Packers S, M.D. Jennings Interview

M.D. Jennings played college football at Arkansas State. He was known primarily for his cover skills and totaled 8 interceptions throughout his collegiate career. He entered the 2011 NFL Draft, but went undrafted. He signed with the Packers, and was one of four undrafted free agents to make their 53man roster. He is going to be a stud for the Packers in the future. Check out our interview that was done early in the 2011 NFL season.

Download the audio interview with M.D. Jennings by clicking here.

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Thank you Gabriel Cervantes for the some of the photos used in the Packers collage.
The background music was produced by Eastern Stereo. Click here for more of their music.
Click to download “Desert Song” and  Click to download “A Passage”

Announcement : My name is Max Strauss with http://prointerviews.org/, http://facebook.com/ProInterviews/ and http://twitter.com/ProInterviews/. I’d like to welcome you to the interview with M.D. Jennings. Jennings started playing collegiately at Arkansas State. While he was there, he completed his career with 241 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, fifteen pass deflections, and eight interceptions. He was named to first team Sun Belt Conference following his senior season. He entered the 2011 NFL Draft, but went undrafted. Jennings signed with the Green Bay Packers, and was one of four undrafted free agents who made the team’s final 53-man roster. He is currently 2nd on the depth chart as a strong safety and free safety. Here is the interview with Green Bay Packers, M.D. Jennings.

Strauss : Do you have a Twitter or Facebook?

Jennings : I’m trying to stay away from the social media and social networks and all of that. You could say something that you don’t mean any harm by it, and it could get blown out of proportion. I just stay away from all of that stuff.

Strauss : How do you connect with your fans though?

Jennings : I love my fans, especially the ones close to me, they have my cell phone number. They usually text me. I get a lot of texts during the game, even though I’m on the field. When I come back to the locker room, I have a lot of texts. There are a lot of fans who send stuff in the mail for me to sign. I sign it and send it back to them.

Strauss : Can you share an experience you had with youth football, like before high school?

Jennings : I started playing football when I was in the seventh grade. I actually played receiver and linebacker. I was like seventy pounds as a linebacker in seventh grade. It was a great experience, and we were called the Little Giants. There were thirteen of us on the team, and we were all so small when other teams showed up, but we only lost one game that season.

Strauss : What was your high school football experience like?

Jennings : My high school football experience was great. My senior season, we finished twelve and one (12-1). We were the first team to go undefeated in the regular season since 1980. We were the first team to beat our rival at their place in like nineteen years, which was before all of us were born. There were a lot of great memories in high school football.

Strauss : Do you have a specific one you want to share?

Jennings : I guess beating our rival my senior season. I was a captain that year. Doing something that a lot of teams from my hometown couldn’t do. It was just a great feeling to be able to do that for all of the guys that came before us.

Strauss : Then you went to Arkansas State (stAte), and what was the transition like?

Jennings : It was a big difference going to Arkansas State. I did not know anyone. It was hard going from being the man in high school to just trying to find yourself through another program. But I was able to come behind a great guy, Tyrell Johnson, a safety who plays for the Minnesota Vikings now. He taught me the ropes. I kind of found my own too. I was able to make the best of it at Arkansas State.

Strauss : Do you have a favorite memory from Arkansas State?

Jennings : During my sophomore year, it was my first collegiate start, we went down to College Station, and upset Texas A&M at the start of the 2008 season.

Strauss : What was your draft day experience like?

Jennings : Whew. Draft day.. I knew I would probably be a late rounder or a free agent. It was up and down, and I first got a call from a coach of the Redskins. He called the wrong number, and that kind of got my hopes up. That was in the sixth round. After that though, I got a call from three teams who had three picks, saying they were going to draft me in the seventh round. But, none of them did. It was kind of heartbreaking.

Strauss : What was it like to go through this whole crazy lockout experience and having to find a team pretty late and having to find a new  home pretty late?

Jennings : It was tough, very tough mentally. Watching ESPN and thinking it would be over this week, just waiting, and then it never happening. It seemed like it would never come to an end. It was hard and I was training since January 17th and your body just started wearing down and my mind can’t keep training like this, and not knowing when camp would start. I was thinking my body was going to be worn down before camp starts so it was very tough. Something that you are moving on with your life but I just decided to stick it out and it all paid off in the end.

Strauss : The Packers kept four undrafted free agents but what its like knowing that you are one of the few undrafted players to make it to a final 53 man roster?

