Defensive tackle Angelo Blackson will walk across the stage to graduate with his peers Dec. 13. "The Plainsman's" Derek Thompson sat down with Blackson to talk about Auburn, football and his plans for the future.
Q: What are your plans after you graduate in December?
A: Like every football player, hopefully have a shot at the NFL, go train for the combine and wherever it takes me.
Q: What team would you want to play for in the NFL?
A: Definitely, that would be the Baltimore Ravens. That's my team.
Q: Is there anything else you would want to do besides play professional football?
A: If football doesn't work, then, obviously, you got to have a backup plan. Simply intern. Find a place where they will let me intern for a bit, or however long it takes. Work on my career. I want to be anything close to helping. I want to be a leader in my community.
Q: What was your first eye-opening experience at Auburn?
A: It was in July of 2011. My first workout was the first memory I have because it was the hardest workout I ever did in my life. I honestly don't think I got through it.
Q: What is the one Auburn football moment you will never forget?
A: Freshman year 2011 when we played in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. I blocked that punt. It was backed up. I've had a lot of great moments here, but that is the one that is always going to stand out.
Q: What are you going to miss most about Auburn football?
A: Just the team. I have been a part of four of them. I'm going to miss all those guys. Just playing together, having that brotherhood. Coach always tells us it's not like that after this. You get in the locker room with NFL guys, and everybody goes home to their family after. I'm just going to miss the team, the cameraderie.
Q: What will you miss most about Auburn after you graduate?
A: Honestly, what I think I will miss is the individuality. Being on campus by yourself. You don't have your parents there. You don't really have those higher powers in your life all the time, except for in practice or whatever. I think that is just the biggest thing.
Q: What is graduation day going to be like?
A: It's going to be mixed emotions. It's going to be happy; it's going to be sad. It's going to be more excitement too. My sister will probably be up there in tears, so I'll probably feel a little bit of that. I probably won't cry.
I'll be the first to graduate in my family, so that's one of the biggest things that I'm really looking forward to. I'm doing it for myself, but being the first out of a generation to graduate college, it's a big deal.
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