Packers 2017 Draft: Interview with Azusa-Pacific CB/S C.J. Broussard

Q: How did playing two positions on offense help you become a better overall defender when you transitioned to cornerback in high school and into your college years at Azusa Pacific?

A: My experience on offense helped me tremendously. Playing quarterback for so long helped me with formation recognition, which is a big part of my game. It also helped me in being able to understand why the receiver is shortening his split or why he’s making his split go outside the numbers. I’m able to be on defense and turn that around in my brain and think like an offensive player and in high school, I was definitely able to get into a quarterback’s mind and in that fashion, you could kind of see what their thought process was. Then transitioning to the collegiate level, it just me that much further ahead of the game for sure.

Q: You received several awards as a high-school athlete. How heavily recruited were you coming out of Clovis?

A: I received some recognition late in the game. I think as a quarterback, I wasn’t highly recruited, but when I started playing corner, I began going to the camps…the NFCC camps and things like that. The recruiting trail really picked up for me.

But when it came down to signing day, honestly, I just had a couple of solid scholarship offers besides Azusa Pacific…Sac (Sacramento) State was one. I had walk-on offers from Cal-Berkley, Cincinnati, Oregon State and UNLV, but those never turned into scholarship offers; they were preferred walk-on [offers] with an opportunity for more when I got there.

Q: I’ve seen you play corner and safety; which do you prefer?

A: I consider myself kind of like a Swiss Army knife in the defensive backfield. I mean, I think I can play basically any position back there, so I really don’t have a preference. My primary position was at corner, but I’ve also been at safety, played nickel, lined up at the strong safety position and as an outside linebacker hybrid and, honestly, moving anywhere I could to get myself on the field.

Q: So, you wouldn’t have reservations about moving inside as a nickel linebacker if that’s the case, correct?

A: Yes sir, it was actually as a freshman that I started playing the nickel back position, so I got to bang heads with the tight ends and kind of developed a different kind of toughness than you would assume a former quarterback would have. I liked sticking my nose in there and tried to separate the ball from people.

Q: In addition to being very physical, you consistently seem to be at the right spot to make plays? What do you attribute your field awareness to?

A: I attribute that to being a student of the game. I think watching film and just being a film junkie is a huge part of my success and it’s kind of like going into a test. You study for weeks before taking it and then on test day, hopefully your study guides and everything that you put your time into makes things work out for you.

So, I definitely attribute my watching film to being in the right spot at the right time and being able to anticipate where a receiver is going to break because I know his tendencies. I’m going to be able to anticipate where the ball is going to be because I’ve seen the play so many times throughout the week leading up to the game.

Q: When I observed you in man coverage, I noticed that instinct in you to be able to get your head around in a timely manner with your back to the ball. That’s something that cornerbacks at every level struggle with. How does one practice to improve in that one area if that’s even possible?

A: We actually had a corner drill for that over at Azusa Pacific. We take finishing plays very seriously along with finishing routes. It’s also the fact that I played quarterback and receiver in my career, so I just have a feel for the game in that sense. I understand that if a receiver hasn’t broken at 16 yards, we’re probably going to keep on running for a while and I understand that the quarterback only has so much time. So, it’s just being able to trust that everyone on the field is doing their job and then just realizing that the clock is ticking and it’s going to be time for me to do my job eventually. It’s just having that feel and trusting everyone else around you.

Q: Overall, how do you think you stack up against a lot of draft-eligible defensive backs in this year’s class, which happens to be a particularly strong one? What makes C.J. Broussard someone a pro team should invest in?

A: I think coming out of a Division II school, I definitely have a chip on my shoulder. I know my home is not going to be mentioned with LSU, Alabama or USC. But I think something that I bring to the table is my willingness to be on a team and fulfill whatever role they ask of me. You know, playing at AP, I was a four-year starter and it’s not a lot times that you see a guy start on defense for four years and play special teams.

So, that’s a big thing I bring to my game is my willingness to play special teams. The last four years here, I started on at least three or four special teams’ units. I think it’s just my willingness to do the dirty work. I think I bring that to the table. And that just shows my leadership and my ability to be a versatile player.

