Golden Tate Is Excited To Play in the NFL

Golden Tate Is Excited To Play in the NFL
by timgunter

Golden Tate could be a sleeper in this year’s NFL Draft.  Tate is an all-around athlete at the wide receiver position that can return kicks and break the game wide open with long breakaway touchdown catches.  Tate is strong and hard to bring down and he has the leaping ability to get up and go after the football.  The only real knock on Tate is his size at 5’11’’ and 195 lbs.  Obviously, he faces a distinct disadvantage but the transition from college to the NFL can be made.  Just look at Steve Smith, Wes Welker and Percy Harvin to name a few.  Scouts had the same kind of concerns with them coming out of college, but they have been able to overcome their size with athleticism and strength and also being in the right offensive system really helps as well.  It is a huge risk to take a small wide receiver in the first round but Tate has so much to offer.  As far as receivers go, Tate is the “golden” standard in this draft and would be nearly impossible to pass up in the mid to late first round. Golden Tate joined 790 The Zone in Atlanta to talk about whether he ever thought about coming back to Notre Dame for one more year, what he thought of the Scouting Combine and whether he was satisfied with his forty time, who he tries to pattern his game after, and whether he would like to play for Charlie Weis in Kansas City.

Whether he ever thought about coming back to Notre Dame for one more year:

“I definitely thought about it a few times.  We sat down and thought about it a few times.  We just kind of sat down and thought about what was best for me at this point.  I know that Coach Kelly is definitely is a great coach and he throws the ball a lot and I am a receiver.  Obviously that is a great thing for us receivers and he uses a bunch of receivers.  I didn’t want to leave college but it was time for me to leave.  I evaluated the pros and cons and we thought that the pros outweighed the cons.”

What he thought of the Scouting Combine and whether he was satisfied with his forty time:

“After Indianapolis, I honestly think after that experience that is the toughest job interview in the whole world and I do not care what you are interviewing for.  It is the toughest mentally and physically.  Honestly it surprised me when I ran that 4.3 after going through waking up at six o’clock in the morning, every morning having to do psychological tests, and meeting with coaches and having doctors making sure that I am good enough to play.  So it was really, really tough.  But I made it.  As far as my forty time, I was impressed.  I knew that I was capable of running faster than what they thought that I was going to run.  I trained hard and I got stronger and bought into the program that I am in, which is Athletes Performance.  I think it did me wonders.  When it goes down to nutrition, training, regeneration, everything from top to bottom.”

What kind of player Jimmy Claussen is and how he thinks that he is going to do at the next level:

“I think that Jimmy is going to be great at the next level.  I think that Coach Weis coaching him definitely getting him to where he is now.  We both knew that going into the situation, we are going to have a coach who has won championships and Super Bowls, coaches us – an offensive guru.  We both were in situations where we were going to do good and hopefully we were going to do well.  As far as Jimmy, I think Jimmy is great.  People have questioned his leadership and other things and I think that his leadership is great.  We have all been sick and we have all been hurt, but this guy for some reason, sick, hurt, comes out and plays and puts the team in a better position to win.  So what more can you ask for?  He is always going to give you great effort and he gets the guys around him better more importantly.  I can tell you right now.  Every Monday, Monday was an off-day; he had us the receivers and the tight ends watching film, getting a head start.  So those Tuesday mistakes were limited.  We got to play and we got rid of those.  As far as I am concerned, I think Jimmy will be great in the NFL.  He is a great leader and I think that he is going to have a great career.”

Who he tries to pattern his game after and whether he would like to play for Charlie Weis in Kansas City:

“The first question, who do I pattern my game after?  I see there is two guys.  There is this older guy in the league and his name is Steve Smith for the Panthers.  The guy is built a lot like me, fast, and very physical.  Very physical and not afraid to go across the middle and catch that slant against that big time linebacker that hits hard.  I really appreciate that about him and another, Percy Harvin.  He is a guy new to the league.  I really like what Minnesota did with him and how they moved him outside the slot, outside reverses and use him out of the Wildcat.  I think that I could do all of those things and hopefully bring another dimension to the offense that decides that I could help them.”