January 3, 2025 • 18 mins
In the fourth episode of “The Players Lounge," Victor Cruz sits down with cornerback Dru Phillips to discuss his rookie year with the Giants and his life outside of football. Presented by Sony.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
What's up everybody?
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Players Lounge, brought to you by Sony,
the official headphones of the New York Giants. All right,
I'm very excited for today's show here on the Players
Lounge because we got a guy that I've been dying
to speak to. I've been seeing him around. I've been
seeing him obviously doing this thing on the football field.
But we have our guy, rookie defensive back Drew Phillips.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to the show. Man. How we're feeling?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I feel good, man, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Man, awesome man. Happy for you to be here. All right,
let's get right into it. I think you were born
in Alabama, but you were raised in Louisville, Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
So where do you say you're from? Like? Where are
you claiming right now?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah? Really it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I really claim South Carolina, Okay, but I gotta give roots.
I grew up in Kentucky. My family's from Kentucky. Just
happy to move there, you know, halfway through my life.
And you know that's where I call home down in Greenville.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Okay. Nice, I love that.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
So you come from a family of athletes, like you
know your dad and who's the best athlete in the family.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Shot, it's me, it's you me all my other day.
I got the athletic jeans, my brothers and stuff. They
got the size. So what I lack, I lacked what
they didn't have.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Okay, when did you start playing football? Like when did
it become a passion for you? Like when you started
playing initially and then when you knew you were gonna
be something like when did that happen?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Yeah, I definitely started. I was young, so like my
older brothers and stuff like that. When I was growing up,
they were my role models. So I used to watch
them my practice, should go run with them. So I'd
say about five years old, I started playing football and
that kind of was my thing. And never ever really
thought I was gonna be too much. I just loved
playing football my whole life. Then you know, I got
to high school, start putting in real work, like you
(01:40):
know what, you go to training all the time, and
you trying to start going to camps, and I'm like,
I can hang with a lot of these guys, Like
I think I deserve a shot. So I think after
my sophomore year, I was like, yeah, I can do this.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
It's funny how high school has that thing right, like
when you know, when the game started, especially for myself
in high school, like when the game started to become easy,
or there were things that were happening there and that
were kind of out of body experiences. They're like, yo,
I just did that, and like everybody's kind of amazed,
like okay, maybe I could do something here, but like myself,
you also did a little track and feel too. You
(02:11):
were a state champion in the triple jump. Yeah, talk
to me about like your love of track, like where
that came from. Where you a football guy running track?
Or was track a passion for you as well?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Track was really a passion Like my whole life. It
kind of was just like built in. My mom did track,
she used to do hurdle was in high school, so
I always heard about it. And then growing up I
did track. I just always would run and I always
was the fastest, so it's kind of just made sense.
And then I got the high school. I fell in
love with the whole jumping scene, and you used to
go on YouTube and look up videos of how to
do triple jump and ended up going out and went
(02:42):
and stayed off.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
It was pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Because triple jump isn't easy, like I learned in high
school too, and it's not a normal thing that your
body is used to doing. Like just regular long jump
is one thing you just run in and jump off
the pady going, but the technique of the triple jump
is not easy. So kudos to you for dominating in that.
Joining in high school, I saw you were a triple
jump champion or.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Got that out the way.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Now this viral car jump video, talk to me about
that at the artificial intelligence that was used to do
this or how fake it is or who CGI did
because I just I don't believe it personally, So let
me know if it's actually real and how it came about.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Yeah, it's real, and I got in some real trouble
for that. It's funny story. It's happened after school one day.
You know, you're in high school. You talking to your
friends like, I bet you could jump over a car.
It's like no, So after school I just went and
did it, jumped over it, took the video posted on Twitter.
