We would like to welcome Jamie Covington to Gridiron, a 6’3, 240-pound Defensive End out of Liberty HS in Baton Rouge. Covington is lightning fast off the line of scrimmage, has great instincts and reaction time, and can chase down mobile quarterbacks with ease. He dominated his senior year with 13 sacks in 11 games and currently has offers from Louisiana Christian University and Southern University, where he is a preferred walk-on. His dream is to be a ULL Rajin Cajun because he loved everything about his visit to the homecoming game, the facilities, and because his mother also went there. Other sports he does are baseball, basketball, and shot put.
Here is my interview with Jamie Covington:
What has your football journey been like? At what age did you start playing football, and what inspired you to play football?
I started playing football at six years old. What inspired me was my papa because he was a really big football guy and I fell in love with football because it was the sport he put me on to. I did a lot of practicing and he just brought me on to that. I had a lot of support and I got a lot of responses and opprutunites.
Who have been some of the biggest influences in your journey? Family members, coaches, etc?
My coach, When I was a freshman and sophomore, and when I first came to Liberty, I was supposed to play basketball. When I was in middle school, they had COVID so there really was no football season. I was going into high school trying to play baskteball but my coach brought me in back into football and I fell back in love with the game.
How would you describe the football culture at your school, community, and in Louisiana?
It’s a great experience. You have different teams you play, traveling, and meeting different coaches. I can just see the talent from everywhere.
Do you have a core memory of playing as a little kid, or when you first started playing?
When I played my first snap in high school, my heart was racing but I just got off the ball, made a play and things just got a lot easier settling from there.
Was DE something you always wanted to play or did you have another position in mind?
I did play running back but over time I got bigger so I moved to the D line. I also played some outside linebacker, but mainly I like Defensive End.
Walk me through your preparation during a typical game day.
I watch a little film on the team that we are going to play, do some streching, drink some electrolights, and just relax and listen to some music, get some energy going and make sure I have my massage gun.
What’s something about your game that you think separates you from other players at your position?
I feel like I’m a very dominant player when it comes to the line. I get off the ball fast, I’m physical, and when the coaches need me to make a play, I’m able to make it for them.
What part or parts of your game do you feel like have improved the most over the years, and what would you like to improve on?
I feel like I have most improved on my pass rushing skills, because I got 13 sacks this year so, I’ve improved on a lot of rushing skills, speed, but I do need to improve on staying low. Coaches have talked to me a couple of times at being too high.
What were some of the toughest challenges you faced over the years of playing?
Some injuries like just getting back on my feet because I had an ankle sprain that just kept coming back over time. It’s good now but I had to deal with it a lot during the season, getting it wrapped, and I just had to get that mobility back.
Do you treat every game the same way, or do you treat really big games, rivalry games, and playoff games a little bit differently?
I treat every game the same because I do not want to play down to an opponent if it’s a lesser team. Obviously, you never want to underestimate your opponent so I go into it with the same drive than I did the last game.
How would you describe yourself as a leader to your teammates?
When the team is down, I’m there to support them and get them back on their feet. If a teammate is not focused, I’ll do something about it and lock him back into the game.
When people look back at your high school career, what do you hope they say about you as a player and person?
That I was a good person, a hard-working player and that I never gave up on the team.
Describe your experience playing in the Gridiron All-American Bowl game.
It was a great experience seeing the other coaches there, getting to see the other talent around me. Everyone there was like all-district and things like that so I was not that only player that was actually really good, I had to play some tough competition. Practicing with them and waking up on early mornings also got me better.
Did you have a moment during the bowl game that stood out to you?
Just the opportunity because a lot of people do not get these chances to play ball so I took the opportunity greatly.
Why do you believe you can be an effective playmaker whenever you end up playing college ball?
I am a dominant player, and I feel like I will make an immediate impact. I’m disciplined so even if I mess up, I always lock in, I would not be out of the game, and I would continue to find ways to improve.
What makes Louisiana high school football different from any other state?
In other big states, people say you have all these districts, meaning better competition, but here in Louisiana, I still feel like there’s a lot of talent down here, and people don’t really see it or realize it.
Which NFL Head coach would you most want to play for right now and why?
Probably Andy Reid because he built that dynasty and I would love to play for a team that has one.
If you could listen to three artists for the rest of your life, who would they be?
Travis Scott, Tyler the Creator, and 2Pac.
67
0
24.77k
20
