Senior Bowl 2016 Interview – Jason Spriggs

Jason Spriggs – OT (Indiana)

Interview Date:  1/26/16

Measurables: 

Hgt:  6’ 5 ¾ ”

Wgt:  301lbs.

Hand:  9 ½ ”

Arm:  31 ⅛”

Wing:  6‘ 9 ⅜”

PROFILE:  Spriggs started 28 consecutive games to begin his career at Indiana and made 46 starts in 47 games at left tackle.  Following his Senior season, he was selected by the Football Writers Association of America as a First Team All-American.  He also earned All-American recognition by Sporting News, Walter Camp Foundation and the Associated Press and was an Outland Trophy Semifinalist and a Second Team All-Big Ten selection.  Spriggs allowed just two sacks in 526 called pass attempts during the 2015 season.  He received Honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in each of his Junior, Sophomore and Freshman seasons.  In 2012, he started all 12 games, an IU true freshman record for an offensive lineman.  He led the team with 80 knockdowns and surrendered just two sacks in 961 snaps that season.

On what he’d like to showcase to NFL scouts during Senior Bowl week.

I definitely want to showcase my athletic ability.  I was able to showcase that on film and I think that’s something that’s a strength of mine.  I kinda want to showcase improvement from season on – the things I’ve heard back from different coaches.

On what areas he wants to improve on as he progresses through the draft process.

I definitely want to get more consistent with my hand play in the pass game and some of my run blocks.

 

On what type of NFL blocking scheme he feels would give him the most comfortable fit.

Coming from a spread team like what we were at Indiana, I think I’d be most comfortable doing something like that.

 

On the fact that a number of teams employ power blocking schemes and how he thinks he might fit in that type of system.

We did a lot of those too.  I’d feel comfortable fitting wherever.  Just the spread tempo, no-huddle thing, just that aspect of it – that’s the only factor that would play into that.

On whether there are any NFL linemen that he may model his game after.

I mean, there’s a couple out there.  Joe Thomas.  I try to take pieces from everybody I see and piece everything together.

On what he feels was his greatest college achievement.

I think that my freshman class and our class in general, I think we were able to turn our program around and get our program heading in the right direction.  While we didn’t accomplish what we set out to do completely, I think we turned that in the right direction.  So I definitely think that’s my highest accomplishment.

 

On who he feels was his toughest competition in college that may have made him a better player because he got to go up against that them.

It definitely varies.  In the Big Ten, you have so many good players and so many good D-Ends.  I’d definitely say either Shalique Calhoun from Michigan State or Joey Bosa from Ohio State.  Shalique is very lengthy, very tall, very fast – you gotta work on your hand play, you gotta work on your set to keep him outside.  Bosa is a shorter guy, a little bit more strong and definitely fast.  So there’s two different rushers and you kinda have to learn how to block each.