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NFL Draft Q&A: Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 1:02pm
Getty Images
Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis had 11.5 sacks last season with the Wildcats.
Our daily NFL Draft Q&A series continues with Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis, who had 11.5 sacks last season with the Wildcats. With the NFL combine starting today in Indianapolis -- Bucs coach Dirk Koetter and GM Jason Licht will talk to the media on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. -- we caught up with Willis about his draft prep ...
Q: Where have you been training to get ready for the combine?
A: "I'm training at two places. I'm at Simoneau Sports Performance in Overland Park (former K-State and NFL LB Mark Simoneau) and 68's Inside Sports (run by former Chiefs guard Will Shields). Both are in Overland Park. In my group is (former Kansas State DE) Ryan Mueller, (former Nebraska LB) Michael Rose-Ivey, and (OL Michael Miller) from Washburn.
Q: Was there a priority for you in getting prepared for workouts this spring?
A: "I wanted to get back into the speed work. Having a break with the Senior Bowl and other things, I lost a couple of weeks, so getting back into the groove of speed work, explosion work. Training mode is different from playing football, so there's different stuff you need to do to focus on running as fast as you can and jumping as high as you can jump. I know what I'm capable of doing, so I feel like I'll have a pretty solid combine and pro day. I'm right where I need to be."
Q: You measured at 6-4, 255 pounds in Mobile. I'd think most teams see you as a 4-3 defensive end?
A: "I've been a 4-3 defensive end my entire life, but I would be excited and would want to be able to stand up as a 3-4. I feel like I have a skill set to be able to do that. I've talked to 3-4 teams that were confident I'd be able to do that. They were like 'It's not like we're going to have you drop in coverage on the other team's No. 1 receiver or anything like that. I'll be rushing 75-80 percent of the time, and that's what I am. I'm a pass-rusher."
Q: You played 92 percent of Kansas State's defensive snaps last season. You have to take a lot of pride in your conditioning.
A: "I want to give credit to my strength coaches. Everybody across the country has a strength staff, but Coach (Chris) Dawson and Coach Shawn and Coach (Corey) Meredith and Coach (Darren) Honeycutt, those are the guys I work with. Their program, it forces you to be in good shape. The Big 12 is really about how conditioned you are. You can play football, but you really have to be in shape with the style of play. Every time you take the field, it's like two-minute, and it's faster than a two-minute drill at times. Once you know you're in shape, everything else comes easy."
Q: What did you learn most from playing under Bill Snyder?
A: "I was used to structure and a business-like attitude, but one thing I learned in my tenure here, one thing I appreciate, is consistency. You may go out and make a couple of plays in practice and even in games, but your coaches say 'We need more out of you.' Once I got to the point later in my career where I accepted his teaching of being consistent and being an every-down player, that's when I felt like my game elevated."
Q: Who was the toughest player you went up against in college?
A: "In the Big 12, you have to deal with dual-threat quarterbacks. You have to worry about the scramble and it changes up the whole game plan. I went up against a couple of good guys on my own team, like Cody Whitehair (now with Bears). He was my toughest competitor, and being able to go up against him when I was younger, to gain that experience, that gave me a lot of confidence going into games."
Q: Is there a defensive lineman in the NFL you watch and would pattern yourself after?
A: "I don't like comparing myself, but someone I learn a lot from is (Dolphins) Cameron Wake. The reason I like him is he has a good kickoff, is very explosive off the football. He rushes to a certain spot and gets there, and I try to take that to my game. He's very consistent, too. When he's healthy, he's one of the best defensive ends in the NFL."
Q: You're from Kansas City. Did you grow up a Chiefs fan?
A: "When I was growing up, I have four older brothers, and they would always have a Chiefs game on. It was later on that I got into football. I remember I walked into the TV room once and the Colts were playing the Chiefs. I remember watching Peyton Manning for the first time. How he carried himself, how he played the game, and in that moment, that's when I began to love the game of football. I said I wanted to be like him. I actually was a quarterback. I was always a defensive end, but aspired to be a quarterback. Obviously it never worked out, but it showed me this could be a cool game to play."
Q: How close are you to your degree at K-State?
A: "I graduated in December with a degree in criminology. If I'm not playing football, I can see myself coaching it. I aspire to be a head coach someday. And if not in football, I also enjoy politics and could see myself getting involved there."
Q: This is a big question for a K.C. guy, but we ask everyone for a food recommendation. Where's your favorite place to eat there?
A: "People always bring up barbecue, but I always got to Raising Cane's. It's a chicken-finger restaurant that's pretty good. Barbecue-wise, I'd go to Gates. There are a lot of good restaurants, but I'm baised toward Gates, because that's what I always had growing up."
