The amount of interviews prospects go through during the pre-draft process is crazy. At some point, they might start to blur together. But, on the other hand, newly drafted Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta had a very memorable NFL Scouting Combine interview with the Lions, largely thanks to head coach Dan Campbell.
During LaPorta’s media session, he was asked how it was breaking down film with the former tight end turned Lions head coach.
“The Lions were my first formal interview. So that was interesting,” LaPorta said at his podium. “I walked in there and immediately hit the tape. I started learning a new play call. And after I learned a new play call for about five minutes, they jumped into some of my tape and then at the very end of the meeting, we came back to the play call and I had to remember all the splits of the receivers, tight ends, what routes were they running. Very small details as the routes and it was interesting. Yeah, but very direct. He had a big chaw in as soon as I walked in, and that was a firm handshake for sure.”
Everything in that quote should not surprise anyone who knows the kind of person Dan Campbell is. He has shown he is the same person at press conferences as he would be if you were at a BBQ at his house (which, I won’t lie, would be an absolute blast). He is a true, genuine person and won’t hide his true personality. So now LaPorta gets to see this on a daily basis and learn the ins and outs from the man himself.