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Get to know more about defensive tackle Joe Cohen, one of the 49ers fourth-round draft picks in this Q&A!
Q: What was Saturday night like for you before being drafted?
A: I was stressed out. I was kind of going crazy which I shouldn’t have been. Atlanta had called and told me to be patient and just sit in there. I was trying to be patient but it’s kind of hard, all of those names going by, but at least I thought I’d end up being drafted by them but the picks kept on going and my name still wasn’t called. It was crazy to see 408 on my phone and see San Fran on the TV. It made my heart drop really. To hear my name finally called was just a blessing. That just relieved so much stress, and it almost brought me to tears. It’s just a blessing to be picked up, and to be on this side of America. California is a place people dream about.
Q: Had you been out here much before coming for mini camp?
A: Never. My sister lives in San Diego, but I never actually came to visit her. So, it’s just different over here. This is all new to me. The landscape is different, the weather and the fact that I’m playing for the 49ers makes it that much better.
Q: When did you start playing football, and how long has this dream been in the making?
A: Since I was about 11, and I’ve been playing ever since. I played fullback, tailback, tight end, defensive end, defensive tackle, and linebacker. I even played corner for a day.
Q: For a day?
A: Yeah, my freshman year of high school.. They wanted to try me out at corner and they found out I was too big. I had pretty good speed so they just tried it, but it didn’t work out too well.
Q: What made you opt to play at Florida?
A: It felt like being at home. It wasn’t a big city that was too fast for me, but it wasn’t dead. I felt real comfortable with the coaching staff and the people who I met when I made my visit.
Q: Weren’t you recruited originally to play fullback?
A Yeah, I was recruited to play tailback/fullback at Florida but I got there a little out of shape and overweight so I was playing catch up the whole season, and I mainly ended up playing fullback. I wasn’t doing too good with the diet back then.
Q: Once you converted to the defensive line, how much weight did you have to put on?
A: Since college, I probably gained about 70 pounds. That’s a lot of weight huh? But at least on defense, you can eat what you want, when you want for the most part. You don’t want to get too fat though.
Q: How important do you think it will be for you to participate in the off-season program with the 49ers?
A: Very! I need someone to stay on me! I really am looking forward to training and getting ready for this rookie year. I think it’s going to be very important for me. I think my conditioning and training is what will help me stand out and make an impact.
Q: So when I tell you that the defensive line works out at 6AM, how do you feel about that?
A: That doesn’t bother me. I’ve been doing that for four years. I’ll be up and ready to go, trust me.
Q: What was it like to win a National Championship?
A: It was a great feeling. After all of the ups and downs we went through as a team, the loss of our coaches, the loss of teammates, we overcame everything and stuck together and that was very special.
Q: What was better – winning the National Championship or getting drafted?
A: You can’t ask that. They both have their own special meaning. This is another step in life. It’s a great feeling. Winning the National Championship, that’s obviously a great feeling too because that was with teammates who I think of as brothers.
Q: What’s it like to be out here with one of your best friends from college in Ray McDonald?
A: It’s a blessing. When I first moved to defense, he was one of the players who took me under his wing. He taught me pretty much everything I know. I know he’ll keep working on me. He’s a great defensive player. He’s got great technique and he’s helped to instill that in me and it’s a blessing we got picked up on the same team.
Q: Ray has his ring on, where is yours?
A: I don’t wear it. My mama has it. Ray wears his because he’s lame.
Q: Were you guys able to fly out together for mini camp and did that help alleviate any nerves you might have had?
A: Nah, I can’t fly out here with that loser. Just messing! He flew out of his home city and I flew out of Orlando. If you are around us for any length of time, you will see that we are constantly on each other and that’s what I needed. Being this far away from home you need a friend you can lean on.
Q: Ray has talked about his father’s influence upon him. Did his dad give you a lot of tips too before or after games?
A: Yeah, his dad will say a couple of things to me, not as much as he does Ray though. But his whole family is just wonderful, from his mom, to his sister, to his dad. I’m close to all of them and they are just wonderful people.
Q: On draft day, you pretty much have to live with that cell phone close by in case a team calls, but I read that you got rid of yours quickly afterwards?
A: Yeah, I wanted to make a few phone calls and that was it. The real important people were around me. So, I called a few people and then threw it into the truck. I wanted to share that moment with my family so I just put the phone to the side and tried to call people back later. I ended up having to return over 80 something text messages. I had forgotten I had that many friends.
Q: Besides football, how do you spend your time?
A: Hanging out, sitting around the house. I don’t do much. I barbeque and that’s about it. I’m kind of a house body. I’m very skilled on the grill. I can cook anything, but my favorite is probably pork loin.
Q: Have you figured out how expensive it is to live in the Bay Area yet?
A: Yeah, and that’s why I’m planning to live with Ray. He already said I could, and that he’d pay rent. I just have to cook.
Q: What’s been the toughest thing for you to overcome in life?
A: Just being a young father, having to leave my daughter back home when I went off to college. That was pretty tough, wanting to be there all of the time with her and I couldn’t. That is probably about the toughest thing I’ve ever had to go through.
Q: How old is she?
A: She’ll be four this summer. She’s still stuck on the Gators right now. I taught her all of the Gators cheers and all of that stuff so now I have to get her into the 49ers.
Q: What are you most looking forward to now that you are in the NFL?
It’s just like college, running out in the swamp was my first big thing I was looking forward to and then I started working on real goals like making big time plays, so first thing is the little step which is running out on that field and then it’s getting PT, and after that, getting better and better and making great plays and getting my name out there and letting people know that I can play at the next level.
Q: What’s your best asset as a player?
A: I’ve got a good combination of speed, size and power and I’m still learning. I feel like I’ve got a lot of growing to do still, and I’m looking forward to what I can learn from this coaching staff here.
(source: 49ers.com) |
