Draft day can be a very stressful time for a lot of prospects. Most players have some sort of idea where they will be taken. They go through pre-draft interviews and work outs. They listen to media outlets talk about their combine, and speculation often swirls about what teams need a player at that position. Most people had Kevin Cushing going early. A late entrant into the draft, he blasted onto the scene with an amazing physique and unquestioned work ethic. Some felt he was coming on too strong while others loved what they saw. I sat down for a few moments last night after the draft to pick Kevin's brain. It was a busy night, and he had a lot to do but I got some quality questions in.
My first question was a feeler. Trying to get into why Kevin decided to be a football player in the first place. I asked "What made you want to join the NSFL?" He took no hesitation to reply to me. I'm sure he'd heard the question from every GM in the league, so it was hardly a thought provoking opener.
"Honestly, the NSFL just seemed like the best route to go for both development and long term success. The kind of systems they run here really suit me."
A pretty standard answer, that any good PR rep would teach their client to say. But that didn't mean it's wrong. The NSFL is a great place for a lot of young talent to grow and met their full potential. The part about long term success though, I think was the most important part of the answer. Kevin has come in with a lot of self confidence, and often times that can be indicative of someone who goes too hard too fast. Cushing, though, seems to feel that he can keep up the rigors throughout a long career. I am inclined to agree. It's also important to note that enjoying the system the NSFL has in place is an important factor as well.
I followed that question up with a second basic interview style question. I wanted to know what makes Kevin Cushing who he is. There's a lot of possibilities when you're as athletically gifted as he is, and it was clear football was the best outlet for his talents. I asked "Why did you choose to be a Linebacker?". Again, as if he'd rehearsed it or heard it a bunch of times, he shifted in his seat and started to reply.
"Well, safety was my first choice, but I was a bit too poor with my hands to really thrive there, and I was told that linebackers were in short supply. It wasn't ideal, but it seemed the best way to guarantee getting looked at and having a foot in the door."
This answer was rather shocking to me. I've watched his tape. He has better hands than he gives himself credit for. But the fact that he was willing to adapt his game to be what his team needed him to be shows me that he's something far greater than a guy who is looking out for himself. He's shown versatility and adaptability. A lot of players dedicate themselves to be what they want to be, but a selfless player knows that sometimes too take your game to the next level, you have to be what the team needs you to be. Obviously, he wanted a high draft position and adapting his game for that was part of his change, but it still shows a level of selflessness and awareness that this is a team sport and he's a team player.
The topics I truly wanted to talk about in this interview, ones that could only be asked after the draft, were on the forefront of my mind. To say that Kevin has been somewhat controversial is an understatement. However, I felt that he's had to face that enough. That pre-draft experience is over. I wanted to focus on the draft itself and his experiences with being a prospect. I asked him "Where did you envision yourself being drafted?" He took pause because I think this answer wasn't rehearsed. The draft was over and he no longer had to hold back.
"Man, this has gone all over the place. Yellowknife was actually the first place I expected to go, as they'd had the ninth pick and told me they would pick me there. I was looking forward to it, but when @Bzerkap received a trade offer that was just too good for the pick, even I told him he should take it.
The Philadelphia Liberty were the team that traded for the pick, and I told GM @adam2552 that I thought it was a bad trade. I still do, and I was relieved when Baltimore traded for the #8. It surprised me, but given that @HENDRIX had voiced interest in taking me, I thought I was going there.
I believed that Micah Hendrix, Darnell Turner, and I were all 8-10 picks based on team preference. I did think I would go 8th, and was pretty surprised to fall to 13, but I think there's been a bit of discussion on that. In the end, I was delighted to end up in Yellowknife, but I certainly wouldn't have predicted that I would have taken this route to getting there."
