Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Konata Mumpfield sits down with J.B. Long on this week's episode of Rams Revealed to talk about how he got his nickname "The Apprentice", looking up to wide receiver Davante Adams, and his love for dancing translating into his love for creating touchdown celebrations.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hope you got a great bye week.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Everyone cannot wait to get back to Sofi Stadium and
pick up the second half of this schedule. It begins
against the New Orleans Saints and on RAMS revealed this week,
it was my privilege to sit down with a rookie
receiver coming off his first touchdown reception. No one had
a better open date. They could not say month Field. Well,
(00:24):
the timing was excellent on this one. Not just a
bye week, but a birthday week to celebrate as well.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Congratulations, I was twenty three.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Thank you, thank you, Yes, sir, it's good. It's a blessing.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
You know, I can't complain, you know, great to make
it to another year, for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
And how'd you spend your off week?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I went back home to Atlanta metrolanda area. I spend
it with my family, you know, it kind of relaxed.
Got a chance to go back to my high school,
you know, see the kids, talk to the kids and
things like that, see nice teachers, and really just go
get some to eat with my family and friends.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
To celebrate the big day. Yes, sir, amazing.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, like I said, your time is incredible because you
brought your first NFL touchdown with you, Yes, sir, tell
us about that moment in London and what you remember
now a couple of weeks removed.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Uh e, it was a a great moment.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
I can't thank God enough, you know, but it was
I kind of had a a a good feeling. Somebody,
one of my friends literally told me, I think the
day or two before the game, he DM me it
was like, hey, bro, you gonna.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Score this game.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I'm like, man, I that'd be cool. You know, birthday
coming to and were going into the bid week in London.
But you know, all through throughout practice that little celebration,
we was practicing it. So, I mean I it was
amazing being able to be the first one to do it.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
You know, whether it was his intuition or yours.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Was that a product of knowing that Puka might not
play and there would be an increased snap count for you,
or what gave you the sense that it might be imminent?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Honestly, I just I I remember in practice that same
play we rented in the red zone like that, and
the botting up finding his way to me and practice
from uh Matt, And so I was like, Okay, if
if it comes to the point where like it's my
opportunity to get open and win. Like I'm i'm'a be
ready for it. So man Like in practice, he he
(02:04):
ends up throwing it in.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
The game, so he throw it the same way too,
you know.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
He he he's a magician. He's a magician.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
It wasn't the same looking practice, but you know, he
he he, he works as magic.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
What was that like to see it in film?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I mean, obviously you're on the receiving it, but you
can't get a sense for all the details of that
throw in that moment until you're watching from all angles.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Oh nah, it it's amazing, just like it's a testament
of like how good he is and how he can
manipulate the fenders with his eyes and the things, and
just how well he knows the game, and obviously just
playing so much and being so savvy with it, Like
it's amazing to play. All I gotta do is do
my job. Hey, that you can get the ball at
any time.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So did your family and friends have some fun with
the pronunciation on the TV copy?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Oh yeah, my friends was killing me. They was like bruh,
they they missed your name all the way up.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
I was like, shoot, I mean, hey, they don't know
who I am, so I I kind of figure if
it's that's kind of been my whole life to where
people mispronounce it the first couple of times.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
So yeah, can I tell it's a very unique name?
Is there a story that you can tell us about?
Speaker 4 (03:01):
So, my dad's name is Ceprin and uh, it's an
Egyptian name and basically it means head of the river.
And so my name they got it out of an
African book. And so my name means of the river.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
That's sweet. All of your siblings kind of follow that trend.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Me and my sister has a unique name to Maya.
So it's really just because me and my brothers have
different dads. So my father he wanted to keep that
tradition from his dad of having a unique name and
an African name.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Well, one thing we might start calling you is young Tay.
I know you already heard this, but for those in
our audience you may have missed it. This is what
DeVante Adams had to say about your post game in London.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Could not take my son just because he just reminded
me so much of myself, as far as you know,
kind of a young Tay and honestly, I think he's
ahead of where I was, you know, my rookie year
as far as just being comfortable in the league.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
And I mean.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
He's crazy coachable and and just got all the ability
in the world. So you know, whenever, whenever I'm done
in there, he'll he'll go and step up and he'll
be catching a lot more touchdowns of what he did today.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Alright, when did you first hear that? And what was
your reaction?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I think my mama might have sent it to me
or one of my cousins had reposted it of like
him saying that, which is a cool thing, cause we
always joke all the time in the receiver room with
him calling me son. I be like, hey, bro, we
not gonna let that stick. Like I got a dad
he could be up though UK for sure, But now
we joking about it all the time him pooka.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yards like they always trying to make jokes.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
But I mean it it's a cool thing, Like, uh,
it's somebody I'll really look up to, especially just the
way he plays the game of football and the way
he thinks, and you know, it's a lot to learn from.
