Even for some of the top prospects in the 2020 NFL draft class, planning for life after football should be a high priority, even as they prepare to make the jump to the pros in their current profession.
One prospect who already has a post-gridiron plan? North Carolina State edge defender James Smith-Williams, who recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his focus on off-field endeavors, his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, and why an NFL team should take a chance on him.
JM: You’ve put on 60 pounds since your freshmen season. What went into that transformation?
JSW: I embraced the motto that you eat with a purpose. I eat several meals a day. I make sure that I’m getting my protein, carbohydrates and calories in. We have such a great staff at NC State. They really helped me transform my body. They’ve helped out so many guys in the weight room. They were very beneficial to my transformation and overall development.
JM: You spent the summer of 2018 working a paid internship with IBM. You were working within their robotic automation department. You actually have a job waiting for you with IBM once your football career comes to an end. Tell me a little about that experience.
JSW: I’ve actually worked a paid internship at IBM for the last two summers now. I first worked in their RPA department, that stands for Robotic Process Automation. I was working the daily tasks. I was putting emails together, gathering different reports and making sure the proper information was reaching the higher ups. I was putting things into spreadsheets and making sure the process was properly automated.
In 2019, I worked more on the marketing side for them. I was working with Photoshop and what not. I actually helped create a commercial that they’re currently using internally. That was a cool experience. I’ve been really blessed and fortunate to receive an opportunity at IBM, and I definitely did everything I could to make the most of it. They decided that they wanted me to become a permanent member of their team. I have a job waiting for me there one day. It’s a huge blessing.
JM: How important was it for you to plan for life after football?
JSW: It’s incredibly important. Growing up, I was always more focused on academics than anything. I was gonna go to Columbia for med school. NC State offered me a scholarship, and the opportunity to play football at NC State while remaining close to home was too tempting to pass up. I fell in love with that offer. I wanted to make sure that I had a plan. Obviously, football started to take shape for me. I had a future in the sport and I decided to take that route. I’m very blessed. I was also fortunate to receive the opportunity at IBM. That opened up a whole new avenue for me. I’ve enjoyed every step of the way.
JM: NC State head coach Dave Doeren asked you to wear the No. 1 jersey in 2019. That’s something that means a lot to the program, and it’s only given to student athletes that exemplify work ethic, character and leadership. What did that honor mean to you?
JSW: It was awesome. I’ve had the pleasure to see a lot of great guys wear the No. 1 jersey for us. Jaylen Samuels received the same honor, and he’s with the Pittsburgh Steelers now. It’s meant for somebody that handles his business both on and off the field, and in the community as well. It really meant a lot to me.
JM: You suffered a lower-body injury that cost you part of the 2019 season. Where are you at health-wise right now?
JSW: I feel great. I was fortunate enough that it wasn’t an injury that required surgery. I just needed time to rest and fully heal and recover. I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time at EXOS during my pre-draft preparation and was able to rehab at their top-notch facilities. I was able to go to the combine and be a full participant. I was fortunate that it wasn’t a serious injury. I feel great right now.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
JSW: There’s nothing like it. Everyone sees the stuff on TV, the exciting stuff like the 40-yard dash or broad jump. I feel like the drills were the least important aspect of the combine. The medicals and interviews play a huge role. You’re up late at night and early in the morning. It’s a crazy, hectic process. I think I did a pretty good job out there.
JM: How would you describe your pass rush arsenal?
JSW: I’m a guy that loves to work speed-to-power. I use that to open up a whole realm of possibilities. I have some speed in my arsenal as well. Power is a very important aspect of my game. I have some finesse moves as well. I’m always gonna go power first.
JM: Were you able to get any private visits or workouts in before the spread of COVID-19 shut everything down?
JSW: I was not. Our pro day was unfortunately canceled. I was very lucky and fortunate to have the East-West Shrine Game and combine as opportunities to showcase my talent and meet with some teams in person. I had a chance to get out in front of the scouts. I had some visits lined up but of course they were all canceled.
JM: What were some of the visits that you had lined up?
JSW: I had a lot of visits set up surrounded around my pro day. I had some lunch and dinner plans. They were all visits scheduled around my pro day. We were gonna watch film together and hop on the white board.
The New York Jets were coming to town. I had something set up with the Patriots and Titans. The Ravens and Chargers were gonna meet me at my pro day as well. Those are the ones I can recall. I had a whole bunch of meetings planned. I’ve had some meetings via FaceTime as well.
JM: Who are some of the teams that you’ve met with via FaceTime and what not?
JSW: I’ve met with the Jaguars, Giants, Titans, Ravens and Jets. There’s probably another handful of teams that I can’t recall at this moment. My schedule is pretty hectic right now.
JM: Why should an NFL team use one of their draft picks on James Smith-Williams?
JSW: I have a lot of intangibles to bring to the table. I’m a coach-able guy. I’m gonna come in and work extremely hard at my craft. I think my body of work proves that I’m a hard working guy, I worked hard to transform my body and I was able to secure that paid internship at IBM as well. I’m a versatile guy that can rush the passer out of a variety of stances. I can rush off the edge, I can stop the run and I can drop back into coverage as well. I’ve played both inside and outside. I’m gonna add a lot to a team both on and off the field.
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