High school coach, take it down. That's too dangerous. YadA,
(03:40):
YadA YadA. What kind of car did you jump over?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It was an ultimate Okay, and it was in motion
or over ran.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
And jumped over top of you guys.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
So I had to delete it at first, then reposted
it after my one of my other high school coach,
She's like, that was really cool, was like keep it up.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I was like, yeah, reposted it.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Blew up from there and it was pretty cool because
to this day people still talking about it.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
That's dope.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
I think there should be always ways obviously barring any
safety issues are concerious, right, but I think there should
always be ways outside of the game that if athletes
could like market themselves or show their athleticism. We had
a guy named Jason Pierre Paul who I feel like
was a phenomenal player for US obviously, but I think
the one thing that stood out for him was that
(04:23):
he didn't mind you. He was I think what six '
four to seventy two eighty probably, and the man did
eleven backflips.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Like he just posted a clip of him. I don't
even know. They were training down.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
To South Florida and he just did eleven consecutive backflipst
And I'm sure if the Giants didn't like him before that,
they saw that could have It was like, we're drafting
that guy.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
So I definitely get it.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
That's crazy, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
You chose Kentucky to go to college. Why.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
I know your dad went there as well, But was
that part of your reasoning for going to Kentucky as well?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
No, it was total, like it had nothing to do
with it. My thing came down to the area, my grandparents. Also,
the road and the coaches, coach stoops and everything. They
did a great job. I've always seen guys because I
was a fan of them growing up, and when they
started recruiting me and I felt like I could really
be a family, part of family up there.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I just want to help. Did you go there with
Wandelle as well?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I did one year there? Of one day, Okay, this
one year.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
There, I was trapping him up in practice, Like what
was the battles like in practice going up against Wande.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
We had some competition on a few plays. You know,
I think each of each of each other tell a
different story. But I feel like we eas did our
little thing.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Okay, Now take me the draft day right, like a
kid from South Carolina coming from Kentucky, obviously, what was
the energy like being drafted, especially being drafted a and
then coming up to New York City specifically, like what
were your thoughts when you got drafted and the idea
of coming to the big city.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
When I got drafted, I mean, it's almost like you
black out, you know, for a guy like me, and
then moment like that, it was just like, Wow, this
is crazy. And also with the New York coming up here.
You know, I came here for a visit beforehand and
got to meet a lot of these guys and I
liked him. I had a good relationship just from that
one right there, and you know, I was excited like
it was nothing. And then growing up in the South
(06:10):
and from South Carolina, Kentucky, now I'm in New York,
it was just like how am I gonna.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Take on the city?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You know, learn my ways?
Speaker 4 (06:18):
But you know you've got to jump in no feet
first and just figure it out yourself.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
How's it been for you? How's the vibe? How's the
vibe in New York?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
You've been here for quite some time now, I feel
like you're settled in. Like what's the vibe in New
York City? Do you do you go out much? Do
you enjoy the restaurants. Do you enjoy the scene in
New York? What's been the energy so far?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah? I enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
I mean like every day I can find something new.
If that's I go get a restaurant. I have my
friends come up and my family come up, and every
time I'm like, let's go try this or that, and
you know, it's every day's a new try and experience.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
But I love it.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
There's always something you can go to the city, over
the water, you find anything in the city.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So now I have some.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Short conversations with my guy in the Leak neighbors and
his family. His mother is sending him food every single week.
Are you one of those guys that's being sent food
to your house every single week?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Is that a thing down to now?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
I don't have I wish my mom would send me cooking.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Every week, But okay, I just have to make sure
how my dv's were coming because my receivers is out
here getting fed.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Mama is sending in that good food, which I love. Now.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
New York is obviously a big city of fashion, where
the way you look and the way you represent yourself
as a big deal. I've been keeping an eye on
your fashion game. Lately, I've been seeing the vibes very
well dressed, very well put together. Talk to me about
kind of your game day style aspect and what your
style is for yourself.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
When you get ready for game day.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Yeah, definitely, it kind of goes off how I'm feeling
that day. If it's kind of like some days, you know,
you especially at those primetime games where you really want
to show out. I put on my best fit. I mean,
I'll go shot four weeks in advance of that. But
then most other games, it's just like, yeah, how am
I feeling that day? Some days it's a sweatpants, something chill,
or some days you still want to put something on.
Just go in my closet and I just looked through
(08:02):
and that morning I just put music on, get ready
for the game.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
I'm just feeling the vibe.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
What's the music? What's the music choices? You are?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Now?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
What are you listening to?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
You driving on the way to the game. It's a
home game, it's prime time. What's what's on the what's
on the tunes?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I put on, like you know, before the games, I'm
really like on the way I listened to Rap a lot,
just kind of get the vibes going a little bit,
So I listened to some gunner or some little baby,
you know, things of that sort. But then when I
get here, it's more chill vibes. I'm listening to my
R and B music, the whole genre, and I'm just relaxing,
getting ready to know what I got taken.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Are you a fan of like the Louisville Are you
a Jack Harlow guy?
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Are you like? Are you listening too?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Listened?
