Name: Derek Slywka
School: Ithaca College 
Position: FS 
Height: 6-3
Weight: 215

Q: What goals did you set and/or accomplish in your final collegiate season?

Going into my final season of college football my first goal was for my team and I to go win our Liberty League Championship, which we did. As an individual my goal was to be a leader of the defense and become a safety that teams had to be cautious of and game-plan against . My last goal was to become an All-American which was just completed being named to the AFCA All-American Team.

Q: What would your coaches and teammates say about the type of player you are?

I think my coaches and teammates would first say that I’m a very competitive person and I would bring that with me to practice every day. Secondly, they would probably say that I’m the kind of person that leads more by example with my work ethic but very much enjoys having success and celebrating with teammates.

Q: When you are studying film, what are the things you focus on to improve your game?

A big part of my position at Ithaca was being responsible for all formation/motion adjustments by an offense and communicating the new call with the defense. As a result I watched a lot of film to understand what formational tendencies each team had. From a personal standpoint when watching film I focus a lot on the timing of my breaks and speed of my pedal in correlation to the Wide Receiver. I also like to study the timing of the Quarterback and what his eyes and drop back will tell me about what he’s trying to do with the ball.

Q: What separates you from the other pro prospects at your position?

I believe that my Size and Length as an athlete is unique. Having a college basketball background I believe to be an advantage when it comes to coverage down the field and my ability to high point football’s. As a single high safety I also have the range to cover sideline to sideline.

Q: What is your offseason plan to train and prepare for professional opportunities?

I plan on working out with a combine training program to help prepare myself for a pro-day.

Q: What kind of strengths and abilities will you bring to a team that will stand out both on and off the field?

I will go back to what I mentioned earlier which is my competitiveness and desire to win together. I believe the culture that existed in our DB room this last season reflected that day in and day out. As a group we pushed each other everyday and everyone had celebrations with each other, which made having success fun. I believe that is something I will always bring to a team that I am a part of.

Q: What is your final pitch to the NFL and any other pro leagues?

I believe that my unique size, being 6’3” and 215lbs paired with having a deep understanding of Football schematically makes me somebody that will help a defense become more versatile.