Robert Griffin III
Before Robert Griffin III officially becomes the second overall pick of the Washington Redskins in the NFL draft, Baylor’s Heisman Trophy winner chatted with The Huffington Post in New York City. He shared what it was like cutting down the nets when the Baylor women’s basketball team won the national title and why he never worries about getting hurt.
What exactly is a team getting when it drafts Robert Griffin?
Somebody they can believe in, not only believe in but trust in. I’ll be honest; I'll be hardworking. Anybody can say that, but you have to go do it. And then I’ll be a guy that my teammates can rely on. That’s the biggest thing: You got to have a quarterback that his teammates know they can rely on.
And that’s something you’ve always had?
Yeah, and I mean, as you notice, I didn’t mention anything about talent because talent is something that everybody that has a chance to be drafted right now has. So it’s not a matter of talent or how far you can throw it; it’s all about who you are as a person and whether or not you can manage people really well.
You came across as very studious and respectful during the Jon Gruden "QB Camp" film session.
You have to respect your opponent and the guys around you. That’s why I always mention them. I think people get tired of hearing me saying Baylor, Baylor, Baylor or my teammates because that’s what it’s about. You can’t go out there and win by yourself. I respect my opponent. Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed -- they’re great at what they do, but you got to find that weakness.
And is there a weakness to your game?
You know, I'm not one that talks about strengths or weaknesses. So the way I look at it is I can get better at everything -- arm strength, accuracy moving in the pocket, recognizing defenses. And as long as you look at yourself that way as a quarterback, nothing that you do will ever be enough. I'm trying to be great, and I’m not just trying. I’m going to go be great. I’m going to continue to work on whatever it is, and I don't listen to the critics because they’ll always try to pick you apart. It's your job to know that if you're winning football games, you're doing your job.
So you don’t pay attention to the critics who say you’re a great athlete but that you're susceptible to getting hurt when you scramble?
No, you can't listen to that. If you play the game because you're afraid to get hurt, you're going to hurt. So that's the way I look at it. I’ve already been through a tough injury [torn ACL in 2009], so I know how it feels. It's a hard part of the game but I'm not going to go out there expecting to get hurt.
What about Kendall Wright -- your go-to receiver who is also expected to come off the board pretty early?
Yeah, he will go and it will be sad. I'll be excited for him when he is drafted, but it’ll be sad because I know I won't be able to throw the ball for him anymore. He's been a great friend, great guy, and we had a lot of chemistry at Baylor. I'm going to keep in touch with him because he's a brother, a brother for life, not just a teammate that I use to get to where I am. We really believe in each other.
Talk about your experience with the Baylor women’s basketball team when they won the national title.
Yeah, I watched the both the men's and women's teams. Coach [Kim] Mulkey blessed me with the chance to not only hold the trophy but also cut down the nets. She went and got me. I didn't say, 'Hey, let me cut down the nets.' It was special; she knows how much Baylor means to me.
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