And honestly, me and my mom we prayed about actually
like being able to have the opportunity to learn from
a guy like Davonte uh before the draft. So it's
a pretty cool and amazing spirit experience. And he's like
(04:52):
a mentor to me and all the time he's giving
us tips whenever he can, and he's he's been like
a big brother.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
So for sure, does it inspire confidence.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
It It's gotta tough to see maybe the path to
being a rookie in the National Football League and being
a future Hall of Famer. But when someone like that
says something like that.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Not yeah, definitely, I mean obviously, like you said, it's
tough coming into the game, especially being a rookie, and
like that coming from somebody that you've grown up watching
and you know, kind of modeled your game after in
a sense, and just him saying that, like you said,
a future Hall of Famer and like, I have big
goals of myself and so for him to say that,
it definitely means a lot for.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
True your prayer was answered in duplicate. You get not
only DeVante Adams, but another All Pro and pukin the
cool what's it been like working with them in your
first lap through the National Football League.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I mean it's amazing for us, Like it's the guys
in this building just love football, and I truly love football,
and just to be able to be in a room
with those guys that understands the game, that love the
game just as much as I do, and can give
different tips and tricks just from different ways of playing
the game, because Devonte plays the game differently and Puoka
and to two plays differently than Davante. So you know,
(06:04):
just being able to learn from all those guys and
even better, they're just great human beings, like Pooka is.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
A great guy.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Davante is a great guy too, too, like everybody in
that receiver room, Like it's amazing to be a part
of and just learn as much as I can.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Let me follo up on what you said there about
your love for football, because I think in these recent
RAMS draft classes, our fan bases come to know and
love a lot of you Less Snead and his staff,
Sean McVay and his staff, they seem to have prioritized
that as much as anything.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Not just good people, good.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
College careers, maybe good measurables, but they prioritize football.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
What's that like?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Being in an environment where you're surrounded with like minded peers.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
It's amazing just because, like you said, being like minded,
that's how you kind of grow. And to have guys
Likevey such a special mind to love football just as
much as the next, like Davante and Puka, and then
like I said, I love football as much as I do.
I mean, it's a great space to be in a
great environment, Like you want to go out there to
(06:59):
go compete and work every day because you know how
everybody's coming.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
So it's an amazing thing.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
And who loves football more than Eric Yarbor. You'd like
to be around him as a person.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
He's he's the goat man. He's a great he's a great.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Dude as well, and just as much not as as
knowledgeable as he is, like he can he teaches everybody
and even to Davante, like he can teach everybody in
different ways. So I mean it's been amazing to learn
from him as well.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
I mean, he's got a nickname for all of his
Yarbinators game, what's yours the Apprentice?
Speaker 3 (07:30):
So that's what I told him.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
That was what I was cool with that nickname because
they call Davonte sense, and so they called me the apprentice.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And then the celebrations around here this side of Tyler
Higbee have been lacking. I would say it's not what
the Rams do best, but I feel like we're moving
in a pretty good direction. With the bonus time you
guys cooking up something for the Saints.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
We always go have something all day.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
For me, I'm a big celebration guy like I That's
the thing about being in this program. Like everybody enjoys
like to play football, you know, and it's an excitement
for for everybody.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And I like to dance, like I come from.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
Like the atl culture where they like hit them folds
and they they all that stuff. So and then my
mom my mom likes to dance a lot, and we
do that a lot in the house. So like when
I celebrate, you know, being able to get in that zone,
it it means a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So all right, So you bring a deep reservoir of
celebration options that you can dig into, whether they're coordinated with.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Oh yeah, even if even if it's me or not.
I was the one who set up the suit say more. Yeah,
I was telling them all week. I say, Okay, we
going to London, boom. I didn't think I was go score,
you know, I was just ay, I'm thinking about it
because I mean, honestly, it was a goal of mine
to do that in like overseas or something like that,
just because how much they love soccer. And I've seen
(08:41):
them a couple of times to where like I knew
if you would do it in there, the whole crowd
to say it. So like all week every time with
somebody score, were like Okay, I'm like, tell you got
to do it, or Jaywitt, you got to do it,
you know, And so it just kind of became a thing.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
It was practicing you have your eye on soccer when
you're not playing football.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I want to get I want to get more into it.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
So I know it's a goal of mine at some
point I want to get overseas to watch a game.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
All right.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
So when the crowd does respond to you and you
see the move that it made on social how fulfilling
was that?
Speaker 3 (09:10):
It was amazing? It was.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
It was really a cool thing and a cool experience.
