Mike Peterson Interview
Mike McCollom |Apr 11,2008
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 Mike Peterson Interview Mike Peterson hasn't taken the normal route that most draft prospects take on their way to the NFL. But the tight end from Northwest Missouri State never gave up on his dream and talks about his many experiences with Mike McCollom
First off Mike, thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us at Football.com.
It's great to be here, thank you.
To get us started here let's start off at the beginning of your career for the people that might not be that familiar with you. You attended high school in Iowa?
Yep, I went to Atlantic high School.
Now you were All-State in football, baseball and track. Being an All-State performer in so many different sports, was it difficult for you to decide if you wanted to pursue football or baseball going into college?
It wasn't so much the All-State side of it, but it was the fact that in high school football I was a tailback. I just knew that it would probably be hard for me to play tailback in college. I had more of the taller build. I was probably 6' 2" and 200 pounds my senior year, which is a good size for a tailback, but I think they look for more of the shorter and stockier guys for running backs in college. I had a real good senior year of baseball. A junior college coach kept talking to me and wanted me to come play for him, so I went ahead and pursued that after high school.
We're going to touch up on that here. You're going to end up having a lot longer route to the NFL Draft then most guys do. Originally you decided to play baseball out of high school at Des Moines Area Community College?
Correct, DMAC. That is located in Boone, Iowa.
How did your year of baseball go?
It went real good. I ended up actually starting for the team. I started at 1st base and hit 7 homeruns.
What made you decide to move on from baseball?
Basically after that year I just kind of questioned if this is what I wanted to do. At that time I was kind of confused on what I wanted to do with my life. I kind of definitely got burnt out on baseball. It's just so many games. I knew in my head that my favorite sport was football. So I went ahead and said I'm going to get out into the real world and see what it's like to make a little bit of money. So after that year of baseball, I moved back to Atlantic, IA and worked at a lumber yard fulltime. I did that for a whole year straight just dealing with lumber, making deliveries, unloading trucks with the fork lifts, that kind of stuff you would do in a lumber yard.
I think that was a good experience for me, and at the same time I was still taking night classes at a branch of Iowa Western Community College. Then the fall of the next year I moved to Council Bluffs and went to the Iowa Western branch there and I worked part time at another lumber yard. I was there for one semester and after working for a year and half I was still working out on my own here and there and I just kind of told myself I was really missing football. I didn't want it to be over and have me say I regret not ever trying to play football again.
So I was thinking Division III wouldn't be as fun to walk on to and Division I being out of high school for 2 years almost, would probably be pretty tough to walk on to. I know I probably would have made it, but I just wanted to go somewhere that had a good program. I decided on Division II NW Missouri State which is an hour and a half straight south of Atlantic, IA. They have had a good program for Division II. They won the National Championship in 98' and 99'. So I went ahead and called coach up late fall of 03' and we planned a day for me to walk on. I went and tested for him, he liked my numbers and the next day he called me up saying he wanted me in for spring ball. He asked me what position I was thinking and I said TE because I have an offensive mindset. I was thinking either that or something on defense like LB, but he seen me as a TE also.
What was your size when you started there at NW Missouri State?
I'd say when I walked on I was 6' 2" and about 230 pounds at that time. The last 4 years I've put on about 20 pounds and have been able to get a little faster.
But everything worked out. I made an impact for the team. I ended up starting that next year the 3rd game on. I ended up being an All-American the next year and just kept getting better. I got a chance to play in 3 National Championship games. We didn't win one of them, but it was a good experience to go there and play in a National Championship game.
When it comes down to it you will be one of the older prospects being looked at in the draft. Do you think most teams will look at this as a disadvantage to you, like they might look for someone else younger? Or do you think more teams will look at that like you are more mature and that you have obviously showed a passion for the game to get to this point? How do you think teams will look at that?
Well I am going to 25 in the beginning part of the season. I'll turn 26 towards the end of the season in November. I know that is a little older then a lot of the guys coming in that are around 23, but I just want to get the word out that I want to play. I want to make an impact next year. I don't want to be a guy that plays just 2 or 3 years. If I don't start a lot of TE, they can get me in on special teams. I'm a hard nosed guy, I put my heart in the game, and I do everything I can do to play. But like I said, I want to be a guy that makes an impact. I don't want to be a guy that makes it to the NFL and is just satisfied with being there. I want to be a guy who comes up and do whatever I got to do the be in the league for the next 10 years, that's my goal.
But you know, some times might not like the fact that I'm a little older, but then some might say I'm more mature and ready to play mentally then a lot of guys which I know I am. I'm ready to hit face masks with the best of them. I just want everyone to know I'm ready. This is a dream for me and I have never been so focused. The last 4 years of my life, day in and day out I have been on a mission, and it's just so close now. I'm trying to be patient now, but it's just so close.
You obviously have what most people I would guess classify as a blue collar work ethic. How do you think that helps you as far as your football game is concerned?
I'd say always wanting to get better. I mean, I think there are a lot of guys out there that are just satisfied and things are given to them. I just think that no matter what, you can always get better. You should never be satisfied even if you are at the top of your position. Either in college or the NFL there is always something you can get better at.
