Meet Darin Drakeford
This is part of a series of 2009 Maryland football commitment Q&As leading up to Signing Day on Feb. 4. All answers are provided by the featured player. Click here for previous entries in the series.
Name: Darin Drakeford
Birthdate: July 5, 1991
Birthplace: Washington DC
Hometown: Washington DC
Nicknames: Drake
Height: 6’1
Weight: 215
Position: Outside linebacker
High School: Theodore Roosevelt (D.C.) High School
Senior statistics: 91 solo tackles, 33 assists and 14 sacks. 768 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on 37 carries. 22 receptions for 422 yards and four touchdowns
Rankings: Rivals.com -- Three stars, No. 77 outside linebacker, No. 3 player in DC. Scout.com -- Three stars, No. 41 weakside linebacker.
Bench max: 265
40-yard dash: 4.57
Runner-up: Duke
Other schools considered: Pittsburgh, Illinois, Boston College
Favorite NFL player: Marion Barber
Favorite NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
Favorite all-time Terp: Shawne Merriman or Vernon Davis
Favorite music: 2Pac, Biggie, Lil Wayne
Favorite book: The Malcolm X Autobiography
Favorite TV show: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Favorite food: Chicken
Favorite high school class: English
Favorite thing about College Park: “The location.”
Other high school sports: Basketball, track
Hobbies: “Listening to music.”
Intended major: Undecided
Something that not many people know about you: “Growing up I played the trumpet. Another thing is until my junior year of high school, I always thought I’d be in college playing basketball.”
Best football moment: "I’d have to say there’s two. My first hit, I made the running back fumble, and my last hit, when I sacked the quarterback on Homecoming my senior year. It was like a really big hit and the quarterback, at the last minute, saw me coming. And he started going down [before I could hit him full on]. My first hit was one of the best hits of my career.”
Role model: “I would say my coach [Daryl Tilghman]. He always told me to never be scared to ask people things. He said the worst thing people could say was 'no.' He never bites his tongue or is afraid to ask something. I admire him for that.”
Why Maryland? “I thought about things outside of football. That’s what ultimately made me decide on Maryland. The location and the graduation rates [were important factors]. After you graduate, you can come right back to Washington DC and get a high-paying job right out of college.”
