Tyrone Poole

Diamonds In The Rough, Inc. had chance to sit down with New England Patriots defensive back Tyrone Poole and discuss his days at Fort Valley and gives up and coming prospects a little advice about pro football.

DITR: What where your goals while at Fort Valley on and off the field?
T. Poole: My goals at Fort Valley were not practically based on sports; they were geared towards life in general. I’ve always strived to be the most successful person I could be and lead productive life. However, I was blessed with the opportunity to play football in college and also play at the pro level and football has enabled me to fulfill that dream even better.

DITR: How much did playing at a black college prepare you to play at the next level?
T. Poole: I think a couple of things come to mind. One is my work ethic. My work ethic helped me to endure and overcome a lot of obstacles when I got into the league. That work ethic stayed with me from then until today. Work ethic can take a person a long way. It also helps you keep your body in shape and have longevity. During that time my teachers didn’t care that I played football. I was a student first and then an athlete. They made sure that I got my education first. That type of foundation helped me a lot.

DITR: While in college what other defensive backs did you look up to?
T. Poole: When I was in school one thing I use to do was tape the Atlanta Falcons games and study Dieon Sanders & Tim McIntyre. I liked Dieon because he was physical and I liked Tim’s mental approach to the game.

DITR: Do you think there is a problem with HBCU prospects now coming out today in there preparation for the NFL?

Read the rest of the interview in the DITR magazine.