You know, It's like it was definitely a blessing. I
can't thank God enough.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
So did that football make it back through customs?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
They did getting it right for me right now?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Okay, so you didn't get to take it home this time,
but it will be there eventually.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Yeah, eventually.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Who can returning this week? That's a good news. Unfortunately
is gonna miss. He's gonna go on injured reserve. So
I wondered, does that maybe opened the door to some
more opportunity for you to build on what you started
the first half of this season.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
I'm not sure yet, but definitely, just for everybody in
our receiver room, like it's next man up mentality, and
we all understand that. So if it's not me, it's
X or j Witt, but I think all of us
kind of understand that that we have. The common goal
is to win and whatever that takes is you know,
that's what we're gonna do.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
What about the stay of the Rams at five and
two a week to get right, to get refocused? Five
victories all against the AFC. You haven't done your work
in the NFC or in the division yet, But what's
the opportunity in front of you as you pick up
the schedule.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Uh, it's a great opportunity. We know the type of
the team that we have, even though with those two losses,
we we kind of understand the type of guys that
we have in that room. So now it was just
a great time to reset, you know, middle of the
season and continue to grow, so I mean, continue to
stack days and we know the best is yet to
come from this group.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
So I know a little bit about your college career
and background, about how much winning have you experienced as
a football player.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
So I started out at act Room. It was two
and ten.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
First year at pitt they came off to acc so
we went nine to four. Next year I think it
was three and nine, and then my last year we
finished out seven and five, seven and.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Six or something that.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
So something like bowl trips without as good as it got.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
In high school, I went to back to back semi
finals and six A Georgia. So I was like growing
up in little league middle school, I won like championships.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
High school, I was like winning a lot too.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
So so now to be in the NFL and to
be really making a push for something at this level,
that's more.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Where you wanna be.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Oh yeah, definitely. Of course.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
How about the fact that you only had four offers
or so I read M coming out of high school,
what's this?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
This two star nonsense.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Uh yeah, yeah, y y, you kind of know how
how that that is? Uh for me, I wasn't.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
I had skipped the grade when I was younger, So
I was in the class of twenty twenty when I
was really supposed to be in twenty twenty one. So
like my body kind of wasn't developed yet. I was
still a little bit younger, wasn't as strong as fast
as the other guys, especially like in Georgia football, it's
a it's a big hot bed for for recruiting. So
I kind of just like slip through the cracks. In
my county alone, I think this year we had nine drafted.
(11:41):
I know Josh Downs, I played against him, Travis Hunter
played in my uh in my county, Uh, Caleb Downs,
like you. The the list goes on. So I mean it.
It was just kind of one of those things where
I just my body wasn't developed yet.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
So and they wanted you to play corner.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Pitt actually coming out of high school, wanted me to
play corner. But I told him though, I said my
passion as receiver and so my guy Akron, they actually
great shirted me so which made me sit out a
whole season. So I was at home for a whole
whole year, and then our earlier rolled in the twenty
twenty one class, which is honestly a big blessing because
it gave me time to develop. I grew into my
(12:17):
body a little bit more, hit the weight room, got faster,
and things like that, so I can make an impact.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So you wound up in the age group that you
were originally slotted with. Interesting, all right, so Akron was
your only D one offer.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Then my fbs I had some SCS.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Got it, and so that became like a prove it
freshman year right as a receiver at the college football level.
I got you for sixty three catches, seven hundred and
fifty one yards, eight touchdowns, Freshman All American. Yeah, so
you go back to Pitt and say, see, I told
you so let's get let's get to it now.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Yeah. Yeah, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
It was a cool, a cool thing because I mean,
like I said, I felt like I could all along.
I felt like I was a power for power five
player just because like I growing up playing around playing
with like Nate Wiggins, we competed all the time, lose
in high school. So and so I knew I had
what it took. It was just a matter of just
going out and improving it to myself.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
So you leave pitting catches in twenty three and yards
in twenty four. Uh you played almost an even split.
It looks like in the slot and out. Why do
you have a preferred role?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Uh No, not really.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
I think that's like the beauty of it, honestly, Like
why like coach mcvay's offense where you can just move around.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Cause it's it's hard to.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
Match up with somebody that can move from outside to slide,
can motion to the backfield, can go to the boundary,
can go to the field, you know, and do those
type of things and then get those type of matchups.
So I mean, I kind of just want to be
wherever you know it takes.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So with those stats and that flexibility, why'd you have
to wait until pick to forty two?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Honestly, I think it was my forty time, you know,
So you know that's that's a big deal for a
lot of people.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
But I don't let's go ahead and say if you
want or you're forty time.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Oh a four to five nine, you know which is?
And I'm not a big dude, So you know, a
lot of people. Probably was a little bit nervous to that,
even though on film, I feel like I play a
lot faster on it.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I was gonna say it was that representative of what
you think you have in the tank?