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I listened to him, ye, because Louisville kind of had
a moment and still does. I mean, those guys are
still relevant, still doing your things. So I was a
guy that has some superstitions when I was playing right, like,
I want to say something more of a routine. But
I did have much of the chagrin of everybody in here.
There was a collective gasp when I told everybody that
I wore the same sock for a few years. I
(08:58):
washed the brown side, washed it, but it was the
same sock. And there was a whole thing around that.
But do you have any superstitions that you do, or
any routines or anything that that you do before game?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
No, same socks. There's not too much. I mean I'm
just sticking to the schedule. I'll wake up.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
I kind of got my routine where I'll eat at
the same time and I eat the same pregame meal
every time. You just eat something like like I eat fruit,
pineapples and stuff of that sort. But I'm just blasting
music and getting ready for the games.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, I'm the same way.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I couldn't.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Like, I know, I've seen guys, especially before games, have
like a pile of food in front of them before.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
I'm like, I can't.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
I'd probably throw up if I had a bunch of
food and then tried to get myself ready to play.
So so I'm kind of with you on down the
light meal vibe. Now it's your rookie season. What has
been your like moment where you're like, okay, I'm in
the league now, like this is this is a different
thing in college. Maybe it's a receiver that you went
head to head against and did something, or you had
(09:59):
a moment with with another person or another opposing athlete
that you were like, Okay, this is different.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I'm in the league now. What was that moment for you?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Yeah, I think my I had a game, my second
game against the Commanders and the guys are pretty let
me free. I just kind of just felt in tune
with the game plan and what was going on. And
when you got guys like I don't really mind about
the other team, but when you got guys on my
team like Dexter and Burns and they walk up to
me and they're like, you're you're doing it out here, I'm.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Like, oh yeah, Like these are the cool guys that
they're telling me I'm doing good. So it just kind
of fuels me.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
But that game was a good one for comps, like, Okay,
I can go out here and I can I can
bang it out with these guys I belong.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So it was pretty fun.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I think there's something when the leaders of the team
kind of come up to you and say like you're
one of us now, when they give you that standard
of approval, that's always a great thing. I had some
some defensive back comps for you. But who do you
model your game after?
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Shoot, when I was growing up, I have said Tyron
Matthew and still still like I just plays kind of
like a little reckless, but you just kind to go
make a play.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
That's kind of who I always say my whole life.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah, that's kind of the guy I have for you
because he kind of has this like you could tell
he's a smart guy. He's a smart defender and he
knows what he's supposed to be, but he plays with
this like kind of care free attitude of like I'm here,
I'm gonna make a play when it comes to me,
and but I'm out here in tune with what's going
on in the game plan as well, you know what
I mean. So switching gears a little bit. I want
(11:30):
to talk hobbies. I want to talk things you do
outside the game. What are some of the hobbies you love.
I heard you like to collect shoes. I collect sneakers
as well. I used to. It's kind of becoming a
little bit overwhelming in the closet right now.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
But like, what are your hobbies? What do you like
to get into outside of the game.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Yeah, like you said the shoes and closed part, I'm
always doing stuff like that. I play the game a lot.
So when I'm not out here doing football just relaxing, debrief,
I go on a game with my my friends. Like
it's mad in her call of duty. But if not,
especially being up here right now, I'm just going and
trying new foods. I became a foodie since I came
up here. So if I'm driving down the street, I'm like, oh,
(12:06):
that place looks good, I'll look it up, going yep.
Never you yep before I got up here. But get
on there and find something and see it out.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
All right, that's what's up now, switching gears a little
bit now without making me feel too old.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Okay, what's your favorite TV show like growing up or
just in general, Like, what's your favorite TV show that
you loved growing up?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:29):
It was Shoot, I was a big Cartoon Network kid. Okay,
so it was The Kids next Door. I used to
get on that. Oh that was my favorite one growing up.
Or I watched some SpongeBob and whatnot too, but Kids
next Door growing up was that.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
I officially feel old now. That whole thing went out
the window real fast. Okay, favorite movie again, maybe I
might feel old again here, but growing up in general,
just your favorite movie and then give me your all time.
Let's let's go with like your top three movies of
all time?