Q: I’m glad you brought special teams because you seem to excel in getting off blocks when you’re covering kicks and on defense. Can you elaborate on your love of special teams?

A: Special teams is definitely one of my favorite parts of my game. It gives you an opportunity to take over a game. If you win the special teams battle, you’re going to come out on top at the end of the day and, as you know, playing corner in today’s game is getting more and more difficult because you’re not allowed to be as physical and I have a crazy physicality about me.

Special teams allow me to unleash that whenever I get the chance and so, whether it’s getting off a block or throwing a block for my returns…I loved taking that opportunity. I’m a physical guy and I just enjoy that part of the game.

Q: How would you assess your pro day overall?

A: I think there’s definitely room for improvement. There’s things out of pro day that I feel I did well. There are other things that I could have done better where I wish I had them back. I did 18 reps in the bench press and that put me near the top among defensive backs, so I was pretty pumped about that.

I definitely would have liked to have run a faster 40 (4.56). I feel like I have a faster one in me. I’ve been clocked unofficially at a 4.46. But whether it was a mediocre day or a great day, I’m never going to be satisfied. There’s always room for improvement in anything you do in any phase of life, so I’m just going to keep on improving daily on any part of that.

Q: There were over 20 scouts on hand at the pro day. What was the one question or concern you had to address in your conversations with them?

A: I think as a player, my tape says a lot about my playmaking ability. You see on film that I’m at the right spot at the right time. I create a lot of turnovers, so I think what scouts wanted to see is if that tape matched up with what they saw on the field in front of their eyes. I think they wanted to see how I moved in all the drills they were putting us through. Were my hips loose enough? Were my feet quick enough out of my break? Just really an intricate technical part of the game that doesn’t always necessarily always show itself on film with all the highlights and the music.

And as a person, I think they wanted to get to know me…and this was another great opportunity…an interview like this to talk to you to tell you a little about my story and who I am a person. I think I came out of pro day with an understanding that they can see my leadership through the way I led off every drill that we participated in. I was always the first one to go, so I think that really proved and showed to them the kind of person I am and the kind of leader I can be.

Q: Speaking of your leadership skills, can you share what type of teammate you were at AP?

A: I think that if you came into contact with anyone that I played football with here, they would say that being a great teammate is something I’m very big on. We have kind of a slogan here: Building Champions While Pursuing Championships. What that means is while we’re here on the field, we are going to do our best to win games that ultimately win championships. But, at the same time, we’re also going to build each other up as men and as champions in life.

Coach Santa Cruz always said that after a great season, people would ask him, “Is this the best group of guys you ever coached?” or “Is it the most athletic team you ever coached?” His response to them was, “Don’t ask me that now. Ask me that 10 years from now when these guys get to go out into the world and be difference makers making their own businesses and raising families of their own. That’s when I’ll be able to look back and say whether or not this was the best group I ever coached.”

And so, coming in as a freshman, I took that to heart and I felt that I wanted to leave a legacy at this school. Everywhere that I go, I work hard and treat people right, and so, I think I’ve done well with that.

Q: When we talked about your pro day before, you did mention there were things you wanted to improve upon. Talk about that time you’ve put since the start of the offseason with all that training. How have you improved over the past few months?

A: Right after the season ended, I jumped on the training very quickly and I got with my strength and conditioning coach. He put together 10 weeks of just rigorous training in getting ready for the pro day specifically and I really went through a slight transformation of my body to be honest. I gained 12 pounds from the end of the season to the pro day and lost about 4-percent body fat. I was able to move better than I ever have.

I feel better just in general with my general health. After pro day, I’m kind of transitioning to retain this and how to develop my football skills because getting ready for pro day, you want to be able to run fast in a straight line. You want to be able to run the “L” drill and the shuttle drill. But now it comes down to: “Can I be a great football player?” It’s just about trying to make that transition and develop my skills in coverage and my football awareness and my IQ…and so, I think we’re doing a great job so far. I’m getting excited about putting the product on the field.

Q: So, what’s your current weight?

A: Right now, I weigh in at 198 pounds.

Q: Talk a bit about your love of the NFL growing up. What team did you grow up a fan of and were there any players you admired in your formative years?