He opened up here about his experiences leading up to the draft. I think a lot of the interviews he had with teams showed that he was a top ten pick. He wasn't wrong at all. I think quite a few people were shocked when the Liberty took Micah Hendrix over him at 8. Hendrix and Cushing were ranked very similarly on most people's draft boards. What I think it ultimately came down to for the Liberty was team needs. Offensive Line is one of the most important positions in the NSFL and a talent like Hendrix is worth trading up for. Unfortunately for Kevin, that meant slipping into the second round. Most people thought he'd be taken not to soon after, like at nine or ten. Kevin did too. With the Hawks on the clock for two picks, most people assumed it was gonna be Turner and Cushing. Two players with first round grades in the second round. But that didn't happen. Instead of Cushing, the Hawks took Brokk Lee, an offensive lineman with a late second early third round rank. Baltimore appeared as if they wanted nothing to do with Cushing. Jordan Yates being taken next by San Jose was no shock. They had a tremendous need for offensive line and when Baltimore passed on Jordan, they had to pull that trigger. It was after this though, at 12 the Liberty could end up with both players who the majority of people saw being taken at 8. But once again, Cushing was snubbed. Not to take anything away from Tyler Oles, because he has a lot of potential as a CB, but Cushing's talent not being taken there was a shock. The Yellowknife Wraiths were on the clock and as Kevin stated, he'd had good interviews with them. Finally his name was called and he was on a team.
His draft stock fell because of the idea that his character would get in the way of his game. Philadelphia and Baltimore were scared that a player like Cushing could bring bad press, but in the end Yellowknife felt that the so called risks were not as great as the reward of having a player like Kevin on their team. I was intrigued to find out who was looking at drafting him, so I asked Kevin next "How many teams scouted you?" He looked down for a second to think before replying.
"I'm sure they all did to some extent, but the GMs in Orange County, Yellowknife, Baltimore, and Philadelphia all reached out to me. I reached out to the GM in Arizona. There wasn't any real communication with Las Vegas (who didn't have the draft picks) or San Jose (who had two safeties who could do everything I could)."
Pretty much what I expected. Every team does their due diligence, and it was interesting to see that both Philadelphia and Baltimore reached out and some with him. I couldn't help but wonder if something in the interviews he had with them rubbed then the wrong way or if team need just outweighed their need for a solid linebacker of Kevin's caliber. It was also interesting that Colorado didn't at least reach out. Perhaps they felt the same as most and thought he'd go a lot earlier than he did. Orange County had the next selection should Yellowknife have passed as well. I don't know how they felt about Cushing but it'd be hard to imagine them passing up on his abilities considering they drafted a running back that several analysts considered a luxury pick. The most interesting thing though is that Philadelphia and Baltimore both passed on him twice.
I began wondering why it fell. But then I began wondering what made him such a high pick in the first place. So I asked him. "How do you think you helped your draft stock?" He took a sip of water from a plastic bottle before answering.
I think I helped and then hurt it the same way, by being passionate and outspoken. Some liked it and some didn't. Probably more to be said there, but that sums it up.
"I think I helped and then hurt it the same way, by being passionate and outspoken. Some liked it and some didn't. Probably more to be said there, but that sums it up."
He kept it short, and I don't blame him. He clearly wants to move past the issues that hurt his stock, and answered as best as he could without delving into the concerns that surrounded his draft experiences. He covered the reasons well, if not succinctly. He is very passionate, and that is an intensive you want in all your players. A deep love for the game fuels a great player. Kevin Cushing loves this sport, no doubt about it. His outspokenness though, is what might have cost him a few picks. Sometimes a player who isn't afraid to speak his mind can be a dangerous thing. But sometimes it can be a good thing. This sport would be boring if we didn't have players like Kevin who say what is on their mind and then back it up on the field. While he has yet to step for on the field for the Wraiths, I'm sure he's more than capable of backing up any talk he's made. And to me, that's a big boost to why I'd want a guy like him in my team.
With the draft process over, I wondered what he thought of it all. So I asked "Overall, tell me your thoughts about the entire draft process. From declaring for the draft to the moment you got drafted. Positives and negatives." He seemed to be getting tired. Perhaps because it was a long hard draft day, it because his mind was elsewhere but he kept his answer short.