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Top three movies of all time. M I gotta put
Django in there. Okay, I love that movie Interstellar. That's
a great movie. And then the third one I got
through an all time classic, The Lion King, all time
animated joint like the Throat animated. I gotta keep it
(13:17):
th OJK Okay with the same. I love Django, I
love all Quinn Tarantino movies. Pulp fiction is one of
my favorites. That's on my list of all time as well.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So okay, all right, let's play a quick game.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
I got a couple of games here, but we're gonna
start with this one blind ranking. I'm gonna name these
joints out too. You're gonna rank them without knowing what's
coming next. Okay, First is a pass breakup.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
We're ranking this on what five?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Five out of five? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Past breakup three?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Okay, three, tackle for a loss four four okay, uh
pick six that's a one.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
That's a one. He didn't even.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Hesitate, he even hesitate. Okay, force fumble that's a two
to two. Or you're gonna hate this last one, multi
interception game.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Okay, got them.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
That's the goddam face right there. All right, blind ranking done.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Okay, the next game it's called football first, where you
described the first time you did the following at any level.
Of play, whether it's little league, college or the pros. Right, So, okay,
first position you ever played?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Running back?
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Running back? And I was I was Little Drew as
a running back. I was fast, was fast.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I just hit the edge, was running.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I remember because I played running back little league too,
and I distinctly remember not understanding the concept of like
dive or like twenty one whatever power whatever play and
I would run up to the hole and then literally
bounce it out and go the sideline every time. Okay,
next one, first interception?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Uh, that's gotta be a little league too.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Okay, I'll say realistically, probably like middle school the ones
I remember.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Love that And what was it? Like? Was it a
pick six? Was it? It jumped up high point, came
down with it.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Jumped up high point. I jumped so high I can't
land on my feet, you know.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Okay, Uh, first football jersey you've ever owned?
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Oh, first football jersey I ever owned. I don't think
I've ever owned a football Like went and bought a
football jersey.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Yeah, like the first your favorite player or somebody that
you admired and you had the jersey.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
It was an old Kentucky player which his name Boom boom.
Williams Young shout up to boom. Yeah when I was younger,
he's got his jersey. Okay, that's the first college offer, Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Love that first purchase after signing your first NFL contract.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
First purchase, I went to Chipotle. I got an extra stake.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
You know what this is over?
Speaker 1 (15:50):
I do need to ask any more questions here. Okay,
first person you call after games?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Oh my mom love that. Let her know I'm okay.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, that was the big here from My mother used
to literally be at the games when she could make
them right and come and she would be She would
come up to me after every game and just hug
me because she was like she didn't care if I
had three drops and like I had a terrible game
or if I had a great game. She would hug
me and be like, Okay, thanks, thankfully, you're okay, all right,
we appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Last thing we're gonna do here today, lastly, finish these statements.
Everyone that knows me knows that I love.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Close close.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Wait, let me take that back. Okay, Okay, my dog,
what kind of dog do you have? I got a
doodle name Jet. How long have you had yet for
two years now, so I gotta have this dog conversate.
What kind of dog a doodle? Right?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
So my daughter's pressing me for a doll. She wants
a Golden Retriever, but I'm like, that's a big dog.
Like I'm trying to settle on a Frenchchie. If you
had to choose between a Frenchie and I was gonna also,
let's just do a Frenchie, a golden Doodle, yeah, and
a Golden Retriever. Which one would you think? God, Golden Doodle,
golden and why?
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Well they good dogs like you get everything in a
Golden Retriever and they don't shut. The shedding is a
big part from.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It's a big part. Feel like Golden Retrievers shed.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
A lot, they do, and Frenchies just can't breathe too much.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
So I'm happy for this.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
We're gonna clip this and send it to my daughter
because she's we've been having this issue at the crib. Okay, last,
but not least, the best advice that you've ever gotten is.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Uh, just keep I'm trying to think the best advice,
but my dad, So my dad always told me just
keep working no matter who's watching. There's like, you know,
no matter who's watching and what situation you in, if
you work your hard or something good, it's gonna come
out of it.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
I love that. Was your dad always full of like
isms or had like one liner my dad. My dad's
a smart gems.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
He had all those little tricks and sayings and whatnot.
And when I was younger, it's like, oh, well, but
I go old, I'm like, oh yeah, these means It's
crazy what that meant?
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Your parents have that tricky way of like saying those
things that as a kid, you're like, what does that?
Even the big one for me was you know, them
guys right there on the corner, they're gonna be there
when you get back, Like, those same guys are going
to be exactly where they're at. And I'm like, there's
no way. These guys are twenty years old, we're going
to be doing stuff in their life. And sure enough,
ten fifteen years later I come back, the same guys
are in the same spot, doing the same things. So, Drew,
(18:13):
I appreciate you giving us this time. Man, It's been
a phenomenal interview, and good luck to you the rest
of the way.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Thank you, man, Thank you for having me, of course,
All.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
What's up everybody?
