Ed Thompson: What do you think is going to be your strongest selling point to these
NFL teams? You've got so many great attributes both as a person and as a player,
what do you think is really standing out to them?
Adam Carriker: I would say my versatility. It doesn't matter where I go or what team I
play for, they can find a spot for me whether it be a 3-4 end, a 4-3 D-tackle or
a 4-3 end. They've asked if I can play nose guard and I said, "sure, I can
play everything." So I'd say my versatility.
ET: It had to be flattering for you when you were named the conference's
Defensive Lineman of the Year by the opposing coaches. What did that mean to
you?
AC: That really did mean a lot, I was proud of that. Honestly, I didn't even
know we had the award, it was the first year of the award. At first I thought
somebody was just kind of playing a joke on me, but no, it really is an extreme
honor that means a lot.
ET: What do you hope to accomplish once you find out who you'll be playing
for this year? What will your first steps be?
AC: Obviously, the goal is to play a lot--to start. I realize the competition
is going to be really good at that level, but I definitely want to earn a
starting spot and start winning some football games.
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| Adam Carriker sacks Auburn's Brandon Cox (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) |
ET: How's it going to sit with you, going in as a rookie since you're
going to have the guys asking you to carry their shoulder pads and do things for
them. You've been a big dominant player for sometime that has sort of ruled the
roost. Are you ready for that switchover for a year?
AC: It probably won't be the easiest thing in the world. It's something
everyone has to deal with. I mean, hey, the freshmen that came in at Nebraska,
it didn't matter if you're a top recruit or a walk-on, you all have to pay your
dues so I have no problem with that.
ET: You've really done well through your career as far as not missing much
time because of injuries...
AC: There's been just a few. These past two years I haven't missed any due to
injury, so it shows good durability.
ET: Do you attribute that mainly to your conditioning throughout the year,
good luck, or a combination of both?
AC: I would say everything. We have a good strength and conditioning program
and that gets us in shape. There are sometimes when you just have unlucky plays
and you're going to get hurt no matter what you do. And sometimes those
plays don't happen to you. So I'd say it's a little bit of both.
ET: What are you most proud of from your college years?
AC: I would say probably that Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year award
because there were definitely defensive ends that had better stats or more sacks
or whatnot, but that the coaches selected me really speaks a lot.
Learn more about Adam Carriker by visiting his player profile page. And
check back on Sunday for our NFL Draft Q&A with Adam where he talks about
one of his completed pre-draft visits, his Pro Day, a team that really stuck out
to him during his Combine interviews, and some interesting insight on his
off-the-field personality. It's a Scout.com subscribers' exclusive!
| A member of the Professional Football Writers of America, Ed Thompson's NFL and college football player interviews and features have been published across the Scout.com network and syndicated through FoxSports.com's NFL team pages. |
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