Oxford or the NFL?

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Given the demands of major-conference college football, have you ever experienced any pushback from either your teammates or coaches when you chose to prioritize academics?

My coaches were behind me the whole time. Coach Bobby Bowden and Coach Mickey Andrews, in particular, have worked with me from Day 1 to allow me to be the best I can. When I came for my recruiting visit [as the #1 ranked high-school prospect in the country] they looked me and my family in the eye and said, "We're going to help you be the best you can be—as a football player, but also as a scholar. We want you to do the best you can in the classroom as well." They've allowed me to miss practices for labs, allowed me to miss meetings for pre-med classes. I know when I won, they were elated. My teammates have understood the whole way that I'm a student too. These are the guys you sweat with day in and day out. They understand how hard I work in both areas.

You mentioned your parents' emphasis on academics. Who else has been an inspiration for you?

Garrett Johnson, who won the Rhodes Scholarship in 2006 at Florida State, is another. He and I have grown very close. He helped me through the Rhodes application process — he would send me text messages every day with interview prep questions — and has mentored me with how to deal with the media. If I have a question about females, he'll give me advice. He's somebody who I trust, respect, admire. Then there's Bill Bradley. He played basketball at Princeton, played for the Knicks, was a U.S. Senator and a Rhodes Scholar as well. So he's someone who's won so many hats in his life and been successful combining academics and athletics, and a great role model to aspire to. I got a chance to speak to him about a week ago and he encouraged me to stay strong, keep working hard and using my intellect to advance me in society. I marvel at the things he's been able to do.

Where are you in terms of deciding between the NFL and going to Oxford?

The Rhodes is something I've always really wanted. I would never have applied for it if I didn't really want to go. The opportunity to study at Oxford is amazing. Garrett Johnson has told me all about how great the experience is and what it can do for you in life. But I never want to lose sight of the ability I have on the football field. I have a promising future there. People have told me I could be a first-round pick, and my ambition is to play in the NFL. But the best thing is to be like a Bill Bradley and do both. That's the path I'd like to take. It's already been blazed, so it's just up to me to execute.

Well, you can get your medical degree and become a doctor at any point. The window for an NFL career is obviously much narrower. Is it the prestige of the Rhodes that makes this such a tough call?

I wouldn't say it's the prestige, though I won't diminish that. To earn what's considered the top scholarship honor in the country is outstanding. It's the opportunity of being there—the people you meet, the education you receive, the lecturers you're exposed to, the places you're able to visit. It's more than just the prestige. The NFL, like I said, is a goal and a dream. My main mission in life is to help people and use my God-given ability to impact the world. If playing in the NFL gives me a platform to advocate for the issues that are important to me, then let's do it. The choice is a win-win.