A: I grew up an Oakland Raiders fan. That’s been the tradition in my family forever as far as I’m concerned. Trent Dilfer, he’s a great friend of ours. So, any team he was playing for, I followed them as well. And also, this man was before my time, but Bo Jackson was someone I looked up to. Just the level of dominance he played with in any sport that he played was something I really looked up to.

When you’re trying to find those role models, you are looking for great players on the field and great people off the field. Michael Vick was a guy I really looked up to when I was a quarterback because I kind of tried to model my game after him. I was more of an athletic, running quarterback. It [caused] a shock to my heart when the whole dog-fighting thing came out. I still have love for him as a player, but you try to concern yourself with other guys that are showing better character than him per se.

Q: What are your feelings on the Raiders relocating to Las Vegas?

A: I’m sure there were a lot of business talks behind it, but regardless the Raiders’ organization will always have a special place in my heart just because I grew up with the Silver and Black. But moving on to this next chapter of my life, I don’t know where I could end up. I could end up playing against the Raiders one day, and so, I kind of have to flip that switch in my head and understand just like they’re moving to a new chapter in the history of their organization, I’m moving to a new chapter in my life. So, I totally understand. I don’t have any hard feelings about it.

Q: What teams are showing the most interest?

A: So far, after pro day, I realized that the Giants showed a lot of interest and then I spoke a little with the Jets. It seemed like these two teams were the most engaged in the conversation and they expressed that they were impressed with the numbers I put up and the film that they looked at. The Giants were around for a lot of my senior season…coming out to practice and checking us out to see how we would move around.

Q: You missed some games as a junior. There’s no reason to be worried about anything health-wise, correct?

A: I missed a few games of my junior season and that was due to an ankle injury, but now it’s completely 100 percent. It was a bruised bone on the upper side of my tibia. So, we had a guy in Tyree Davis…he was just a baller. When he got his shot, he performed well and I was his biggest fan. I definitely wish I could have been on the field a lot more that season, but I’m definitely 100-percent healthy now and ready to go.

Q: You’ve had a number of ex-teammates in the NFL. Many were undrafted free agents. One of them is Terrell Watson, a running back that saw some action with the Eagles last season and scored a touchdown versus the Cowboys in Week 17. Have you been in touch with any of those former teammates?

A: Terrell Watson? I’ve gotten a chance to talk to him a lot. I played with him for two years, so we developed a good relationship on and off the field. I’ve been in contact with him throughout this process. He’s just kind of been like a mentor to me in helping me understand what the next few steps will look like. Then there’s Tyler Thornton, he’s another guy; he’s playing up in Canada right now. He’s a free safety that played with me for two years and he’s another guy I can look up to. Both of them are kind of like blueprint for the process I’m going through. I can understand what are the things I’m doing and what are the things that I can learn from. I’m just kind of using them as a resource in anything I do. It’s been very helpful.

Q: Ok C.J., here are some non-football questions. First up, what is your favorite meal?

A: Sushi…all-you-can-eat sushi.

Q: Do you have any favorite hobbies. Your bio mentions cliff jumping. Was that a misprint?

A: Yes, that’s correct. I went through a phase in high school where I did a lot of free running just doing off random buildings, running through the street and doing flips. Through that, I developed an interest in cliff jumping. Whenever I’m near a body of water, I’m always looking for a rock to jump off or a big cliff with a ledge that I can go have fun with.

Q: Wild stuff. Who is your favorite non-football athlete?

A: The first person that comes to mind is Allen Iverson, but I would also like to throw in Bo Jackson because he didn’t only play football.

Q: Before a ball game, do you have any inspirational tunes you typically listen to?

A: I think I’m a rare breed. I don’t like to listen to the big, heavy-tempo stuff. I’m more of a gospel music guy. So, Kirk Franklin, I have a playlist of his that gets my heart rate down and allows me to focus and get ready for what we’re about to do.

Q: That’s smart in how you end up saving all your energy for the football field. For the last question, C.J., can you give me three or four words that describe you as an individual, a player and a teammate?

A: Can I give you five? Faith, family, friends, finding knowledge and football.

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