[Last modified: Tuesday, February 28, 2017 4:11pm]
NFL Draft Q&A: Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 1:02pm
Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Getty Images
Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis had 11.5 sacks last season with the Wildcats.
Our daily NFL Draft Q&A series continues with Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis, who had 11.5 sacks last season with the Wildcats. With the NFL combine starting today in Indianapolis -- Bucs coach Dirk Koetter and GM Jason Licht will talk to the media on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. -- we caught up with Willis about his draft prep ...
Q: Where have you been training to get ready for the combine?
A: "I'm training at two places. I'm at Simoneau Sports Performance in Overland Park (former K-State and NFL LB Mark Simoneau) and 68's Inside Sports (run by former Chiefs guard Will Shields). Both are in Overland Park. In my group is (former Kansas State DE) Ryan Mueller, (former Nebraska LB) Michael Rose-Ivey, and (OL Michael Miller) from Washburn.
Q: Was there a priority for you in getting prepared for workouts this spring?
A: "I wanted to get back into the speed work. Having a break with the Senior Bowl and other things, I lost a couple of weeks, so getting back into the groove of speed work, explosion work. Training mode is different from playing football, so there's different stuff you need to do to focus on running as fast as you can and jumping as high as you can jump. I know what I'm capable of doing, so I feel like I'll have a pretty solid combine and pro day. I'm right where I need to be."
Q: You measured at 6-4, 255 pounds in Mobile. I'd think most teams see you as a 4-3 defensive end?
A: "I've been a 4-3 defensive end my entire life, but I would be excited and would want to be able to stand up as a 3-4. I feel like I have a skill set to be able to do that. I've talked to 3-4 teams that were confident I'd be able to do that. They were like 'It's not like we're going to have you drop in coverage on the other team's No. 1 receiver or anything like that. I'll be rushing 75-80 percent of the time, and that's what I am. I'm a pass-rusher."
Q: You played 92 percent of Kansas State's defensive snaps last season. You have to take a lot of pride in your conditioning.
A: "I want to give credit to my strength coaches. Everybody across the country has a strength staff, but Coach (Chris) Dawson and Coach Shawn and Coach (Corey) Meredith and Coach (Darren) Honeycutt, those are the guys I work with. Their program, it forces you to be in good shape. The Big 12 is really about how conditioned you are. You can play football, but you really have to be in shape with the style of play. Every time you take the field, it's like two-minute, and it's faster than a two-minute drill at times. Once you know you're in shape, everything else comes easy."
Q: What did you learn most from playing under Bill Snyder?
A: "I was used to structure and a business-like attitude, but one thing I learned in my tenure here, one thing I appreciate, is consistency. You may go out and make a couple of plays in practice and even in games, but your coaches say 'We need more out of you.' Once I got to the point later in my career where I accepted his teaching of being consistent and being an every-down player, that's when I felt like my game elevated."
Q: Who was the toughest player you went up against in college?
A: "In the Big 12, you have to deal with dual-threat quarterbacks. You have to worry about the scramble and it changes up the whole game plan. I went up against a couple of good guys on my own team, like Cody Whitehair (now with Bears). He was my toughest competitor, and being able to go up against him when I was younger, to gain that experience, that gave me a lot of confidence going into games."
Q: Is there a defensive lineman in the NFL you watch and would pattern yourself after?
A: "I don't like comparing myself, but someone I learn a lot from is (Dolphins) Cameron Wake. The reason I like him is he has a good kickoff, is very explosive off the football. He rushes to a certain spot and gets there, and I try to take that to my game. He's very consistent, too. When he's healthy, he's one of the best defensive ends in the NFL."
Q: You're from Kansas City. Did you grow up a Chiefs fan?
A: "When I was growing up, I have four older brothers, and they would always have a Chiefs game on. It was later on that I got into football. I remember I walked into the TV room once and the Colts were playing the Chiefs. I remember watching Peyton Manning for the first time. How he carried himself, how he played the game, and in that moment, that's when I began to love the game of football. I said I wanted to be like him. I actually was a quarterback. I was always a defensive end, but aspired to be a quarterback. Obviously it never worked out, but it showed me this could be a cool game to play."
Q: How close are you to your degree at K-State?
A: "I graduated in December with a degree in criminology. If I'm not playing football, I can see myself coaching it. I aspire to be a head coach someday. And if not in football, I also enjoy politics and could see myself getting involved there."
Q: This is a big question for a K.C. guy, but we ask everyone for a food recommendation. Where's your favorite place to eat there?
A: "People always bring up barbecue, but I always got to Raising Cane's. It's a chicken-finger restaurant that's pretty good. Barbecue-wise, I'd go to Gates. There are a lot of good restaurants, but I'm baised toward Gates, because that's what I always had growing up."
[Last modified: Tuesday, February 28, 2017 4:11pm]
