, to be ready when it’s time to go.”
CY: How is this a life changing experience to be drafted?
SW: “It’s life changing because it’s what we dream about. It’s what we dream about as kids. We all want to be professional football players and that time is coming for us. Financially, a lot of us will be better off, financially will be able to do a lot for our families. It will open up a lot of doors and opportunity for us for our future. Just like the whole networking and being part of the NFL and being represented, representing the NFL as a company and a business I think is real big for us.”
CY: We talked earlier of course about meeting with these NFL teams, going through these interviews, going through this process. You’re there selling yourself that I’m worth a shot to be drafted upon, I can bring a lot to your NFL organization. I just wonder, as you were going through that whole process, it must’ve been like, man, this is just unbelievable how much they want to know about me.
SW: “Right. Yeah it is. It makes sense. It’s like, you’re investing all this money into these players, you better know a lot about them, you better know exactly, good as possible to know what you’re gonna get from these players when you bring them in and see your organization. So it makes sense when you talk to them about the money that’s put behind us and how high you wanna go. You got somebody going in the first round, that’s potentially making a whole of lot of money, you want to make sure that that person going to be able to handle that and not let it be a distraction to them on the football field because in the end, you’re drafted to be great football players, not rich football players.”
CY: As you were going through those meetings, what was your big selling point to these teams about yourself?
SW: “Yeah, that I’m a great person. I’m a positive guy. I’m not, I have a little bit of character concern, I’m gonna have to prove to them that I don’t have any character issues. I never had any type of confrontation with my teammates. I’ve never been suspended or off of a team. Let them know that I mean football and that I do know football and love it. That’s what I have to get across to these coaches.”
CY: These injuries [Wright had a neck injury in college while at USC] are definitely behind you and you don’t think they’re gonna effect what will happen with your game going forward correct?
SW: “No, no, no. Not at all. Not at all. Like I said, I was physical and I tackle hard. I had big hits. Like I said, those injuries been bugging me all season. I was a little banged up, but that happens to the best of us. I feel like my most serious injury was my neck. That hasn’t gave me problems since it happened.”
CY: Why should an NFL team draft you?
SW: “Why should an NFL team draft me?”
CY: Absolutely.
SW: “Because I’m one of the best corners there. I feel like I can make a difference on any defensive team, just my energy, my enthusiasm and my physicalness and my ability to play man to man with big receivers, small receivers. I can play in the slot and play the slot receiver so I feel I’m very versatile as a football player.”
CY: Tell me about the charity work you’ve done with the boys and girls club and your upcoming visit to a group home.
SW: “Oh, yeah. That’s just something I pride myself off is just giving back. I’m a type of person who feels like every kid has his own talent and they just need guidance and direction. I feel like if it will be able to help it and if I can do anything to help kids, be successful and chase their dreams and that’s something I want to do and me being in the position I am being fortunate enough to have these kids look up to me as a football player, I feel like you go and speak to these kids and give them an experience that I never had at their age because I have the opportunity to do it and that’s what I love to do most is giving back and just try to help these kids discover their dreams.”
This photo is credited to Long Photography.
Shareece Wright’s Twitter is at http://twitter.com/#!/reecie24_7
Shareece Wright’s Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/ShareeceWright
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