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Players Lounge, brought to you by Sony,
the official headphones of the New York Giants. All right,
I'm very excited for today's show here on the Players
Lounge because we got a guy that I've been dying
to speak to. I've been seeing him around. I've been
seeing him obviously doing this thing on the football field.
But we have our guy, rookie defensive back Drew Phillips.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to the show. Man. How we're feeling?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I feel good, man, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Man, awesome man. Happy for you to be here. All right,
let's get right into it. I think you were born
in Alabama, but you were raised in Louisville, Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
So where do you say you're from? Like? Where are
you claiming right now?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah? Really it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I really claim South Carolina, Okay, but I gotta give roots.
I grew up in Kentucky. My family's from Kentucky. Just
happy to move there, you know, halfway through my life.
And you know that's where I call home down in Greenville.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Okay. Nice, I love that.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
So you come from a family of athletes, like you
know your dad and who's the best athlete in the family.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Shot, it's me, it's you me all my other day.
I got the athletic jeans, my brothers and stuff. They
got the size. So what I lack, I lacked what
they didn't have.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Okay, when did you start playing football? Like when did
it become a passion for you? Like when you started
playing initially and then when you knew you were gonna
be something like when did that happen?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Yeah, I definitely started. I was young, so like my
older brothers and stuff like that. When I was growing up,
they were my role models. So I used to watch
them my practice, should go run with them. So I'd
say about five years old, I started playing football and
that kind of was my thing. And never ever really
thought I was gonna be too much. I just loved
playing football my whole life. Then you know, I got
to high school, start putting in real work, like you
(01:40):
know what, you go to training all the time, and
you trying to start going to camps, and I'm like,
I can hang with a lot of these guys, Like
I think I deserve a shot. So I think after
my sophomore year, I was like, yeah, I can do this.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
It's funny how high school has that thing right, like
when you know, when the game started, especially for myself
in high school, like when the game started to become easy,
or there were things that were happening there and that
were kind of out of body experiences. They're like, yo,
I just did that, and like everybody's kind of amazed,
like okay, maybe I could do something here, but like myself,
you also did a little track and feel too. You
(02:11):
were a state champion in the triple jump. Yeah, talk
to me about like your love of track, like where
that came from. Where you a football guy running track?
Or was track a passion for you as well?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Track was really a passion Like my whole life. It
kind of was just like built in. My mom did track,
she used to do hurdle was in high school, so
I always heard about it. And then growing up I
did track. I just always would run and I always
was the fastest, so it's kind of just made sense.
And then I got the high school. I fell in
love with the whole jumping scene, and you used to
go on YouTube and look up videos of how to
do triple jump and ended up going out and went
(02:42):
and stayed off.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
It was pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Because triple jump isn't easy, like I learned in high
school too, and it's not a normal thing that your
body is used to doing. Like just regular long jump
is one thing you just run in and jump off
the pady going, but the technique of the triple jump
is not easy. So kudos to you for dominating in that.
Joining in high school, I saw you were a triple
jump champion or.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Got that out the way.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Now this viral car jump video, talk to me about
that at the artificial intelligence that was used to do
this or how fake it is or who CGI did
because I just I don't believe it personally, So let
me know if it's actually real and how it came about.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Yeah, it's real, and I got in some real trouble
for that. It's funny story. It's happened after school one day.
You know, you're in high school. You talking to your
friends like, I bet you could jump over a car.
It's like no, So after school I just went and
did it, jumped over it, took the video posted on Twitter.
