Thornton Q&A With Raji

[HoosierCat]

http://bengalscentral.typepad.com/my_weblo...th-bj-raji.html

Good interview. I continue to like Raji.

[ArmyBengal]

Hoosier, is there a way you can paste the interview ?? It won't let me pull up a blog from work. I'm not complaining because at least I can get on here from work, but would like to see the interview. If not, I guess it will just have to wait until I get home... Thanks !!!

[HoosierCat]

Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes always talks about not wanting to be a "train." Each year the new guys always ask him what he means. Jay then tells the story of someone living in a house next to the railroad tracks. When they first move in, that train sounds loud as hell at night. Then, after living in the house for a while, that person can barely hear the train. Moral of the story, if you keep telling someone the same thing, they tune you out. So when talking to former Boston College DT B.J. Raji, I tried to give him good advice but not too much advice.

We first talked a few days before the Senior Bowl. I told B.J. what was going to happen and what to really focus on. I said, "you will make your money in one on one pass rush, team run drills, and run to the ball in all of the team scrimmages." That's all that counts for defensive lineman. I'm sure he heard of all that before from his agent and others, but being there myself, I remembered what helped and hurt me 10 years ago at the Senior Bowl. Anyway, B.J. came away from Mobile, Alabama as the player who everyone was talking about. I talked to him again recently to ask him how things were going now....

JT: How was your Senior Bowl experience? What you thought it would be?

BJ: It was great. Everyone showed me love. The media showed me love. I didn't expect all the media attention that I got, but it was cool.

JT: How were the Bengals coaches? You like em?

BJ: I liked them. They were tough yet approachable. I liked Jay Hayes, Ray Oliver. They all were cool. Marvin Lewis was cool too. I had a press conference with him and I liked that. He was easy to talk to.

JT: What was hardest part of Senior Bowl?

BJ: Off the field stuff was the hardest. Meeting with all the teams was tough. I had to talk to one team then right to the next. No free time really. One day I was miked up by Under Amour, so I constantly had someone pulling at me.

JT: What are you up to now?

BJ: Working out in California. Staying in shape. Getting ready for the NFL Combine.

JT: Are you going to do everything at the combine?

BJ: That's what I'm planning on. Unless something happens during training. But I'm definitely planning on it. Coaches at the Senior Bowl told me I needed to work out at the Combine.

JT: Well, those coaches are telling you that so they don't have to come to your on campus workout. They are lazy.

BJ: (Laughing) Really?

JT: Nah. If you are ready to workout, then you should do it at the combine. No better place to do it than when everyone is in the building. You had a good Senior Bowl so go top it off at the Combine.

BJ: Yeah your right, keep the momentum going.

JT: What is a typical day for you now?

BJ: I get up at 7am. Warm-ups and stretching starts at 7:30 and lasts till 9am. Then I do a lift. Then I work with a D Line coach for a while. Grab some lunch. Then my second lift starts at 1pm and last till 3pm.

JT: Y'all got good food out there? A chef cooking for you guys?

BJ: We have a gourmet food place that makes our meals. We get a menu and check the things we like and they work with us on our diets. That was good because it helped me at the senior bowl when I had to pick out my meals. I knew which foods to stay away from.

JT: Do you read any of the mock drafts online?

BJ: (Laughing) I do.

JT: I used to read those things everyday.

BJ: I read em a lot. I just want to make sure they all have me as the top DT. I don't care where I get drafted, I just want to be the top DT off the board. Some off the other top guys went back to college so that should help me.

JT: Where did the Bengals have you playing during the Senior Bowl? What position?

BJ: They had me playing nose guard. I played there and then we rotated some.

JT: They didn't have you playing any three technique?

BJ: Not much. But when I started dominating inside, they put me at the 3 tech during practice.

JT: What is your weight?

BJ: 334 right now. That's a little heavy for me. I was 323 in college. I want to get down to 323 for the combine.

JT: What did the NFL coaches say about that?

BJ: They gave me a limit that I should be at. I'm working on it. Going to get in good shape for combine.

JT: What's your favorite pass rush move?

BJ: It depends.....where I am

JT: Say you are on the center and you know it's a pass, what move will you use if you know the center has you one on one?

BJ: I like to use a club rip. Work the outside of the center. If he over sets me, cross his face.

JT: What about if you are working against the guard and you are one on one?

BJ: Oh, I like the double slap down on the guards hands. They hate that.

JT: OK, enough football. What kind of phone do you have?

BJ: I have the Verizon Voyager. But I want to get the Blackberry Storm soon.