"Honestly, I'm just glad that it's over and I am with a good group of people and players."
He didn't give me much to go on, but that's fine. Perhaps that itself is indicative of how tedious the process is. From starting out as a prospect and trying to get the attention of the GMs, conducting interviews with reporters like myself, teams and possibly even sponsorships it has to be a difficult process. In addition to all the taking, you have to keep yourself in shape, prove to the scouts you've got the right work ethic. All that work finally paid off though, for Kevin. He's just happy to be in Canada with a team who appreciates him for his personality and talent. At the end of the day, you have to respect that.
The interview was done late so I didn't what to hold him to much longer. Still interested in the drafting process, I asked him "If you could change one thing about the process, what would it be?" He took about sip from his water bottle before answering.
"I think that prospect games should allow you to compete fully, without restrictions. I also think we need to re-evaluate the line between rookie and veteran."
He raised a very valid point. One that had been talked about quite a bit on talk radio and on Spectrum Sports. Should players who declare themselves eligible during a season be considered rookies the following year? It's basically red shirting on a professional level. How fair would it be if Dermot Lavelle won rookie of the year? It's a valid question but one that this reporter can not answer. The draft process isn't exactly easy when you're coming in without experience, but then to be put in the same class with guys who've been on the field already, it seems like quite a steep hill to be considered a top prospect against those odds. But Cushing did exactly that. He came in with no on field experience and still earned a first round draft grade, and although he slipped into the middle of the second round, he still beat a lot of those odds.
I thanked him for his time and before we concluded I asked him If he had anything else he wanted to say, something that I didn't cover it that he felt needed to be said. He shook my hand and replied.
"I'm glad I'm in the same conference as the Liberty. The feeling will not be mutual."
With that he exited the room. He dropped a bomb like that and left. He clearly is holding some contempt for the Liberty passing up on him, and you can't blame him. He felt his value was high and now he's going to prove it, especially to Philadelphia. With one line, Kevin just made every game the Wraiths play against the Liberty must see TV. To me, that is Kevin Cushing in a nutshell. He's a respectable guy who knows how to keep you hooked. Love him or hate him, he's here to stay and it's going to be interesting to watch him throughout the next few seasons.
(2420 words, ready to grade)
Graded
My first question was a feeler. Trying to get into why Kevin decided to be a football player in the first place. I asked "What made you want to join the NSFL?" He took no hesitation to reply to me. I'm sure he'd heard the question from every GM in the league, so it was hardly a thought provoking opener.
"Honestly, the NSFL just seemed like the best route to go for both development and long term success. The kind of systems they run here really suit me."
A pretty standard answer, that any good PR rep would teach their client to say. But that didn't mean it's wrong. The NSFL is a great place for a lot of young talent to grow and met their full potential. The part about long term success though, I think was the most important part of the answer. Kevin has come in with a lot of self confidence, and often times that can be indicative of someone who goes too hard too fast. Cushing, though, seems to feel that he can keep up the rigors throughout a long career. I am inclined to agree. It's also important to note that enjoying the system the NSFL has in place is an important factor as well.
I followed that question up with a second basic interview style question. I wanted to know what makes Kevin Cushing who he is. There's a lot of possibilities when you're as athletically gifted as he is, and it was clear football was the best outlet for his talents. I asked "Why did you choose to be a Linebacker?". Again, as if he'd rehearsed it or heard it a bunch of times, he shifted in his seat and started to reply.
"Well, safety was my first choice, but I was a bit too poor with my hands to really thrive there, and I was told that linebackers were in short supply. It wasn't ideal, but it seemed the best way to guarantee getting looked at and having a foot in the door."
This answer was rather shocking to me. I've watched his tape. He has better hands than he gives himself credit for. But the fact that he was willing to adapt his game to be what his team needed him to be shows me that he's something far greater than a guy who is looking out for himself. He's shown versatility and adaptability. A lot of players dedicate themselves to be what they want to be, but a selfless player knows that sometimes too take your game to the next level, you have to be what the team needs you to be. Obviously, he wanted a high draft position and adapting his game for that was part of his change, but it still shows a level of selflessness and awareness that this is a team sport and he's a team player.