High school coach, take it down. That's too dangerous. YadA,
(03:40):
YadA YadA. What kind of car did you jump over?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It was an ultimate Okay, and it was in motion
or over ran.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
And jumped over top of you guys.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
So I had to delete it at first, then reposted
it after my one of my other high school coach,
She's like, that was really cool, was like keep it up.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I was like, yeah, reposted it.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Blew up from there and it was pretty cool because
to this day people still talking about it.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
That's dope.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
I think there should be always ways obviously barring any
safety issues are concerious, right, but I think there should
always be ways outside of the game that if athletes
could like market themselves or show their athleticism. We had
a guy named Jason Pierre Paul who I feel like
was a phenomenal player for US obviously, but I think
the one thing that stood out for him was that
(04:23):
he didn't mind you. He was I think what six '
four to seventy two eighty probably, and the man did
eleven backflips.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Like he just posted a clip of him. I don't
even know. They were training down.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
To South Florida and he just did eleven consecutive backflipst
And I'm sure if the Giants didn't like him before that,
they saw that could have It was like, we're drafting
that guy.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
So I definitely get it.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
That's crazy, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
You chose Kentucky to go to college. Why.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
I know your dad went there as well, But was
that part of your reasoning for going to Kentucky as well?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
No, it was total, like it had nothing to do
with it. My thing came down to the area, my grandparents. Also,
the road and the coaches, coach stoops and everything. They
did a great job. I've always seen guys because I
was a fan of them growing up, and when they
started recruiting me and I felt like I could really
be a family, part of family up there.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I just want to help. Did you go there with
Wandelle as well?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I did one year there? Of one day, Okay, this
one year.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
There, I was trapping him up in practice, Like what
was the battles like in practice going up against Wande.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
We had some competition on a few plays. You know,
I think each of each of each other tell a
different story. But I feel like we eas did our
little thing.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Okay, Now take me the draft day right, like a
kid from South Carolina coming from Kentucky, obviously, what was
the energy like being drafted, especially being drafted a and
then coming up to New York City specifically, like what
were your thoughts when you got drafted and the idea
of coming to the big city.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
When I got drafted, I mean, it's almost like you
black out, you know, for a guy like me, and
then moment like that, it was just like, Wow, this
is crazy. And also with the New York coming up here.
You know, I came here for a visit beforehand and
got to meet a lot of these guys and I
liked him. I had a good relationship just from that
one right there, and you know, I was excited like
it was nothing. And then growing up in the South
(06:10):
and from South Carolina, Kentucky, now I'm in New York,
it was just like how am I gonna.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Take on the city?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You know, learn my ways?
Speaker 4 (06:18):
But you know you've got to jump in no feet
first and just figure it out yourself.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
How's it been for you? How's the vibe? How's the
vibe in New York?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
You've been here for quite some time now, I feel
like you're settled in. Like what's the vibe in New
York City? Do you do you go out much? Do
you enjoy the restaurants. Do you enjoy the scene in
New York? What's been the energy so far?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah? I enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
I mean like every day I can find something new.
If that's I go get a restaurant. I have my
friends come up and my family come up, and every
time I'm like, let's go try this or that, and
you know, it's every day's a new try and experience.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
But I love it.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
There's always something you can go to the city, over
the water, you find anything in the city.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So now I have some.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Short conversations with my guy in the Leak neighbors and
his family. His mother is sending him food every single week.
Are you one of those guys that's being sent food
to your house every single week?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Is that a thing down to now?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
I don't have I wish my mom would send me cooking.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Every week, But okay, I just have to make sure
how my dv's were coming because my receivers is out
here getting fed.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Mama is sending in that good food, which I love. Now.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
New York is obviously a big city of fashion, where
the way you look and the way you represent yourself
as a big deal. I've been keeping an eye on
your fashion game. Lately, I've been seeing the vibes very
well dressed, very well put together. Talk to me about
kind of your game day style aspect and what your
style is for yourself.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
When you get ready for game day.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Yeah, definitely, it kind of goes off how I'm feeling
that day. If it's kind of like some days, you know,
you especially at those primetime games where you really want
to show out. I put on my best fit. I mean,
I'll go shot four weeks in advance of that. But
then most other games, it's just like, yeah, how am
I feeling that day? Some days it's a sweatpants, something chill,
or some days you still want to put something on.
Just go in my closet and I just looked through
(08:02):
and that morning I just put music on, get ready
for the game.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
I'm just feeling the vibe.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
What's the music? What's the music choices? You are?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Now?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
What are you listening to?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
You driving on the way to the game. It's a
home game, it's prime time. What's what's on the what's
on the tunes?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I put on, like you know, before the games, I'm
really like on the way I listened to Rap a lot,
just kind of get the vibes going a little bit,
So I listened to some gunner or some little baby,
you know, things of that sort. But then when I
get here, it's more chill vibes. I'm listening to my
R and B music, the whole genre, and I'm just relaxing,
getting ready to know what I got taken.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Are you a fan of like the Louisville Are you
a Jack Harlow guy?
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Are you like? Are you listening too?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Listened?
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I listened to him, ye, because Louisville kind of had
a moment and still does. I mean, those guys are
still relevant, still doing your things. So I was a
guy that has some superstitions when I was playing right, like,
I want to say something more of a routine. But
I did have much of the chagrin of everybody in here.