JT: Nooooooooooo! That phone sucks. I just took mine back. iPhone is way better. If you want a blackberry, get one with a real keypad. Not a touch screen.

BJ: You serious?

JT: Yes. But try it out and see for yourself and let me know what you think.

JT: Texting or talking on phone?

BJ: I would rather text

JT: Facebook or Myspace?

BJ: I like Facebook. My Myspace account got hacked into before.

JT: Favorite website?

BJ: Youtube. They have some crazy stuff on there.

JT: Last one. What kind of charity will you be involved with after you get drafted?

BJ: I want to get involved with community stuff. I have no idea now. I just need a little bit of guidance there.

JT: Just pick a charity that you really like. Not something someone makes you do. That way you will do it from the heart and want to do it.

BJ: Ok. Thanks man.

JT: Be easy. Hit me up if you anything. Thanks for the interview.

[ArmyBengal]

Thanks Hoosier...

[HairOnFire]

JT: What is your weight?

BJ: 334 right now. That's a little heavy for me. I was 323 in college. I want to get down to 323 for the combine.

JT: What did the NFL coaches say about that?

BJ: They gave me a limit that I should be at. I'm working on it. Going to get in good shape for combine.

For anyone truly interested in drafting this guy....there it is.

Lose weight, make money.

[CJBestInAFC]

Is he the type of player that would take the defense to another level? He sounds great, and the Bengals would have a nice roatation with the DT. I wouldn't be mad if they drafted this guy. Nice interview with Thornton. Kind of want him to be a position coach for the Bengals in the future.

[kurgan74]

I like Raji a lot, but I would be surprised if the Bengals would use the 6th overall pick on a DT. Peko

will be a starter and continues to improve. Pat Sims was impressive as he learned the system. Also, Marvin

seems intrigued by Shirley's potential. If the Bengals continue in the 4-3, that would leave 1 spot available

on the 53 man roster for a DT. I just can't see the bengals spending that much money (guaranteed as well)

for a DT they will rotate. However, if the Bengals would go with a 3-4, I could see Raji the pick. He could be

moved to a 3-4 end. A 3 man front of Sims (DE), Peko (NT), and Raji (DE). All 3 would be in the 320-330 range

allowing the Bengals to move Odom to Rush OLB.

If the Bengals are looking to stay with a 4-3 the Dt will likely come on Day 2.

If the Bengals go D with the first pick, I believe they will take a rusher like Brian Orapko or Michael Johnson, or go

with the a LB at 6 like Rey-Rey, Curry, or Lauranitis (though trading down to 12-18 for Little Animal).

[ArmyBengal]

I like Raji alot as well and could see him making a huge impact for our d-line, but after looking at what I think will happen before us in the draft, I just don't see it happening at #6. There will be other players that will make an equal if not greater impact than Raji at #6, so I gave up quickly on any further pimping...

[BengalPimp]

Look, the guy had major academic problems at BC, which led to him red-shirting 2007 because he was academically ineligible. If the guy is not focused enough to keep his grades up to play, what makes anybody think he will stay focused enough to manage his weight? The guy also was a part time starter before that..5 starts in 11 games in '05, and 6 starts in 12 games in '06. Last year was his only season as a full-time starter. AND I'm not completely sold on a "short" DT, as some reports have him listed at 6'2" now, but 6'1" when the season started...I find it hard to believe the guy is still growing...he's probably somewhere in between. Bottom Line---#6 overall is too high for him, he's just lucky that there arent any dominant DT's this year.

[BengalPappaw]

Look, the guy had major academic problems at BC, which led to him red-shirting 2007 because he was academically ineligible. If the guy is not focused enough to keep his grades up to play, what makes anybody think he will stay focused enough to manage his weight? The guy also was a part time starter before that..5 starts in 11 games in '05, and 6 starts in 12 games in '06. Last year was his only season as a full-time starter. AND I'm not completely sold on a "short" DT, as some reports have him listed at 6'2" now, but 6'1" when the season started...I find it hard to believe the guy is still growing...he's probably somewhere in between. Bottom Line---#6 overall is too high for him, he's just lucky that there arent any dominant DT's this year.

I read the story differently about Raji's academic problem see the website:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/foot..._determination/

[sorry I don't know how to hyperlink.]

The NCAA didn't think he was making necessary progress toward a degree. Raji needed to take three classes in the summer, but he had only taken two. It was NOT a grade issue -- as I understand it.

[BlainThePain]

The only big issue I have with Raji is that he made a lot of his plays off of the spin move. Its wild to see a guy his size use the spin move so well, but guards in the NFL are big and strong enough to put a stop to the spin move using a punch. It's why you don't see interior linemen spin in the NFL.