GET TO KNOW THE REESE’S SENIOR BOWL’S TOP 2022 PROSPECTS

 

Beyond X's and O's with Roger McCreary, Auburn CB

 

What sports did you play in high school?

• “I played basketball, baseball, football, and I ran track. In basketball, I was the point guard but I was mainly a defensive guy. I started playing when I was a freshman but stopped when I was a junior so I could focus on football. In baseball, I played catcher, short stop and third base.”

What is your biggest motivator?

• “My mom motivates me because of where I came from and who I grew up with. There were a lot of people that were talented but didn’t make it in life because of bad decisions they made. So that motivates me to stay focused and do the opposite of what they were doing. I knew that it would help me out to stay focused on my mom and my sister because I always want to support them and provide for them. I feel like they are my biggest supporters.”

What is your day-to-day routine?

• “I wake up, go to treatment, and get my body right. I’ll have class, and then after that I come to my coach’s office and watch some film and work. I work on my football IQ because every player needs a better football IQ no matter what. I’ll have practice and then later that day I’ll just chill.”

Growing up in Mobile, what are some memories of the Senior Bowl you have as kid?

• “I used to go to the Senior Bowl a lot because my high school was right across the street, so me and my friends would go watch one-on-ones. I never would’ve imagined I would play college football, so I never thought I would be able to play in the Senior Bowl. It was just a great memory actually seeing the Senior Bowl in my city – the biggest game in my city. I feel like it was always great watching the practices and games. I remember after the games getting gloves from the players and stuff.”

It is always a huge deal when a Mobile native comes down to the Senior Bowl. When you accepted your invite, everyone was so excited to have you back home. Can you tell me what it means to you to be one of the three Mobile guys in the Senior Bowl and what going up against them will be like while, representing your hometown?

• “Me and Jalen know each other because we played against each other in basketball. I never played against him in football, so it will be something new. Being one of the three players is awesome because I feel like all of my hard work is paying off. I can finally play my last college game in my city, so I feel like this is a childhood dream and I will cherish this forever. Especially, growing up and seeing players like DeShaun Davis play in it and other Mobile natives playing in it, I feel like this is one of my greatest achievements.”

Can you tell me about your relationship with DeShaun Davis and his leadership while you were a younger guy on the team?

• “At first, before I came to Auburn, I didn’t really know who DeShaun was. When I got there, he treated me as a little brother. He showed me the ropes around here and it was great having a person from Mobile by my side on the team, especially on the same side of the ball. Even if I mess up, he always knew that I was going to be great in the future, and he knew it was just going to take time for me being a freshman here. Even then as my season went on, he always supported me. Getting to see him play in the Senior Bowl, you know getting to see him from the beginning of the season to the end, I felt like it was a great dream that I would want to achieve. Being invited, I feel like I made him proud because I always wanted to do what he has done.”

Going off that, do you remember the day he received his Senior Bowl invite, what were your thoughts?

• “It was in a team meeting when Jim Nagy called – it was a facetime call, like he was talking to everybody. How it happened was a crazy surprise because it was right there in front of my eyes, like seeing a player from Mobile getting invited to the Senior Bowl just motivated me more. Then finally getting invited, I talked to Coach Harsin about it, I was so excited and all I could think about was the moment that DeShaun got invited to the Senior Bowl. It was just a great moment there.”

What is your favorite college football memory?

• “I’d say it was the last game against Alabama. I also always think of the pick I had at LSU against Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow. That was one of my biggest moments. But I feel like against Alabama – I mean the whole game was my biggest memory. It was a great feeling, playing my last game in Jordan-Hare was my biggest moment in college.”

Who is a QB in the NFL you want to intercept the ball from?

• “This is my favorite quarterback – Aaron Rodgers. He is just a great quarterback, so I feel like if I can pick him off, I can pick any quarterback off. I’ve already imagined what it would be like, I mean I would want to talk to him after the game and everything. That is one of my dreams – to get a pick off Aaron Rodgers.”

Who is the best player you have ever played against?

• “It is two players – both from Alabama. DeVonta Smith and John Metchie. I feel like the most competitive really was Metchie. It was just that I know I had to guard him the whole game and it was just really intense the whole time knowing I had to go wherever he went. I feel like that was the best matchup and was the most challenging, so I would have to say Metchie."

Is there an DB in the NFL that you try to model your game after?

• “I wear his number - #23, Jaire Alexander from Green Bay, same team as Aaron Rodgers. That is definitely who I look up to, number 23."

If you could bring one teammate to the NFL with you, who would it be?

• “My homeboy, my best friend Zakoby McClain. He has been my friend since day 1. We always like playing on the same side of the ball together, even the boundary and all that stuff. We really wanted to play together in the Senior Bowl. We were actually just talking about wanting to be on the same team in the NFL.”

You’re stuck on a deserted island with three teammates – who are they?

• “Haha that is a funny question. I would say Zakoby, Bydarrius Knighten and Smoke Monday. I say Smoke because he has a big personality and he’s funny. I feel like, on a deserted island, Smoke is going to find something to do – haha like he can think of stuff to do. Bydarrius Knighten is just the funniest person on the team to be, so I would have to say him. Whatever comes out of his mouth is funny. Then Zakoby, I mean he is my best friend so whatever we are going to do on that deserted island, we’re going to be fine.”