There was a collective gasp when I told everybody that
I wore the same sock for a few years. I
(08:58):
washed the brown side, washed it, but it was the
same sock. And there was a whole thing around that.
But do you have any superstitions that you do, or
any routines or anything that that you do before game?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
No, same socks. There's not too much. I mean I'm
just sticking to the schedule. I'll wake up.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
I kind of got my routine where I'll eat at
the same time and I eat the same pregame meal
every time. You just eat something like like I eat fruit,
pineapples and stuff of that sort. But I'm just blasting
music and getting ready for the games.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, I'm the same way.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I couldn't.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Like, I know, I've seen guys, especially before games, have
like a pile of food in front of them before.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
I'm like, I can't.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
I'd probably throw up if I had a bunch of
food and then tried to get myself ready to play.
So so I'm kind of with you on down the
light meal vibe. Now it's your rookie season. What has
been your like moment where you're like, okay, I'm in
the league now, like this is this is a different
thing in college. Maybe it's a receiver that you went
head to head against and did something, or you had
(09:59):
a moment with with another person or another opposing athlete
that you were like, Okay, this is different.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I'm in the league now. What was that moment for you?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Yeah, I think my I had a game, my second
game against the Commanders and the guys are pretty let
me free. I just kind of just felt in tune
with the game plan and what was going on. And
when you got guys like I don't really mind about
the other team, but when you got guys on my
team like Dexter and Burns and they walk up to
me and they're like, you're you're doing it out here, I'm.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Like, oh yeah, Like these are the cool guys that
they're telling me I'm doing good. So it just kind
of fuels me.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
But that game was a good one for comps, like, Okay,
I can go out here and I can I can
bang it out with these guys I belong.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So it was pretty fun.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I think there's something when the leaders of the team
kind of come up to you and say like you're
one of us now, when they give you that standard
of approval, that's always a great thing. I had some
some defensive back comps for you. But who do you
model your game after?
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Shoot, when I was growing up, I have said Tyron
Matthew and still still like I just plays kind of
like a little reckless, but you just kind to go
make a play.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
That's kind of who I always say my whole life.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah, that's kind of the guy I have for you
because he kind of has this like you could tell
he's a smart guy. He's a smart defender and he
knows what he's supposed to be, but he plays with
this like kind of care free attitude of like I'm here,
I'm gonna make a play when it comes to me,
and but I'm out here in tune with what's going
on in the game plan as well, you know what
I mean. So switching gears a little bit. I want
(11:30):
to talk hobbies. I want to talk things you do
outside the game. What are some of the hobbies you love.
I heard you like to collect shoes. I collect sneakers
as well. I used to. It's kind of becoming a
little bit overwhelming in the closet right now.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
But like, what are your hobbies? What do you like
to get into outside of the game.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Yeah, like you said the shoes and closed part, I'm
always doing stuff like that. I play the game a lot.
So when I'm not out here doing football just relaxing, debrief,
I go on a game with my my friends. Like
it's mad in her call of duty. But if not,
especially being up here right now, I'm just going and
trying new foods. I became a foodie since I came
up here. So if I'm driving down the street, I'm like, oh,
(12:06):
that place looks good, I'll look it up, going yep.
Never you yep before I got up here. But get
on there and find something and see it out.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
All right, that's what's up now, switching gears a little
bit now without making me feel too old.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Okay, what's your favorite TV show like growing up or
just in general, Like, what's your favorite TV show that
you loved growing up?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:29):
It was Shoot, I was a big Cartoon Network kid. Okay,
so it was The Kids next Door. I used to
get on that. Oh that was my favorite one growing up.
Or I watched some SpongeBob and whatnot too, but Kids
next Door growing up was that.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
I officially feel old now. That whole thing went out
the window real fast. Okay, favorite movie again, maybe I
might feel old again here, but growing up in general,
just your favorite movie and then give me your all time.
Let's let's go with like your top three movies of
all time?
