2nd Round — James Bradberry, CB, Samford

 

 
RE: If he expected to be picked this high in the draft

JB: “Not really. I was actually fixing the toilet in my mom’s bathroom when they called, so I was just waiting man, I didn’t know when I was going to get the call.”

RE: Issues with the toilet

JB: “My mom just had me fixing it, I don’t really know how to fix things for real, but I try when I can.”

RE: Defensive back skills being better than his plumbing skills

JB: “No doubt, they definitely are”.

RE: His strength as a corner

JB: “Just my versatility and my physicality when I am pressing.”

RE: Where he expected to go in the draft

JB: “I had heard anywhere from the second round to the fifth. I tried to keep a level head and expect anything, I was ready for anything.”

RE: Possible draft party tonight

JB: “Well, I am actually here with my friends and family, but it’s not like a big draft party. I had actually planned something to do tomorrow night after the whole draft was over.”

RE: Josh Norman leaving and the need for a new corner

JB: “I didn’t really know what was going on with that situation. I knew they had a great defense no matter what happened with what all was going on. So I didn’t really know what they were going to take when it came towards the draft.”

RE: On his emotions

JB: “I am excited, I am not a very emotional guy. I try to keep everything bottled in, but I am very excited on the inside. You might not be able to tell by the way I am talking right now, but I am very excited.”

RE: Where he was when the phone rang

JB: “I had my phone in my pocket and I’m walking into the bathroom in my home, me and my friends fixing the toilet and I feel my phone vibrate and I think it is a text message, but it’s a Carolina area code and that was when my heart started beating real fast. I go into the hallway and answer the phone call and it’s the Panthers.”

RE: On if the toilet got fixed

JB: “Nah, it didn’t. It is still in there waiting on me.”

RE: On if he will fix the toilet tonight

JB: “It may not get fixed.”

RE: Background with Panthers in the pre-draft process

JB: “We had a workout and I also had a team visit and that was pretty much it. I was saying, that was a lot for me to have a visit and a workout.”

RE: If the Panthers showed the most interest

JB: “They were the only team that I had a workout and visit with so I would probably say yes, but it is kind of hard to say because I know a lot of teams said they loved my size and stuff like that and they were hoping to get me. I don’t really know if they showed more love, but it is about even across the board for teams that I had visits.”

RE: On what he does well as a corner

JB: “At Samford we pretty much press a lot as far as the corners. I feel like I have a good style of technique when it comes to press coverage, I have long arms so I am able to redirect receivers and also in zone, we also play a little zone. In zone I am able to recognize routes and read the quarterback well and I catch the ball when it is thrown my way.”

RE: On his ability being 6’1’’

JB: “Definitely. I am very confident in my ability. I started the past four years at Samford, went against top level competition like Auburn, played TCU, played Louisville, and I think I played pretty well against those teams. I feel like my length and my height can be an attribute for me in the league, I am very confident in my ability.”

RE: His decision to transfer from Arkansas State to Samford

JB: “Coming out of high school, I played corner and they recruited me as a DB and then when I got up there, they put me at safety. I really wanted to go back out and play corner and just wanted to prove myself that I could still play it. They didn’t believe in me. They didn’t want me to play corner, so then I ended up transferring to Samford. Samford actually offered me coming out of high school, so that’s how I was connected with them.”

RE: Biggest receivers he faced during his college career

JB: “I played Sammie Coates. I played Josh Doctson and I played Kobe Listenbee.”

RE: How he played against Coats, Doctson and Listenbee

JB: “I had an interception against Sammie Coats. He had his catch, I had my pick, so it was about even. I said an even match there. I think I played pretty well against Josh Doctson. Kobe Listenbee got one on me but I think I played well overall.”

RE: His thoughts on Cam Newton growing up since he grew up in Alabama

JB: “I was a Florida State fan growing up, so when I saw him play at Auburn, I just knew he couldn’t, after the maybe the third game in the season, I had a feeling that Auburn was going to go on a run and go to the National Championship. But, I just admired his character and the way he handled everything that was thrown at him.”

RE: If Panthers indicated that he would be strictly a corner or more versatile on the back end

JB: “I’m definitely playing corner. I’ve got that vibe from Coach (Steve) Wilks, the way that he’s confident in my abilities so I am definitely playing corner.”

RE: Thoughts on Coach Wilks

JB: “Definitely during my workout, I could tell he was an intelligent guy. He knew the game well. He has different approaches when it comes to technique at the press. He’s just an overall great coach and I feel like he’s a great guy off the field too. I got that vibe from him when I went on my visit. He was easy to talk to and a really knowledgeable guy.”

RE: His plans for tonight know that he is drafted

JB: “I don’t know. I heard that I’ve got a flight in the morning so I don’t know what I’m going to do. I know I’m going to celebrate, but I don’t know how long I’m going to celebrate so I’m still in the planning mood right now.”

RE: His hometown of Pleasant Grove, Ala. and what sports he played growing up

JB: “Pleasant Grove is right outside of Birmingham. I actually grew up playing, I played a little baseball. I played soccer. I actually played soccer before I played football, but when I was in high school, I strictly played football and basketball. But growing up, I played all the sports.”

RE: If he had any interest coming out of high school from Auburn or Alabama

JB: “Not at all. I think I went to Auburn camp and that was the only interest I got. I talked to some coaches out there and I didn’t hear from them since then.”

RE: Feedback from Auburn and Alabama explaining why they weren’t pursuing him harder

JB: “I really didn’t get any feedback on why they weren’t pursuing me or why they were going to pursue me. They just were giving me a little feedback on my technique and stuff like that. They didn’t really recruit me at all. I was just going to the camp because I had family members that stayed down there and we were going down there to visit them, so that’s why I went to the camp.”

RE: His background in tackling skills

JB: “Since my freshman year, I feel like I have improved every year. That’s been my goal when I got into college after my freshman year was to make sure that I have less missed tackles going into the following year. I don’t think I had any missed tackles my senior year. I was a good tackler then, so that’s what I got.”