Speaker 3 (14:10):
No, no, no, no, not at all. But I mean it
is what it is. You know, you got to charge
into the game.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
I mean, I'm starting to think that receivers like you
might be running slow forties on purpose to get to
LA and to get in this offense.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Oh yeah, we call that the Cooper Cup around here.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Cooper's still with what second rouph?
Speaker 4 (14:25):
No, a little bit later, Okay, okay, but na, yeah,
I mean it's a great I wouldn't want to be
nowhere else.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I promise you that.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
So it works out.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Colors are similar to you get to keep all your
pig year around. Is it correct that you had three
O c's and six quarterbacks in college?
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I had more so my freshman year Accron, I had
three different quarterbacks.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
So my second year I pit we had two, junior
year we had three, and then last.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Year we had too.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
All right, so what was that like and how did
it prepare you for being in the National Football weekue.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Just like the next man up mentality Like whoever it
is being quarterback friendly is it doesn't matter who's back there.
I mean if the quarterback can trust you to get
over and do your job, like it helps you adjust
on the fly.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
So diversity of system too. In terms of the offenses
you learned. What's it been like learning mcvey's.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Vernacular and play calling and playbooks.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
It's been amazing.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
It's definitely a deep playbook though, like it's it's not
for the week, you know, but it's it's fun, like
it's innovative.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Like like I said, I love it.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I like the challenge of learning new things and doing
a lot of different things. So it's a blessing to
be a part of it. And honestly, because it's so
it's so like detailed and what we do, it's hard
to stop.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
So through pitt or through the rams, have you connected
with Aaron Donald at all?
Speaker 3 (15:43):
So I've talked to him, like once or twice.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
I would see him around the facili a lot back
in pit when he'll go back to lyft.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
You know, he was always lifting to find him.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Yeah, he got his own locker in there where like
you can't sit at you can't touch at where he
like leaving stuff in there. But so I haven't really
got a chance to talk to him that much. I
know I played with his his nephew Elliott Donald mm
at Pitt. But I once when I see him, like
we just say what's up.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
But things like that, anything like Larry Fitzgerald or is
that a reach too?
Speaker 5 (16:09):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
I've talked to him maybe like a little bit when
he came back to the Pitt, but not much. But
I would love to talk to Larry. You know, he's
a he's a goat so nice. I know him and
Tay are actually pretty.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Close there go yeah, okay, it'll happen. Tell me about
your your family a little bit. I have some information
your father played college ball as well.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Uh so he had a offer to go to n Okay,
but he he wasn't doing right and then he ended
up coming back home. His dad told him he couldn't
stay here, so he.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Had to go to the military, got it, and that
military dictated. Maybe your older siblings upbringing a little bit.
I I've read that you've made some stops in in
Asia and other places before you settled in the Metro
Georgia area.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
Metro So I lived in Japan, That's where my sister
was born. I lived in New Jersey, South Jersey for
a little bit. I was born in Columbus, Georgia on base,
and we lived in Phoenix City, Alabama, and then ultimately
we we came back to Georgia and settled in the
metroline area.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Does that shine through and your upbringing in any way?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Uh, definitely.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I mean just being able to uh adapt uh on
the fly, cause you know, you you're out of school,
you make new friends, then you gotta up and move,
you gotta adjust. So definitely that and just the military,
just the discipline and like the hard work. He that's
what he's always kind of uh stuck by being in
that household, Like working hard, going to earn everything that
you have, and and just the discipline and in in
(17:26):
general and with football, it's kind of it's a lot.
It's a lot of similarities. And just like the structure
of things, waking up early, working out things. That's tough
on your body. So you gotta have the mental strength
and and fortitude to be able to do those things.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
So how does southern California suit you?
Speaker 4 (17:40):
I like it, you know, it's beautiful weather. Uh, so
you can't complain about that. I'm a very like chill,
real last guy. So like you got the beaches, I
can go to the beach and just chill, enjoy nature
things like that. Uh obviously La Downtown you have that
and and most importantly like just the good people around here.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
So you getting in the water, surfing anything.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Oh no, no, no, I'm not. I'm' gonna stay away
from the water.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
But I sat at the beach though, and look at
the waves and it'llmire the sunset, the mountains, things like that.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
But I'm not getting no one hobbies.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
What do you like to do besides I.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Played a game. I want to I want to get
into traveling.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
I'm very big on music, Like I'm a big music guy,
and now that I'm having a little bit more time,
trying to get into cooking a little bit things like that.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
So making your own music or.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Just just taking you know, I feel like music is
a big influence on how people will act.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
So awesome.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Well, here's too many more celebrations. I'm looking forward to
seeing what else you have in store for the Rams
this season and well beyond. Happy Birthday belated once again,
I'm glad you got to celebrate it in fine form
and can't wait to see it so far against the Saints.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yes, sir, thank you, M
Hope you got a great bye week.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Everyone cannot wait to get back to Sofi Stadium and
pick up the second half of this schedule. It begins
against the New Orleans Saints and on RAMS revealed this week,
it was my privilege to sit down with a rookie
receiver coming off his first touchdown reception. No one had
a better open date. They could not say month Field. Well,
(00:24):
the timing was excellent on this one. Not just a
bye week, but a birthday week to celebrate as well.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Congratulations, I was twenty three.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Thank you, thank you, Yes, sir, it's good. It's a blessing.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
You know, I can't complain, you know, great to make
it to another year, for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
And how'd you spend your off week?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I went back home to Atlanta metrolanda area. I spend
it with my family, you know, it kind of relaxed.
