It’s that time of the year where the pre-draft process encapsulates each and every second of our lives… oh… just mine? Word. While many of you are focused on who is going to win the Super Bowl, I’m here trying to learn more about the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft prospects and what they bring to the table. I am fortunate enough to be covering the East-West Shrine Bowl and with that comes exclusive interviews with some of the stellar talent in the draft. I hope you enjoy the best sound bites from day one, and please make sure to be on the lookout for more Shrine Bowl content all week!

Travis Dye RB – USC

Liam: “Least favorite food?”

Travis: “I have a least favorite condiment. Mustard. I hate mustard… When I was little, I was sleeping on the couch, and my older brother Tony squirted mustard inside my nose while I was sleeping. Ever since then, mustard has been a no-go.”

Jaiden Woodbey LB/S – Boston College

Liam: “Talk to me about some of your greatest strengths.”

Jaiden: “I don’t think people really understand the versatility of a linebacker/safety. For instance, there can be three different personnel changes in three different plays and if a defense can keep their same personnel on the field and just switch one guy over… it’s very valuable. He can be in the box one play, be spread out the next, and then covering the tight end or receiver in empty. But he can also play in the box right after that. So versatility is one of the best strengths of my game. It’s more of a strength than a weakness. I think I’m more versatile than a tweener.”

Jack Colletto FB/TE/LB – Oregon State

Liam: “What is your biggest weakness and what you can do to improve on it?”

Jack: “I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a weakness but it kind of follows a philosophy that the more you tend to do the less effective you are at whatever it is you are doing. So for me, it’s my job and my goal to be able to demonstrate to a lot of these coaches that I can do a lot of different things but also at a high level.”

Mason Brooks OL – Ole Miss

Liam: “How do you plan on giving back to the community and helping out those in need?”

Mason: “I love the community. So I served at the Boys & Girls Club at Ole Miss. I tried to be as involved as I could be [while at Ole Miss.] We did some different stuff around Christmas and got some kids some gifts. I did a mentorship program in high school where I went and talked with some kids. Love giving back to children. Any time I could work with kids, I did. I needed help when I was a young kid and needed influences. I was very impressionable as a kid. Any way I can give back to kids, especially in my community back home, maybe helping a kid who feels different or not the same as everyone feel believed in and valuable. I’m going to try to do that.”

Theo Benedet OL – British Columbia

Liam: “What are your biggest strengths?”

Theo: “I think my number one strength would be my athleticism. My ability to block guys in space and pull and get out on screens. I think I’m a really good pass blocker. I haven’t given up a sack in two years now. I think I use my hands well when I block as well.”

Colby Sorsdal OL – William & Mary

Liam: “When you get drafted, what’s the first thing that you’re buying for your family?”

Colby: “I’ve gotta buy my mom a car. She deserves one. She’s been a huge supporter of my life and somebody that’s always been there for me and has always taken care of me. I owe her a lot, and there’s not anything that I can do to give her anything that she did for me but I’d love to buy her a car.”

Kadeem Telfort OL – UAB

Liam: “How is UAB’s scheme and that dominant run game going to prepare you for the NFL?”

Kadeem: “It’s going to prepare me a lot. Nowadays, most guys take glory in the pass rushing. It’s cool to protect the quarterback, but running the ball wins games. If you can control the game, the tempo, and the clock… You can have all the speed and you can have a Jerry Rice and all that, but if you don’t have an o-line to protect for you then it’s hopeless. I kind of feel like the run game is going to help me cause we ran the ball nearly 40-50 times a game, so I’m used to just hitting all day, driving my feet, and finishing guys.”

Jaylin Williams CB – Indiana

Liam: “Who is the toughest guy you’ve had to cover?”

Jaylin: “Chris Olave. As far as his transition into his routes… he was just so smooth with it. Marvin (Harrison Jr.) was good but he’s more of a specimen, like he’s a freak of nature. But as far as getting out there running routes smooth, being deceptive with their speed… Chris Olave for sure.”

Devonnsha Maxwell DL – Chattanooga

Liam: “How do you plan on giving back to the community and helping out those in need?”

Devonnsha: “One thing I really wanted to do is go back and build a lot of different things for the youth to do. More arcades, another skating rink, a sky park or something like that. And then obviously do camps. Free camps. Dinner included, lunch included. Just have guys come out and learn football at a young age, learn fundamentals. Come together and start understanding that football isn’t just bang bang get a concussion here, break your foot, go make money. Football is actually fun. I don’t look at football as a way to change my family’s life with money or do this with money. I look at it as a game that I love to play that I’ve been playing for so long. So I just want other people to understand that it’s a game at the end of the day and it’s fun.

Starling Thomas V CB – UAB

Liam: “What do you want people to see most from you?”

Starling: “I want them to see that Starling knows how to play football. I want them to know that he can play anywhere on the field and know that he can play against bigger competition and not just Conference USA. Like he’s a really good football player.”

Jarrick Bernard-Converse CB – LSU

Liam: “What’s some advice you’d give to a recruit who is flying under the radar?”

Jarrick: “Maximize every opportunity you get. Every opportunity is slim, you don’t get many and you just gotta make the best out of it like it’s your last chance. And it could be at the end of the day.”