NFL Draft Prospect Interview – Will Sutton, DT Arizona State

Nov 30, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive tackle Will Sutton (90) reacts during the second half against the Arizona Wildcats in the 87th annual Territorial Cup at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

PS: Do you have a switch that you turn on when the game goes on? Or are you still an easy going guy that just goes about his business on the field?

WS: Oh no.  It’s a switch.  When I’m not playing the game, I’m relaxing, playing my XBox and a real cool, calm guy.  Then when it comes to the football, that switch turns on.  You gotta have that switch.  You can’t be someone that is out there nice every single time.

PS: Does Burfict have that switch or is he that high tempo guy all the time?

WS: No, he has that switch as well, because I’ve known him since high school.  I’ve been around him.  He’s the type of person who plays video games as well.  He’s a real, kind hearted person; somebody who is going to look out for you.  Then when it comes to game time, when it comes to playing football, it’s a different story.

PS: Do you feel like NFL teams are satisfied with your size now or are you always going to feel like you have doubters you have to prove wrong?

WS: Oh yea.  I’m gonna constantly have to go out- I know teams are satisfied that I’m showing what I told them, you know, losing weight and showing them that I’m working.  They’re satisfied with that, but you gotta go out there and prove yourself every day.

PS: How much of that weight change was lost fat versus to added muscle?  You were 280 as a junior and up to 315 as a senior, but you didn’t just drop 20lbs of fat.  It was probably more like 30lbs of fat and then adding 10lbs of muscle or somewhere around there.  How much different you feel physically going from your junior year to your senior year to now?

WS: Going from my junior to my senior year, I know I got stronger, but the good thing is going into the offseason this year, I was losing the weight, but I was also continuing to get stronger, because I was getting educated on how to do it the right ways and I was eating the right foods and really learning the ins and outs of dieting and so I continued to get stronger, but I lost weight at the same time.

PS: What was the food that was your go to when you went up to that 315?  There’s gotta be one thing that was your vice that you got to go to town on.

WS: I would have to say In & Out.  You can’t go wrong with some In & Out.

PS: So you just upped the amount of that in the rotation?

WS: Yea.  My portions were I ate the same amount of meals.  I just ate more.

PS: Was there a team you rooted for growing up?

WS: My team growing up, I always watched the Bears.  Rams and the Bears, because my dad had played for them when they were in LA and then I liked the Bears because of Tommie Harris.

PS: How much have you been able to pick your dad’s brain as it relates to going to the next level?

WS: I really haven’t, you know, because he knows wherever I go, I’m gonna excel.  I’m gonna do my best.  It’s kinda hard to go off of what other people say.  You just gotta go and do it for yourself.

PS: Do you think your sad is soft because he played DB and returned punts as opposed to being a man and playing down in the trenches?

WS: (laughs) No, because it was his size.

PS: How big is he?

WS: Shoot.  My dad is about 5’9”, 5’8”, probably about 165, 170.

PS: When he played or now?

WS: When he played.

PS: Does he have a figure a lot more like yours now?

WS: (laughs) No, he’s probably gained about 10lbs.  He’s still a pretty small dude.

PS: Who is winning that 100 yard dash between you two?

WS: Oh, he is.

PS: Still?

WS: Yea.

PS: That’s gotta be frustrating.

WS: Oh yea, but he’s still a fast man though.  He’s a fast man (laughs).

PS: How much did it mean to him when you signed your letter of intent to go to ASU?

WS: You know, I don’t even know.  My dad’s really not the emotional type of guy.  He’s a quiet, calm guy that knows his sports and just says you gotta work; continue to work.

PS: You guys have the same mindset off the field?

WS: Yea.

PS: So how does he react when you blow up a play or get that sack?

WS: He claps and says okay, time for the next play.  My mom is the one who is the shouter, the bragger.  Every time I make a play, she’s gonna scream at the top of her lungs.  My dad is the type of guy who tells you, act like you’ve been there.

PS: So when you get that sack or blow up the play, he reacts like you just sunk a five foot putt?

WS: (laughs) Yep.  He just claps his hands and says, ok, time to move on to the next one.

PS: So your mom is loud one, rocking the #90 jersey and everything?

WS: Yea.

PS: Does she embarrass your dad?

WS: (laughs) No, he just tells her to calm down and relax.

PS: As a double major in sociology and leadership ethics, can you apply those things to the football field?

WS: Oh yea.  Big time.  If you’re that go to person that everybody looks up to, to go out there and make a play, and somebody who’s that guy that everyone respects, you go out there and you gotta do things the right way, because people are constantly watching you and if they see someone like me and I’m not doing something right, then they are going to think it’s alright to go out and do it.

If I’m doing what coach says, then guys and going to go out and do what coach says as well. And when I speak, guys show a lot of respect.  They’re not going to look around or have their heads down.  They’re gonna look at my eyes and really listen to what I have to say.

PS: With all of the recognition and awards you’ve gotten in your career, is there one that means the most to you?

WS: The individual awards are real cool.  They’re blessings.  It means that your talents are being recognized, but my main thing was always wins and losses.  I’d say the best thing was probably was winning the player of the year, because it’s named for after Pat Tillman and it’s something that we wanna keep every year at Arizona State.

PS: How much of an impact does Tillman’s legacy still have at Arizona State?

WS: Oh, it has a big impact with the school til this day.  A lot of people may not know who he is, but everybody’s hear the story.  Everybody knows what he did.  That’s just the person you want to model after.  He’s somebody who has great character who did real well in school, had a 3.8 GPA, somebody who made it to the NFL, but he felt he was more useful fighting in the Army.

PS: Do you think of him as a football player first or the other stuff he did first?

WS: I think of him as a football player first, because that’s what we do.  That’s what we play.  Every mention of him around the building is in football stuff. That’s what we think of him as first.

PS: So for just about everyone in the country, 42 is Jackie Robinson, but for you guys, it’s Pat Tillman?

WS: Yea.

PS: What type of outreach stuff have you been able to do while you’ve been at Arizona State?

WS: The big thing every year is the Pat Tillman run; 4.2 mile walk/run.  That’s the biggest thing every year.  The finish line for the run is in the stadium.  We wear our jerseys and half the guys are at the finish line congratulating people coming in, finishing the race.  There’s a kid’s race as well.  And then there’s a big area in the parking lot with a bunch of booths and a kids zone.  The other half of the guys will walk around and we just sign autographs all day.  It’s amazing because there are thousands of people out there.  It’s ridiculous with how many people that are out there.  It’s crazy.

PS: What are teams ultimately getting in Will Sutton?

WS: Somebody who’s gonna compete.  It’s a business.  Every day is a job interview and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to help my team win.  I’m not gonna be a distraction on or off the field.  Whatever role you give me, I’m gonna accept and run with it.

PS: So when you get your first NFL sack, do you think your dad will still give it the golf clap or get a little more excited?

WS: He’ll get a little more excited.

– After speaking to Will, two things are clear.  He is a film rat and he is using every slight, every doubt and everyone writing him off as motivation.  Will is nice guy, but there is clearly a fire burning and he seems like he is counting the days until he gets to unleash himself onto the league and against anyone trying to get in his way, empowered by finding the right weight for him that allows him to maximize his abilities.  Will was also extremely proud and heaped praise upon his teammates.  Best of luck to Will as he goes forward as I am happy I’m not the one who has to try to block him.  Here is my breakdown of Will Sutton