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Top three movies of all time. M I gotta put
Django in there. Okay, I love that movie Interstellar. That's
a great movie. And then the third one I got
through an all time classic, The Lion King, all time
animated joint like the Throat animated. I gotta keep it
(13:17):
th OJK Okay with the same. I love Django, I
love all Quinn Tarantino movies. Pulp fiction is one of
my favorites. That's on my list of all time as well.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So okay, all right, let's play a quick game.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
I got a couple of games here, but we're gonna
start with this one blind ranking. I'm gonna name these
joints out too. You're gonna rank them without knowing what's
coming next. Okay, First is a pass breakup.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
We're ranking this on what five?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Five out of five? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Past breakup three?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Okay, three, tackle for a loss four four okay, uh
pick six that's a one.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
That's a one. He didn't even.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Hesitate, he even hesitate. Okay, force fumble that's a two
to two. Or you're gonna hate this last one, multi
interception game.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Okay, got them.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
That's the goddam face right there. All right, blind ranking done.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Okay, the next game it's called football first, where you
described the first time you did the following at any level.
Of play, whether it's little league, college or the pros. Right, So, okay,
first position you ever played?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Running back?
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Running back? And I was I was Little Drew as
a running back. I was fast, was fast.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I just hit the edge, was running.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I remember because I played running back little league too,
and I distinctly remember not understanding the concept of like
dive or like twenty one whatever power whatever play and
I would run up to the hole and then literally
bounce it out and go the sideline every time. Okay,
next one, first interception?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Uh, that's gotta be a little league too.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Okay, I'll say realistically, probably like middle school the ones
I remember.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Love that And what was it? Like? Was it a
pick six? Was it? It jumped up high point, came
down with it.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Jumped up high point. I jumped so high I can't
land on my feet, you know.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Okay, Uh, first football jersey you've ever owned?
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Oh, first football jersey I ever owned. I don't think
I've ever owned a football Like went and bought a
football jersey.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Yeah, like the first your favorite player or somebody that
you admired and you had the jersey.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
It was an old Kentucky player which his name Boom boom.
Williams Young shout up to boom. Yeah when I was younger,
he's got his jersey. Okay, that's the first college offer, Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Love that first purchase after signing your first NFL contract.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
First purchase, I went to Chipotle. I got an extra stake.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
You know what this is over?
Speaker 1 (15:50):
I do need to ask any more questions here. Okay,
first person you call after games?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Oh my mom love that. Let her know I'm okay.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, that was the big here from My mother used
to literally be at the games when she could make
them right and come and she would be She would
come up to me after every game and just hug
me because she was like she didn't care if I
had three drops and like I had a terrible game
or if I had a great game. She would hug
me and be like, Okay, thanks, thankfully, you're okay, all right,
we appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Last thing we're gonna do here today, lastly, finish these statements.
Everyone that knows me knows that I love.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Close close.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Wait, let me take that back. Okay, Okay, my dog,
what kind of dog do you have? I got a
doodle name Jet. How long have you had yet for
two years now, so I gotta have this dog conversate.
What kind of dog a doodle? Right?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
So my daughter's pressing me for a doll. She wants
a Golden Retriever, but I'm like, that's a big dog.
Like I'm trying to settle on a Frenchchie. If you
had to choose between a Frenchie and I was gonna also,
let's just do a Frenchie, a golden Doodle, yeah, and
a Golden Retriever. Which one would you think? God, Golden Doodle,
golden and why?
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Well they good dogs like you get everything in a
Golden Retriever and they don't shut. The shedding is a
big part from.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It's a big part. Feel like Golden Retrievers shed.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
A lot, they do, and Frenchies just can't breathe too much.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
So I'm happy for this.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
We're gonna clip this and send it to my daughter
because she's we've been having this issue at the crib. Okay, last,
but not least, the best advice that you've ever gotten is.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Uh, just keep I'm trying to think the best advice,
but my dad, So my dad always told me just
keep working no matter who's watching. There's like, you know,
no matter who's watching and what situation you in, if
you work your hard or something good, it's gonna come
out of it.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
I love that. Was your dad always full of like
isms or had like one liner my dad. My dad's
a smart gems.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
He had all those little tricks and sayings and whatnot.
And when I was younger, it's like, oh, well, but
I go old, I'm like, oh yeah, these means It's
crazy what that meant?
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Your parents have that tricky way of like saying those
things that as a kid, you're like, what does that?
Even the big one for me was you know, them
guys right there on the corner, they're gonna be there
when you get back, Like, those same guys are going
to be exactly where they're at. And I'm like, there's
no way. These guys are twenty years old, we're going
to be doing stuff in their life. And sure enough,
ten fifteen years later I come back, the same guys
are in the same spot, doing the same things. So, Drew,
(18:13):
I appreciate you giving us this time. Man, It's been
a phenomenal interview, and good luck to you the rest
of the way.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Thank you, man, Thank you for having me, of course,
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