Got a chance to go back to my high school,
you know, see the kids, talk to the kids and
things like that, see nice teachers, and really just go
get some to eat with my family and friends.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
To celebrate the big day. Yes, sir, amazing.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, like I said, your time is incredible because you
brought your first NFL touchdown with you, Yes, sir, tell
us about that moment in London and what you remember
now a couple of weeks removed.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Uh e, it was a a great moment.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
I can't thank God enough, you know, but it was
I kind of had a a a good feeling. Somebody,
one of my friends literally told me, I think the
day or two before the game, he DM me it
was like, hey, bro, you gonna.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Score this game.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I'm like, man, I that'd be cool. You know, birthday
coming to and were going into the bid week in London.
But you know, all through throughout practice that little celebration,
we was practicing it. So, I mean I it was
amazing being able to be the first one to do it.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
You know, whether it was his intuition or yours.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Was that a product of knowing that Puka might not
play and there would be an increased snap count for you,
or what gave you the sense that it might be imminent?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Honestly, I just I I remember in practice that same
play we rented in the red zone like that, and
the botting up finding his way to me and practice
from uh Matt, And so I was like, Okay, if
if it comes to the point where like it's my
opportunity to get open and win. Like I'm i'm'a be
ready for it. So man Like in practice, he he
(02:04):
ends up throwing it in.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
The game, so he throw it the same way too,
you know.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
He he he's a magician. He's a magician.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
It wasn't the same looking practice, but you know, he
he he, he works as magic.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
What was that like to see it in film?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I mean, obviously you're on the receiving it, but you
can't get a sense for all the details of that
throw in that moment until you're watching from all angles.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Oh nah, it it's amazing, just like it's a testament
of like how good he is and how he can
manipulate the fenders with his eyes and the things, and
just how well he knows the game, and obviously just
playing so much and being so savvy with it, Like
it's amazing to play. All I gotta do is do
my job. Hey, that you can get the ball at
any time.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So did your family and friends have some fun with
the pronunciation on the TV copy?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Oh yeah, my friends was killing me. They was like bruh,
they they missed your name all the way up.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
I was like, shoot, I mean, hey, they don't know
who I am, so I I kind of figure if
it's that's kind of been my whole life to where
people mispronounce it the first couple of times.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
So yeah, can I tell it's a very unique name?
Is there a story that you can tell us about?
Speaker 4 (03:01):
So, my dad's name is Ceprin and uh, it's an
Egyptian name and basically it means head of the river.
And so my name they got it out of an
African book. And so my name means of the river.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
That's sweet. All of your siblings kind of follow that trend.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Me and my sister has a unique name to Maya.
So it's really just because me and my brothers have
different dads. So my father he wanted to keep that
tradition from his dad of having a unique name and
an African name.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Well, one thing we might start calling you is young Tay.
I know you already heard this, but for those in
our audience you may have missed it. This is what
DeVante Adams had to say about your post game in London.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Could not take my son just because he just reminded
me so much of myself, as far as you know,
kind of a young Tay and honestly, I think he's
ahead of where I was, you know, my rookie year
as far as just being comfortable in the league.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
And I mean.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
He's crazy coachable and and just got all the ability
in the world. So you know, whenever, whenever I'm done
in there, he'll he'll go and step up and he'll
be catching a lot more touchdowns of what he did today.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Alright, when did you first hear that? And what was
your reaction?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I think my mama might have sent it to me
or one of my cousins had reposted it of like
him saying that, which is a cool thing, cause we
always joke all the time in the receiver room with
him calling me son. I be like, hey, bro, we
not gonna let that stick. Like I got a dad
he could be up though UK for sure, But now
we joking about it all the time him pooka.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yards like they always trying to make jokes.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
But I mean it it's a cool thing, Like, uh,
it's somebody I'll really look up to, especially just the
way he plays the game of football and the way
he thinks, and you know, it's a lot to learn from.
