5 Minutes with NFL Rookie John Russell

Russell (58) with his original team, the Green Bay Packers

John Russell is an NFL rookie currently with the Buffalo Bills, and a great friend of mine.  An undrafted free agent in the 2010 NFL Draft, John had brief stints with the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs before settling in with the Bills.  John and I lived together for a year when we were both at Wake Forest.  I thought it would be interesting to talk to John about his transition from college football to the NFL as well as some of his new experiences.  Here's what he had to say:

• John, what were the weeks leading up to the draft like for you? 
• They weren't that stressful actually. I feel like there are so many people out there who are either a lock to get drafted or on the bubble of the draft that they freak out over the whole process. In reality, for someone in my position, I was looked at as a high 4th Round with the highest probability being a Free Agent. For 99.9% of the process I was cool as could be. For me, that was O.K. being left out and under-rated, my whole career had followed such a path, I felt that the 2010 Draft Class was about as stout as any draft could ever be.  I played at Wake Forest as a 6'3, 275lb defensive tackle, and I heard that teams were looking at me as a FB, TE, HB, MLB, OLB, DE or DT... so I was sort of locked into the journey-man role.  [I was ready to] do whatever it took. My fantastic agent, Chad Speck with A3, told me a lot about how teams looked at me, and I began to train in Atlanta at CES(Competitive Edge Sports). This facility did wonders in terms of placing me against the best players and forcing me to reveal me true potential to my fellow players. My agency did a great job of informing me and guiding my focus. As a player, I felt it was always important to challenge myself against the best I could find, and CES was that place. I did workouts with many first rounders including Ziggy Hood and Jared Odrick.  That, along with the guidance of legendary former defensive line/LB coach Pepe Jenkins, I knew that I was in great hands.
• You were an undrafted free agent.  After the draft, did you have any idea of which teams, if any, would be calling?
• Actually, I felt that many teams would call me... and to be honest, many did.  After the last day of the draft I think that there were 20 or more teams calling me with the exception being teams like the Raiders, 49ers, or Cardinals. Nothing at ALL against them but I did have the phone ringing off the hook that day...so I wasn't hurting too badly.
• Once on the field, how were the first few weeks as a rookie?  Was there any 'hazing' type activities you experienced?
• The "hazing", as it has become known, is more of a bad myth amongst the NFL family.  Different teams and groups of players will do things that aren't always great...but it's typically all in good fun.  More often than not, guys are down to Earth and willing to impart knowledge on younger fellows. Than again, the first few weeks of training camp were tough became you begin to realize that everyone you are competing against is a college all-star who would murder all your old teammates...once you get over the whole 'Man, I'm lining up against Aaron Rodgers' thing, which should be gone by the first day or so, it just comes down to playing football...and learning the playbook
• Green Bay, Kansas City or Buffalo - when not doing football related things, what city had the most to do? 
• All these cities are great in their own rights, but there is no doubt that Kansas City had more "to do", than the others.  It's a growing place, the Plaza area is great, it is the home of a good music scene.  Green Bay is underrated... good sports bars, great people. Same with Buffalo, but it's even better because the bars stay open till 4 AM... I am down for any town who can show people a great time without trying to murder fans of other team.  )
• Both physically and mentally, how different is the NFL game from the college game?
• It's not nearly as difficult physically as it is mentally. Learning a playbook is every bit as difficult as students pulling through organic chemistry... however you have to think faster and perform on the fly. I really wish students who viewed a scholarship QB as a vapid Prep who just happened into a Pro Football career, would take a much deeper look.
• How has your game improved this year?  What is one thing you think you have improved upon the most?
• I've become much more aware of the small technical aspects of the game that I was pretty much unaware of before.  It isn't something that just I didn't know as much as it was something that was or is unknown to sooooo many people in the football world. In the NFL the game is still the same but you learn to use very specific aspects of your craft that 99% of high school players don't see or understand. It's really eye-opening to get into the NFL and really see how STUPID you are in regards to the game of football.  I know I have improved in the overall technique and understanding of the game. The NFL is vastly different from NCAA is nearly every way but I know that the lessons I have learned in this process have helped me grasp a knowledge of both the NFL and NCAA game and I am ready to become a dominate coach on whatever level I choose. I say coach because I believe that being a top-level BCS coach is my calling in life. God has blessed me with the game of football, but I feel that I need to distribute my love for football amongst its fans. I just love college football because of the tradition, atmosphere, fans, and high level of play that tends to dominate the top conferences in college football. I expect that honestly, teamwork, passion, determination, and a NEVER SAY DIE attitude prevail amongst WAKE FOREST ATHLETES and the NCAA as a whole. 

I want to give a special thanks to John for taking the time to do this, and I hope you all enjoyed what he had to say.  John left me with a fitting quote: "Failure is not an option!".  John has always worked his ass off, even when the odds were against him, and he has ridden that work ethic all the way to the NFL.  Truly an inspirational player.