Jennings : It’s just a blessing. It’s a blessing even to make the team and be on the practice squad, so being able to make the 53-man roster my first chance you know it’s a great feeling.

Strauss : How do you think your college skills have helped you succeed throughout training camp and now getting some playing time in the last weeks?

Jennings :  In college, I basically learned to play more than one position. I learned early to play on special teams and the importance of special teams.  Our coach was really big on special teams. He took pride in special teams so all of that kind of rolled over to the NFL, and being able to adjust and learn the playbook and play both strong safety and free safety. Just be able to run down field on special teams whether it’s punt return, blocking, or going down field to make the tackle.

Strauss :  What position do you play on special teams?  Do you left side or right side?

Jennings : Both. Especially in the NFL, you just got to be ready and available for where ever they want to put you.  One week it may be the left side, and the next you may be on the right side.

Strauss :  What’s it like to go to a Packers secondary that has so much talent with Nick Collins and Charles Woodson? How much impact have they had already on you?

Jennings : It is very helpful going into the meetings and stuff with those guys. Those guys being veterans don’t mind helping with a younger guy who’s fighting for his job or worried about his job, some may not being willing to help you and teach you the ropes, but just meeting those guys and learning what they are looking at when they line up and stand across the formation it has been very helpful.

Strauss :  What was it like last week to see Nick Collins go down and how do you plan to take a step forward from what happened and make more of a presence on the field because of what happened?

Jennings : It was heart breaking to see Nick down. Nick is a great guy and a great football player, but more than anything he is a great guy. I mean like I said, he doesn’t mind helping and teaching. I just wish Nick and his family the best regarding with all that he is going through. I just got to be ready to step up, and if they ask me on special teams.

Strauss : Who is your best friend on the Packers?

Jennings : Right now, I would probably say Brandian Ross. He was a rookie free agent with me. He was cut, but re-signed to the practice squad. Brandian Ross would probably be my best friend on the Packers’ team right now.

Strauss : More looking back on your career as a whole, who has had the most impact on your career?

Jennings : I would have to say my mom and dad. They always supported me. They told me that anything that is worth doing is worth doing well. They taught me to take pride in all of my sports from baseball to football. They told me to show and have great sportsmanship.

Strauss : If you could describe yourself as any ice cream flavor, what would you be and why?

Jennings : Haha. I don’t know. That’s a hard question. I would have to say a fudge swirl with Vanilla ice cream. I don’t know. That’s the only one that comes to my mind. It’s the one I like to eat all of the time. They always say you are what you eat.

Strauss : For someone who wants to play football in the NFL, do you have any advice?

Jennings : Learn as much as you can from yourself, your mistakes, and others’ mistakes. Just watch others and take the good from players like Ray Lewis, and take something else from Deion Sanders. Just watch as much as you can, and learn as much as you can about the game. Try not to make the same mistake twice, and when you’re on the field, give it all that you got. Don’t be afraid to pursue your dream.

Strauss : Thank you so much for your time M.D.

Jennings : Your welcome Max.

Announcement : Thank you for listening to the interview with M.D. Jennings. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you leave your comments below as well! Please check out my website https://prointerviews.org/ for other interviews, “LIKE” the Facebook page at http://facebook.com/ProInterviews/, and follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/ProInterviews/. Please subscribe to me on YouTube at http://youtube.com/ProInterviews/ Thanks again for listening! Stay tuned for more, and feel free to contact me!

->Here are the personal questions M.D. Jennings answered.

Strauss : How’d you get the nickname M.D.?

Jennings : My name is Melvin Delanie. Ever since I’ve been telling people that, I’ve been called M.D. My mom started calling me that, because I don’t think she really liked that name. I’ve probably been called that since day one.

Strauss : If you could meet anyone who would it be and why?

Jennings : I would love to meet Deion Sanders. He was one of the greatest defensive backs to ever play the game of football.

Strauss : Who was your childhood star?

Jennings : Actually growing up, I was a Jerry Rice fan. I guess everybody grows up liking offensive players, the ones making the touchdowns.

Strauss : What is your favorite TV Show?

Jennings : I would have to say, “The Game”.

Strauss : What is your favorite movie of all time?

Jennings : I would have to say Life starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.

Strauss : What is your favorite type of pie?

Jennings : No, I’m not really a big pie guy, I prefer cake.

Strauss : What is your favorite type of cake?

Jennings : I like chocolate cake.

Strauss : What would be your last meal on earth?

Jennings : Whew! That’s a difficult one. I would say it would have to have homemade spaghetti.