And honestly, me and my mom we prayed about actually
like being able to have the opportunity to learn from
a guy like Davonte uh before the draft. So it's
a pretty cool and amazing spirit experience. And he's like
(04:52):
a mentor to me and all the time he's giving
us tips whenever he can, and he's he's been like
a big brother.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
So for sure, does it inspire confidence.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
It It's gotta tough to see maybe the path to
being a rookie in the National Football League and being
a future Hall of Famer. But when someone like that
says something like that.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Not yeah, definitely, I mean obviously, like you said, it's
tough coming into the game, especially being a rookie, and
like that coming from somebody that you've grown up watching
and you know, kind of modeled your game after in
a sense, and just him saying that, like you said,
a future Hall of Famer and like, I have big
goals of myself and so for him to say that,
it definitely means a lot for.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
True your prayer was answered in duplicate. You get not
only DeVante Adams, but another All Pro and pukin the
cool what's it been like working with them in your
first lap through the National Football League.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I mean it's amazing for us, Like it's the guys
in this building just love football, and I truly love football,
and just to be able to be in a room
with those guys that understands the game, that love the
game just as much as I do, and can give
different tips and tricks just from different ways of playing
the game, because Devonte plays the game differently and Puoka
and to two plays differently than Davante. So you know,
(06:04):
just being able to learn from all those guys and
even better, they're just great human beings, like Pooka is.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
A great guy.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Davante is a great guy too, too, like everybody in
that receiver room, Like it's amazing to be a part
of and just learn as much as I can.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Let me follo up on what you said there about
your love for football, because I think in these recent
RAMS draft classes, our fan bases come to know and
love a lot of you Less Snead and his staff,
Sean McVay and his staff, they seem to have prioritized
that as much as anything.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Not just good people, good.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
College careers, maybe good measurables, but they prioritize football.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
What's that like?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Being in an environment where you're surrounded with like minded peers.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
It's amazing just because, like you said, being like minded,
that's how you kind of grow. And to have guys
Likevey such a special mind to love football just as
much as the next, like Davante and Puka, and then
like I said, I love football as much as I do.
I mean, it's a great space to be in a
great environment, Like you want to go out there to
(06:59):
go compete and work every day because you know how
everybody's coming.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
So it's an amazing thing.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
And who loves football more than Eric Yarbor. You'd like
to be around him as a person.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
He's he's the goat man. He's a great he's a great.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Dude as well, and just as much not as as
knowledgeable as he is, like he can he teaches everybody
and even to Davante, like he can teach everybody in
different ways. So I mean it's been amazing to learn
from him as well.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
I mean, he's got a nickname for all of his
Yarbinators game, what's yours the Apprentice?
Speaker 3 (07:30):
So that's what I told him.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
That was what I was cool with that nickname because
they call Davonte sense, and so they called me the apprentice.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And then the celebrations around here this side of Tyler
Higbee have been lacking. I would say it's not what
the Rams do best, but I feel like we're moving
in a pretty good direction. With the bonus time you
guys cooking up something for the Saints.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
We always go have something all day.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
For me, I'm a big celebration guy like I That's
the thing about being in this program. Like everybody enjoys
like to play football, you know, and it's an excitement
for for everybody.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And I like to dance, like I come from.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
Like the atl culture where they like hit them folds
and they they all that stuff. So and then my
mom my mom likes to dance a lot, and we
do that a lot in the house. So like when
I celebrate, you know, being able to get in that zone,
it it means a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So all right, So you bring a deep reservoir of
celebration options that you can dig into, whether they're coordinated with.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Oh yeah, even if even if it's me or not.
I was the one who set up the suit say more. Yeah,
I was telling them all week. I say, Okay, we
going to London, boom. I didn't think I was go score,
you know, I was just ay, I'm thinking about it
because I mean, honestly, it was a goal of mine
to do that in like overseas or something like that,
just because how much they love soccer. And I've seen
(08:41):
them a couple of times to where like I knew
if you would do it in there, the whole crowd
to say it. So like all week every time with
somebody score, were like Okay, I'm like, tell you got
to do it, or Jaywitt, you got to do it,
you know, And so it just kind of became a thing.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
It was practicing you have your eye on soccer when
you're not playing football.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I want to get I want to get more into it.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
So I know it's a goal of mine at some
point I want to get overseas to watch a game.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
All right.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
So when the crowd does respond to you and you
see the move that it made on social how fulfilling
was that?
Speaker 3 (09:10):
It was amazing? It was.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
It was really a cool thing and a cool experience.
