NFL Draft Blitz

Alex Khvatov:  What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?

Aaron Mellette:  6’3”, 215, last forty time was a 4.45.         

Alex Khvatov:  How did you get into football in the first place?

Aaron Mellette:  I started playing backyard football when I was 10 or 11 years old.  My minister at the church told me that I should try out for high school football.  So my first organized football started in 10^th grade.       

Alex Khvatov:  What schools were interested in you when you were coming out of high school?

Aaron Mellette:  I received letters from UNC, Virginia and ECU.  Those were some of the bigger schools that interested me.  Elon and Marshall used to send me different letters.  Elon and North Carolina A&T were the schools that offered me a scholarship.     

Alex Khvatov:  Why did you eventually choose Elon University?

Aaron Mellette:  I liked the school and the atmosphere when I came here for a visit.  It was smaller type of classrooms.  I thought that it would be best for me instead of being in classrooms with over 200 people.  The small classrooms made the difference and also the opportunity to be close to home.    

Alex Khvatov:  Describe your junior campaign to us (79 receptions, 1202 receiving yards and 11 TD’s).

Aaron Mellette:  From a team perspective, it was kind of disappointing.  I wanted to get back to the playoffs like with the 2009 team.  I wanted to have a winning season as well.  Individually, it was spectacular.  I didn’t expect to put up the stats like that week in and week out.      

Alex Khvatov:  What are your early impressions about your team coming out of spring practice?

Aaron Mellette:  I think that the defense is farther ahead than they were last year.  We have 9 starters coming back on defense.  Therefore the learning curve is not as drastic.  They are moving around and playing a lot faster.  Their spring was great.  The defensive players were flying around and making tons of plays from the young guys to the veterans.  Offensively, I still feel that we are getting to where we need to be come September 1^st.  We had a running back situation this spring where our guys went down with injuries.  I feel that our offense will be ready come September 1^st.                            

Alex Khvatov:  What are your expectations for your senior campaign from a team and individual standpoint?

Aaron Mellette:  From a team standpoint, we want to have a winning season.  I like to win and I hate to lose.  I want our team to make the playoffs and make a run for the National Championship.  Every game is its own entity, and we shouldn’t take it for granted.  Every game is important.  Individually, I am not even sure yet.  I want to get around the same numbers that I had last year.  I don’t know the likelihood of that happening.  But I will go out there and play as hard as I can each and every game.  I will try to help my team get some wins. 

Alex Khvatov:  Teams will be designing game plans to stop you each and every week during your senior campaign, how are you dealing with this pressure because the expectations are very high?

Aaron Mellette:  I am doing things pretty much the same as I have always done.  I workout all the time, make sure that I am healthy, in shape and ready to go.  I try not to let the pressure get to me. I try not to read the media articles that are written about me.  I am just going to go out there and have fun.  Once the first quarter starts, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.  The pressure goes away.  I am just having fun out there with my teammates.  I will just enjoy this last season.   

Alex Khvatov:  What was the highlight play for you last year?

Aaron Mellette:  My second touchdown versus Furman.  It was one of the key plays in the game that helped us solidify the win.  We were going through a tough spell of losses before that game.  The coaches came to me and said that they wanted me to lead our team to victory.  I took that to heart.  I gave everything that I had to lead us to victory on that day.               

Alex Khvatov:  What are your strengths on the football field?

Aaron Mellette:  I feel like my route running which is one of my best assets that I do have.  In the course of the game, I can also adjust my game based on how the defenses are playing me.             

Alex Khvatov:  What areas of your game do you need to improve upon?

Aaron Mellette:  Definitely run blocking.  I will make sure that I will improve upon this one aspect of my game this year.  I want to create opportunities for our running backs to get to the second level, pass me and make those game breaking plays that we need to win.        

Alex Khvatov:  Who are some of the toughest players that you have faced during your career? 

Aaron Mellette:  Definitely Ryan Steed from Furman and CB Casey Hayward from Vanderbilt.  I have faced Ryan for a couple of seasons.  Casey was an All-SEC corner, and I wanted to see how I will do against him.  Those were two fun matchups.        

Alex Khvatov:  Which players on your team are ready for a breakout season? 

Aaron Mellette:  WR Rasaun Rorie.  He will line up on the other side of me.  He will take some of the pressure off me.  We will be a great 1-2 punch not only in the conference, but in the country.  Also look out for our slot receiver Kierre Brown.  He can break tackles.    

Alex Khvatov:  What do you enjoy most about playing football?

Aaron Mellette:  I would mostly say the gameday feeling.  Once the game starts, nothing else matters.  Anything else that you have going on in your life at that time is blocked out during the game.  You can escape from any pressures of the world and have fun with guys who love playing the game.   

Alex Khvatov:  What is your favorite NFL team? 

Aaron Mellette:  I am a Dallas Cowboys fan.  My father is a Cowboys’ fan.  I wanted to be like my father. 

Alex Khvatov:  Who is your favorite NFL player?

Aaron Mellette:  Right now it is Calvin Johnson.  I have been following him since he was at Georgia Tech.                      

Alex Khvatov:  What is your definition of a leader? 

Aaron Mellette:  A player that handles his business on and off-the-field.  He does that no one else sees him doing.  He doesn’t have to be liked, but he has to be respected.  Younger guys will look at him for advice.         

Alex Khvatov:  What are your hobbies? 

Aaron Mellette:  I like to go to the basketball gym.  I go and shoot hoops with my high school teammates.  I also kick back and play my Xbox 360.  It helps me stay focused and sane especially during the summer. 

Alex Khvatov:  What makes you a unique individual?

Aaron Mellette:  I am a big jokester.  Once I get to know somebody, I like to joke around a lot.  I am a humble kid.  I like to make people smile.        

      

Alex Khvatov:  Finish the sentence, Aaron Mellette is….