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Interview With Seahawks UDFA G Rishaw Johnson on ProInterviews

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via www.prointerviews.org/RishawJohnson

I've been here before to share interviews that I have had with numerous Seahawks players from Leon Washington to John Nalbone. I'm a high school senior and I work really hard to interview NFL players. If you wanted to know, I'm heading to LSU next year! I can't wait! Home of Matt FLYNN!

Anyway, I'm here to share my most recent interview with Seattle Seahawks OG, Rishaw Johnson. For some background - Rishaw Johnson lost almost everything because of Hurricane Katrina. He then went on to play at Ole Miss and due to what he calls ‘some big-time mistakes’, he was kicked off the football team in 2010. He then transferred to a DII powerhouse, CalU Pennsylvania. He started all twelve games this past season at Offensive Guard for CalU, earned DII All-American honors and was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. He entered the 2012 NFL Draft, but went undrafted and recently signed a rookie contract with the Seahawks. GM John Schneider recently noted in a radio interview that the team had a fourth-round grade on Johnson.

If you want to, check out our awesome interview, and after the jump you can read an excerpt. Please keep in mind, it was conducted right before the NFL Draft.

Strauss : You were invited to the Combine. For a DII player, was it gratifying for you getting invited to the Combine and be a part of it again? What was that like for you?

Johnson : Getting invited to the Combine was a big thing for me. I was really blessed and really thankful that people thought of even having me at the Combine after all I’ve been through. It was big for me getting allowed to go to the combine. It really helped me out a lot. I tried to go out there, show them that I am the best offensive lineman in the country and the combine really helped me out. It was just surreal coming from DII and being in the room with Andrew Luck, Justin Blackmon, Matt Kalil. It was crazy. I was just taking it all in, but I was happy at the end. I was ready to compete with the best guys in the country. I am thankful, and I am glad that they even picked me to go.

Strauss : What was it like to be invited in the Senior Bowl, when there aren’t many players invited, and there are so many players who are trying to make it to the NFL?

Johnson : The Senior Bowl was big. For me going against the different teams, playing in Division II, people don't always believe what they see. So getting invited to the Senior Bowl and trying to just compete against the best guys in the country, it was great for me, man. It really helped me out a lot. I think I really helped myself in it. I was just happy and thankful to be there, you know. I was just happy even though I was invited late. I was still blessed for being invited there, so it was doing a great deal for me, and it worked out well.

If you want to check out our awesome interview, www.prointerviews.org/RishawJohnson

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