You know, It's like it was definitely a blessing. I
can't thank God enough.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
So did that football make it back through customs?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
They did getting it right for me right now?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Okay, so you didn't get to take it home this time,
but it will be there eventually.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Yeah, eventually.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Who can returning this week? That's a good news. Unfortunately
is gonna miss. He's gonna go on injured reserve. So
I wondered, does that maybe opened the door to some
more opportunity for you to build on what you started
the first half of this season.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
I'm not sure yet, but definitely, just for everybody in
our receiver room, like it's next man up mentality, and
we all understand that. So if it's not me, it's
X or j Witt, but I think all of us
kind of understand that that we have. The common goal
is to win and whatever that takes is you know,
that's what we're gonna do.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
What about the stay of the Rams at five and
two a week to get right, to get refocused? Five
victories all against the AFC. You haven't done your work
in the NFC or in the division yet, But what's
the opportunity in front of you as you pick up
the schedule.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Uh, it's a great opportunity. We know the type of
the team that we have, even though with those two losses,
we we kind of understand the type of guys that
we have in that room. So now it was just
a great time to reset, you know, middle of the
season and continue to grow, so I mean, continue to
stack days and we know the best is yet to
come from this group.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
So I know a little bit about your college career
and background, about how much winning have you experienced as
a football player.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
So I started out at act Room. It was two
and ten.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
First year at pitt they came off to acc so
we went nine to four. Next year I think it
was three and nine, and then my last year we
finished out seven and five, seven and.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Six or something that.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
So something like bowl trips without as good as it got.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
In high school, I went to back to back semi
finals and six A Georgia. So I was like growing
up in little league middle school, I won like championships.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
High school, I was like winning a lot too.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
So so now to be in the NFL and to
be really making a push for something at this level,
that's more.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Where you wanna be.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Oh yeah, definitely. Of course.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
How about the fact that you only had four offers
or so I read M coming out of high school,
what's this?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
This two star nonsense.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Uh yeah, yeah, y y, you kind of know how
how that that is? Uh for me, I wasn't.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
I had skipped the grade when I was younger, So
I was in the class of twenty twenty when I
was really supposed to be in twenty twenty one. So
like my body kind of wasn't developed yet. I was
still a little bit younger, wasn't as strong as fast
as the other guys, especially like in Georgia football, it's
a it's a big hot bed for for recruiting. So
I kind of just like slip through the cracks. In
my county alone, I think this year we had nine drafted.
(11:41):
I know Josh Downs, I played against him, Travis Hunter
played in my uh in my county, Uh, Caleb Downs,
like you. The the list goes on. So I mean it.
It was just kind of one of those things where
I just my body wasn't developed yet.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
So and they wanted you to play corner.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Pitt actually coming out of high school, wanted me to
play corner. But I told him though, I said my
passion as receiver and so my guy Akron, they actually
great shirted me so which made me sit out a
whole season. So I was at home for a whole
whole year, and then our earlier rolled in the twenty
twenty one class, which is honestly a big blessing because
it gave me time to develop. I grew into my
(12:17):
body a little bit more, hit the weight room, got faster,
and things like that, so I can make an impact.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So you wound up in the age group that you
were originally slotted with. Interesting, all right, so Akron was
your only D one offer.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Then my fbs I had some SCS.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Got it, and so that became like a prove it
freshman year right as a receiver at the college football level.
I got you for sixty three catches, seven hundred and
fifty one yards, eight touchdowns, Freshman All American. Yeah, so
you go back to Pitt and say, see, I told
you so let's get let's get to it now.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Yeah. Yeah, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
It was a cool, a cool thing because I mean,
like I said, I felt like I could all along.
I felt like I was a power for power five
player just because like I growing up playing around playing
with like Nate Wiggins, we competed all the time, lose
in high school. So and so I knew I had
what it took. It was just a matter of just
going out and improving it to myself.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
So you leave pitting catches in twenty three and yards
in twenty four. Uh you played almost an even split.
It looks like in the slot and out. Why do
you have a preferred role?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Uh No, not really.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
I think that's like the beauty of it, honestly, Like
why like coach mcvay's offense where you can just move around.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Cause it's it's hard to.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
Match up with somebody that can move from outside to slide,
can motion to the backfield, can go to the boundary,
can go to the field, you know, and do those
type of things and then get those type of matchups.
So I mean, I kind of just want to be
wherever you know it takes.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So with those stats and that flexibility, why'd you have
to wait until pick to forty two?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Honestly, I think it was my forty time, you know,
So you know that's that's a big deal for a
lot of people.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
But I don't let's go ahead and say if you
want or you're forty time.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Oh a four to five nine, you know which is?
And I'm not a big dude, So you know, a
lot of people. Probably was a little bit nervous to that,
even though on film, I feel like I play a
lot faster on it.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
I was gonna say it was that representative of what
you think you have in the tank?
