- Name: Sam Cirksena
- Position: Linebacker
- College: West Liberty University
- Height: 6’1”
- Weight: 235
- Twitter: @samcirk8
- Instagram: @sammycirk
What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2023 NFL Draft?
My strength, physicality, and my Football IQ are what take me the furthest as a player. I knew our defense like the back of my hand and watching a ton of tape with my DC helped me know what to expect when we lined up for games.
At what age were you first interested in the sport of football?
I was first interested in football in 3rd grade when I started playing flag. My dad was a huge part of watching football with me growing up and getting me interested.
What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?
I do everything I can to prepare my body in the off-season so that I can perform as well as possible during the season.
If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?
I would donate to help end Veteran homelessness in our country.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever received is from my DC here at West Liberty when he told me to play to my strengths and make sure that nobody beats me at what I’m good at.
Who was your childhood hero?
My childhood hero was my dad. He’s the hardest worker I know and he has taught me so much to make me the person that I am.
Who is the most underrated teammate in your locker room at your school?
My most underrated teammate would be our center, Blake Neely. He’s an absolute freak in the weight room and a genius when it comes to getting everything taken care of at the line of scrimmage. He doesn’t get nearly enough recognition, being an offensive lineman.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is when people try to undermine the level of talent there is in Division 2.
Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome?
The hardest thing to overcome would probably be going through JUCO and all the stress that comes out of trying to get recruited. JUCO can be a lot to handle and coming out of it I was definitely set up better to deal with life.
Tell me something about your school and why it is so special to you?
Something so special about my school is that I got to learn what the Rust Belt was all about. Being from Iowa I was around a ton of manual labor and farmers growing up, so coming out here and seeing all of the steel and coal work meant a lot to me.
What is your favorite snack food?
My favorite snack food has got to be sour gummy bears.
What is the best part of football?
The best part of football is lining up with your teammates with a common goal of playing as hard as possible to win.
If you could sell yourself in one sentence what would you say?
I’m going to work as hard as anyone else and prepare for whatever is to come more than anybody.
If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be?
Denzel Perryman is who I would compare myself to the most because we’re a similar in size and we’re both run-first linebackers.
If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why?
The three people I would choose to eat with would be Triple H, Joe Morgan, and Pat Tillman. The reasoning would be that I grew up a huge WWE fan and Triple H was the reason I grew my hair out. Joe Morgan because I’m a die-hard Reds fan because of my dad, and Joe Morgan was a big part of him becoming a Reds fan. Pat Tillman because of all the sacrifices he made and how hard he played, and I think there would be a ton to learn from him.