Going on to your college career, what have been some of your most memorable moments at NW Missouri?
I think my 1st year I played, they put me on kickoff team for a few games. Being able to bust the wedge, I remember I had a game at Central Missouri where I was a wedge buster. I remember the adrenaline I had during that game was unbelievable. It was just a huge memory running down, running the guy over, hitting the wedge, and making the tackle.
Other then that, the first National Championship game where I had 9 catches for 150 yards and a TD. Like I said earlier we ended up losing that game and the next two years as well, but it was an awesome experience all three years getting to the national Championship game.
Getting to play in Arrowhead Stadium. That was a good experience getting to play in an NFL Stadium. You are always going to have more adrenaline playing in those kinds of games.
Moving on now more specifically to the draft, you recently worked out at the NW Missouri State Pro Day. Can run down how you did at the workout?
Yeah, I was 6'2" and 251 pounds. I repped out 225 pounds 27 times, ran a 4.59 40, a 33 1/2 inch vertical, 9'10" broad jump, 4.24 short shuttle, 7.15 three cone, and my long shuttle was 11.88. So across there my numbers are real good for my position. The pro day went good. Then me and Martin Rucker from Missouri had about 45 minutes of time where the scouts had everyone leave and had me and Rucker work out for them by ourselves. We did a lot of different blocking drills, ran a lot of routes, caught a lot of balls, so hopefully I opened a lot of eyes, I though I did really well.
You have versatility to your game where you can really play more of a traditional TE or FB role or can play more of the H-Back position as well. My first question is, is there any of those positions that you feel more comfortable playing then the other?
Well I know for my height I am a little undersized as a TE. To me I think I could get a little better in my blocking. I have always had that hard nosed, try to finish and put guys on their back mentality when I block. TE is what I played all 4 years. I went in motion quite a bit, so I did split out in the slot. So H-Back or TE, but then again FB I would love that to. So I guess TE or H-Back is what I would be more comfortable with.
So far from you can gather from the teams you have been talking to, do you think most teams are leaning towards that direction or more towards fullback.
Well, it just depends. Like the Colts, I went on a visit last week to Indianapolis for my physical and interview. They don't really run like a strict fullback position. They have Dallas Clark like an H-Back position. They don't tend to get real big TE because they can just turn them into tackles. They want guys that can catch the ball and do something with it after the catch, and they saw me fitting their program.
Then you got the Jets that see me as more of a fullback. So you know, it just depends. Teams are going to look at me different, but those are a couple different teams that look at me either as a TE/H-back or as a fullback. I guess the Chiefs said they see me more as a fullback. Excluding the top tier TE’s that will go in the first day area, compared to the later round guys you seem to be a lot more versatile like we talked about and have also a little more athletic ability. Is that athletic ability the main thing that sets you apart from them? I think it is. I think it’s going to open some guy’s eyes. Like I said, any way I can fit in is the most important part. But being versatile and a little more athletic will definitely help. You played in the Texas VS. The Nation All-Star game and had 1 reception for 22 yards. Talk about your experience during that week, being around a higher level of competition, along with quite a few scouts as well. That week was one of the most fun times I have ever had with football. I don’t know what it was. Maybe it was knowing scouts where around or I was getting to play with a bunch of D-I guys, but I had a lot of fun that week. In practice, my energy level was really high. I think it was big for me. I think if the scouts could see my energy they could tell my love for football. I think it definitely helps out and gets us more exposure. It’s definitely a plus. To kind of finish us off here, from what you have been hearing from scouts or teams you’ve talked with, where do you see yourself? Do you see yourself being drafted or maybe more likely an undrafted free agent? Honestly I have no idea. If I had to guess, hopefully I would say a later round guy. But there is a chance at free agency too. If I do go free agent, just sit down with my agent and figure out what team and system I would fit into the best. But it would definitely be awesome just to be drafted. I think I definitely have a good shot. Whether it’s the 5th, 6th, or 7th, hopefully in there somewhere. A lot of guys have different opinions on let’s say being drafted in the 7th round or being a UDFA. Some guys would prefer to be a UDFA that way they can sort of pick and choice what might be the best fit for them. If it came down to that, getting to pick your best fit or being drafted by any team in the 7th which would you prefer? I would honestly prefer to get drafted because if that team is going to draft you, they definitely have confidence in you that you somewhat at least fit their program. Now if I was the last pick I might want to be a UDFA instead. What team do you feel have been showing the most interest in you? Well let’s see, the Texas VS The Nation Game week I got interviewed by the Vikings, 49ers, Bears, Eagles, and the Jets. At my pro day I got interviewed by the Steelers, and the Chiefs talked to me. Visits so far I have had the Indianapolis Colts and have one scheduled for tomorrow at Green Bay. The Patriots have been calling in to North West training tasking about how I am as a person and any past injuries. I think that will about do it Mike, any last words you want to finish off with? Just have confidence in me, because whoever I will go to I will make them proud. I definitely know I will for a fact.
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