 Antoine Cason Combine Interview Antoine Cason of Arizona is one of the top rated cornerbacks on every draft board and considered a first round pick by most experts. Cason addressed the media at the recent NFL Combine. Do the questions about your speed bother you? “No, it doesn’t bother me at all. I’m a competitor. I’m ready to prove myself every time I step out on a national platform or just playing anything. I’m ready to prove myself again.” Related to Aveion Cason? “That’s my cousin.” Your father, Wendell, played in the NFL. How much did that benefit you? “That’s benefited me greatly. That’s a thing a lot of people don’t realize, that I’ve had coaching since high school from someone who’s played at the highest level of football. He taught me a lot of things from high school to college to now. It’s been a blessing for me to have him.” And you are related to Ken-Yon Rambo? “That’s my cousin, as well. Sometimes when I went home, I would go home and practice against him, and he’s played in the NFL as well. I feel like it’s been good preparation for this.” Why did you stay at Arizona your senior year? There were just some things I wanted to accomplish in college. I wanted to win the Jim Thorpe award, which I did this year; be a consensus All-American, I achieved that; and I wanted to be the best cornerback in college football. I wasn’t content coming out as a junior and not be the best. I’ve always wanted to be the best and worked to be the best.” Do you think it ridiculous that the 40-yard dash will determine how much money you will make, where you will go, etc.? “It’s all part of the process and I’m here to be part of it. I’m excited to be here. This is one of the stepping stones to get to the National Football League and I’m ready for it.” Met Chuck Cecil yet? (former Arizona safety, now secondary coach with the Titans) “No, I haven’t met him yet. I know exactly who Chuck Cecil is and I’m very aware he’s the defensive back coach for Tennessee, so it would be a pleasure to meet him.” How much pride do you take in that you started every college game? “I take a lot of pride in that. I feel very confident in myself in making plays consistently for four years. My other corner, Wilrey Fontenot, did the same. We’ve learned from each other through these four years and it’s been a great experience.” Is there an NFL corner you model your game after? “Oh, definitely, thee are many NFL corners that I like and watch. I think I have my own style. Those guys have been there and they’ve been successful and that’s where I am trying to be. I want to be amongst those names and mentioned in the same breath as those guys. That’s my ultimate goal.” Are teams looking at you as a returner, too? “That will be nice, but I feel I returned the ball well in college. I haven’t heard anything about it. My first meetings start today so I will see what that’s about.” What do you think you have to prove here? “Just that I’m here to compete. I can do all these drills and be one of the best at them, and that’s my goal.” Talk about the foundation you started? “Me and my friend, Mathew Brooks (not sure of spelling), back at Arizona started a foundation called Cason Cares. My grandfather (Royce Rambo) died of leukemia, MDS, in February of ’07. (MDS is myelodsplastic syndrome). And he was a role model to me. He’s done everything for the family. My senior year I wanted to do something to honor him for what he’s done for me and my family. And I sold the bracelets, $3 apiece at Arizona, and all the money went to the American Cancer Society. Mathew and I raised about $7,000 in two months just between the two of us. It was a great experience for me to see the foundation side, the business side works, in college, being a young man growing up trying to do some things that don’t benefit me. "Everything is now about me. Me, me, all the time. I wanted to give back
and do something positive, and pretty much everyone can relate to.” Something you’ll continue in the NFL? “Oh, definitely. I think so.” Of all the moments you experienced doing that, anything stand out? “Just the whole process of it was real tough. People thought we weren’t serious about it, he and I. That’s what sticks out to me, that we had the stick-to-it iveness to keep going and stay on the compliance guy, the athletic director and everyone involved to keep moving forward.” How long did it take you to get approval? “The idea came about in June, and we didn’t get it going until September. The NCAA and the Pac-10 kind of turned it down because my name was on it. I guess they thought it was personal gain, I’m not sure. But there was no personal gain involved. We had to write letters to the NCAA and the Pac-10, that this was nothing (about) me, this was something I wanted to do to give back. It was a long, long process. "It was a lot of hours. I had to wake up, weights at 8, school all day, practice and then I would from that and we would go over things and I wouldn’t get home until 9:30. It was a long process, and I had to stay focused on what I was trying to accomplish in football, as well as school. And then get that done.” What did you do to get ready for this event? “I prepared at perfect competition in Davie, Fla.” Definition of a shut down corner? “A good cover guy, who can play man, zone. Good tackler, good awareness on the field and knows what’s going on in the backfield, knows where his help is on the field. And just pretty much knows overall defensively and makes plays.” Is that a description of you? “Definitely.”
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