The topics I truly wanted to talk about in this interview, ones that could only be asked after the draft, were on the forefront of my mind. To say that Kevin has been somewhat controversial is an understatement. However, I felt that he's had to face that enough. That pre-draft experience is over. I wanted to focus on the draft itself and his experiences with being a prospect. I asked him "Where did you envision yourself being drafted?" He took pause because I think this answer wasn't rehearsed. The draft was over and he no longer had to hold back.
"Man, this has gone all over the place. Yellowknife was actually the first place I expected to go, as they'd had the ninth pick and told me they would pick me there. I was looking forward to it, but when @Bzerkap received a trade offer that was just too good for the pick, even I told him he should take it.
The Philadelphia Liberty were the team that traded for the pick, and I told GM @adam2552 that I thought it was a bad trade. I still do, and I was relieved when Baltimore traded for the #8. It surprised me, but given that @HENDRIX had voiced interest in taking me, I thought I was going there.
I believed that Micah Hendrix, Darnell Turner, and I were all 8-10 picks based on team preference. I did think I would go 8th, and was pretty surprised to fall to 13, but I think there's been a bit of discussion on that. In the end, I was delighted to end up in Yellowknife, but I certainly wouldn't have predicted that I would have taken this route to getting there."
He opened up here about his experiences leading up to the draft. I think a lot of the interviews he had with teams showed that he was a top ten pick. He wasn't wrong at all. I think quite a few people were shocked when the Liberty took Micah Hendrix over him at 8. Hendrix and Cushing were ranked very similarly on most people's draft boards. What I think it ultimately came down to for the Liberty was team needs. Offensive Line is one of the most important positions in the NSFL and a talent like Hendrix is worth trading up for. Unfortunately for Kevin, that meant slipping into the second round. Most people thought he'd be taken not to soon after, like at nine or ten. Kevin did too. With the Hawks on the clock for two picks, most people assumed it was gonna be Turner and Cushing. Two players with first round grades in the second round. But that didn't happen. Instead of Cushing, the Hawks took Brokk Lee, an offensive lineman with a late second early third round rank. Baltimore appeared as if they wanted nothing to do with Cushing. Jordan Yates being taken next by San Jose was no shock. They had a tremendous need for offensive line and when Baltimore passed on Jordan, they had to pull that trigger. It was after this though, at 12 the Liberty could end up with both players who the majority of people saw being taken at 8. But once again, Cushing was snubbed. Not to take anything away from Tyler Oles, because he has a lot of potential as a CB, but Cushing's talent not being taken there was a shock. The Yellowknife Wraiths were on the clock and as Kevin stated, he'd had good interviews with them. Finally his name was called and he was on a team.
His draft stock fell because of the idea that his character would get in the way of his game. Philadelphia and Baltimore were scared that a player like Cushing could bring bad press, but in the end Yellowknife felt that the so called risks were not as great as the reward of having a player like Kevin on their team. I was intrigued to find out who was looking at drafting him, so I asked Kevin next "How many teams scouted you?" He looked down for a second to think before replying.
"I'm sure they all did to some extent, but the GMs in Orange County, Yellowknife, Baltimore, and Philadelphia all reached out to me. I reached out to the GM in Arizona. There wasn't any real communication with Las Vegas (who didn't have the draft picks) or San Jose (who had two safeties who could do everything I could)."
Pretty much what I expected. Every team does their due diligence, and it was interesting to see that both Philadelphia and Baltimore reached out and some with him. I couldn't help but wonder if something in the interviews he had with them rubbed then the wrong way or if team need just outweighed their need for a solid linebacker of Kevin's caliber. It was also interesting that Colorado didn't at least reach out. Perhaps they felt the same as most and thought he'd go a lot earlier than he did. Orange County had the next selection should Yellowknife have passed as well. I don't know how they felt about Cushing but it'd be hard to imagine them passing up on his abilities considering they drafted a running back that several analysts considered a luxury pick. The most interesting thing though is that Philadelphia and Baltimore both passed on him twice.