Speaker 3 (14:10):
No, no, no, no, not at all. But I mean it
is what it is. You know, you got to charge
into the game.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
I mean, I'm starting to think that receivers like you
might be running slow forties on purpose to get to
LA and to get in this offense.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Oh yeah, we call that the Cooper Cup around here.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Cooper's still with what second rouph?
Speaker 4 (14:25):
No, a little bit later, Okay, okay, but na, yeah,
I mean it's a great I wouldn't want to be
nowhere else.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I promise you that.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
So it works out.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Colors are similar to you get to keep all your
pig year around. Is it correct that you had three
O c's and six quarterbacks in college?
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I had more so my freshman year Accron, I had
three different quarterbacks.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
So my second year I pit we had two, junior
year we had three, and then last.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Year we had too.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
All right, so what was that like and how did
it prepare you for being in the National Football weekue.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Just like the next man up mentality Like whoever it
is being quarterback friendly is it doesn't matter who's back there.
I mean if the quarterback can trust you to get
over and do your job, like it helps you adjust
on the fly.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
So diversity of system too. In terms of the offenses
you learned. What's it been like learning mcvey's.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Vernacular and play calling and playbooks.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
It's been amazing.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
It's definitely a deep playbook though, like it's it's not
for the week, you know, but it's it's fun, like
it's innovative.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Like like I said, I love it.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I like the challenge of learning new things and doing
a lot of different things. So it's a blessing to
be a part of it. And honestly, because it's so
it's so like detailed and what we do, it's hard
to stop.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
So through pitt or through the rams, have you connected
with Aaron Donald at all?
Speaker 3 (15:43):
So I've talked to him, like once or twice.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
I would see him around the facili a lot back
in pit when he'll go back to lyft.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
You know, he was always lifting to find him.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Yeah, he got his own locker in there where like
you can't sit at you can't touch at where he
like leaving stuff in there. But so I haven't really
got a chance to talk to him that much. I
know I played with his his nephew Elliott Donald mm
at Pitt. But I once when I see him, like
we just say what's up.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
But things like that, anything like Larry Fitzgerald or is
that a reach too?
Speaker 5 (16:09):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
I've talked to him maybe like a little bit when
he came back to the Pitt, but not much. But
I would love to talk to Larry. You know, he's
a he's a goat so nice. I know him and
Tay are actually pretty.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Close there go yeah, okay, it'll happen. Tell me about
your your family a little bit. I have some information
your father played college ball as well.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Uh so he had a offer to go to n Okay,
but he he wasn't doing right and then he ended
up coming back home. His dad told him he couldn't
stay here, so he.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Had to go to the military, got it, and that
military dictated. Maybe your older siblings upbringing a little bit.
I I've read that you've made some stops in in
Asia and other places before you settled in the Metro
Georgia area.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
Metro So I lived in Japan, That's where my sister
was born. I lived in New Jersey, South Jersey for
a little bit. I was born in Columbus, Georgia on base,
and we lived in Phoenix City, Alabama, and then ultimately
we we came back to Georgia and settled in the
metroline area.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Does that shine through and your upbringing in any way?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Uh, definitely.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I mean just being able to uh adapt uh on
the fly, cause you know, you you're out of school,
you make new friends, then you gotta up and move,
you gotta adjust. So definitely that and just the military,
just the discipline and like the hard work. He that's
what he's always kind of uh stuck by being in
that household, Like working hard, going to earn everything that
you have, and and just the discipline and in in
(17:26):
general and with football, it's kind of it's a lot.
It's a lot of similarities. And just like the structure
of things, waking up early, working out things. That's tough
on your body. So you gotta have the mental strength
and and fortitude to be able to do those things.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
So how does southern California suit you?
Speaker 4 (17:40):
I like it, you know, it's beautiful weather. Uh, so
you can't complain about that. I'm a very like chill,
real last guy. So like you got the beaches, I
can go to the beach and just chill, enjoy nature
things like that. Uh obviously La Downtown you have that
and and most importantly like just the good people around here.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
So you getting in the water, surfing anything.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Oh no, no, no, I'm not. I'm' gonna stay away
from the water.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
But I sat at the beach though, and look at
the waves and it'llmire the sunset, the mountains, things like that.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
But I'm not getting no one hobbies.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
What do you like to do besides I.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Played a game. I want to I want to get
into traveling.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
I'm very big on music, Like I'm a big music guy,
and now that I'm having a little bit more time,
trying to get into cooking a little bit things like that.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
So making your own music or.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Just just taking you know, I feel like music is
a big influence on how people will act.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
So awesome.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Well, here's too many more celebrations. I'm looking forward to
seeing what else you have in store for the Rams
this season and well beyond. Happy Birthday belated once again,
I'm glad you got to celebrate it in fine form
and can't wait to see it so far against the Saints.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yes, sir, thank you, M
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