I began wondering why it fell. But then I began wondering what made him such a high pick in the first place. So I asked him. "How do you think you helped your draft stock?" He took a sip of water from a plastic bottle before answering.
I think I helped and then hurt it the same way, by being passionate and outspoken. Some liked it and some didn't. Probably more to be said there, but that sums it up.
"I think I helped and then hurt it the same way, by being passionate and outspoken. Some liked it and some didn't. Probably more to be said there, but that sums it up."
He kept it short, and I don't blame him. He clearly wants to move past the issues that hurt his stock, and answered as best as he could without delving into the concerns that surrounded his draft experiences. He covered the reasons well, if not succinctly. He is very passionate, and that is an intensive you want in all your players. A deep love for the game fuels a great player. Kevin Cushing loves this sport, no doubt about it. His outspokenness though, is what might have cost him a few picks. Sometimes a player who isn't afraid to speak his mind can be a dangerous thing. But sometimes it can be a good thing. This sport would be boring if we didn't have players like Kevin who say what is on their mind and then back it up on the field. While he has yet to step for on the field for the Wraiths, I'm sure he's more than capable of backing up any talk he's made. And to me, that's a big boost to why I'd want a guy like him in my team.
With the draft process over, I wondered what he thought of it all. So I asked "Overall, tell me your thoughts about the entire draft process. From declaring for the draft to the moment you got drafted. Positives and negatives." He seemed to be getting tired. Perhaps because it was a long hard draft day, it because his mind was elsewhere but he kept his answer short.
"Honestly, I'm just glad that it's over and I am with a good group of people and players."
He didn't give me much to go on, but that's fine. Perhaps that itself is indicative of how tedious the process is. From starting out as a prospect and trying to get the attention of the GMs, conducting interviews with reporters like myself, teams and possibly even sponsorships it has to be a difficult process. In addition to all the taking, you have to keep yourself in shape, prove to the scouts you've got the right work ethic. All that work finally paid off though, for Kevin. He's just happy to be in Canada with a team who appreciates him for his personality and talent. At the end of the day, you have to respect that.
The interview was done late so I didn't what to hold him to much longer. Still interested in the drafting process, I asked him "If you could change one thing about the process, what would it be?" He took about sip from his water bottle before answering.
"I think that prospect games should allow you to compete fully, without restrictions. I also think we need to re-evaluate the line between rookie and veteran."
He raised a very valid point. One that had been talked about quite a bit on talk radio and on Spectrum Sports. Should players who declare themselves eligible during a season be considered rookies the following year? It's basically red shirting on a professional level. How fair would it be if Dermot Lavelle won rookie of the year? It's a valid question but one that this reporter can not answer. The draft process isn't exactly easy when you're coming in without experience, but then to be put in the same class with guys who've been on the field already, it seems like quite a steep hill to be considered a top prospect against those odds. But Cushing did exactly that. He came in with no on field experience and still earned a first round draft grade, and although he slipped into the middle of the second round, he still beat a lot of those odds.
I thanked him for his time and before we concluded I asked him If he had anything else he wanted to say, something that I didn't cover it that he felt needed to be said. He shook my hand and replied.
"I'm glad I'm in the same conference as the Liberty. The feeling will not be mutual."
With that he exited the room. He dropped a bomb like that and left. He clearly is holding some contempt for the Liberty passing up on him, and you can't blame him. He felt his value was high and now he's going to prove it, especially to Philadelphia. With one line, Kevin just made every game the Wraiths play against the Liberty must see TV. To me, that is Kevin Cushing in a nutshell. He's a respectable guy who knows how to keep you hooked. Love him or hate him, he's here to stay and it's going to be interesting to watch him throughout the next few seasons.
(2420 words, ready to grade)
Graded
[div align=center]