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Rozeboom prepares for shot at the NFL
4/2/2020 5:00:00 PM | Football
During a standout four-year career from 2016-19, Christian Rozeboom became South Dakota State's career tackles leader and was honored on All-America teams three times. The linebacker from Sioux Center, Iowa, recently discussed his time as a Jackrabbit and how his preparation for the National Football League draft later this month has been altered due to conoravirus (COVID-19) restrictions.Â
Q: Give us a little update as to what you've been doing since the season ended in December.
Rozeboom: "I was training up in Minneapolis at a gym called Training House, which is part of (Twin Cities Othopedics) and the Vikings facilities. I really enjoyed it, really felt like it was a good spot for me. Then our Pro Day got canceled, obviously, so then we were going to do a virtual one (two) weeks ago on a Thursday and a couple days before that the governor shut down all the gyms and everything so we ended up doing like a really last-minute video and testing. We ended up getting it in, so it was good in that sense, but obviously not in the setting you wanted it to be in. But that's what everyone is going through so you can't really do much about that."
Q: How are you able to train now or what have you been doing to stay in shape during this process?
Rozeboom: "It's tough – you've got to get creative. I'm just doing stuff in my basement. I went to (my girlfriend's) place and we did some workouts. I went to the football field and worked out. I've just tried to keep in the best football shape."
Q: Like you said, everyone's kind of in the same boat right now, but how did you feel you were stacking up against the competition in your workouts?
Rozeboom: "I was excited about Pro Day, honestly. Based on what they thought I would run, I was excited to see all the hard work pay off. My trainer at Training House is a really good dude and someone I've known for a long time, so I was excited for it. It is what it is now and I can't do anything about it so I just have to do the best with what opportunities come along now."
Q: You had the opportunity to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January. What was that experience like for you?
Rozeboom: "It was really fun; I enjoyed it a lot. Getting to play with other guys from all around the country and from different levels was super fun. Playing for coaches that coached in the NFL for a long time, college for a long time, I enjoyed learning from them. Just the experiences – we played at the Rose Bowl so it was super cool. We practiced there every day, too, so just being in the locker room with those guys at Rose Bowl stadium was a really cool experience. I had never been to California, actually, so being there was a first-time deal for me, too."
Q: Do you believe you raised your profile by going to that event?
Rozeboom: "I think I just needed to prove that with a small-school label that I could play with anyone. I think that I proved myself in practice, which was honestly more competitive than the game. The game was a fun way to end the week, but the practices were where a lot of the scouts were and where people were really paying attention."
Q: Did your goals or expectations change as a result?
Rozeboom: Draft or no draft, just an opportunity is all I want right now. It's really up in the air right now – I don't even know what I'm doing next week. It's hard to even look for expectations right now"
Q: Have you received any advice from any former teammates who have been through the process? Who else is helping you during this evaluation period?
Rozeboom: "(Former Jackrabbit and 2019 draftee) Jordan Brown is one of my best friends so I have been talking to him a lot about different stuff. My agent (Chris Gittings) has been doing this for a long time. He's the same guy who has (former Jackrabbit running back) Zach Zenner as a client so he has gotten me in contact with Zach and I've talked with him. My agent has been the one who has given me the most advice like what to expect the bowl game, what to expect for interview questions, so he's been really good at preparing me for stuff like that.
"At the Collegiate Bowl I interviewed with almost all the teams, but I think they do that to cover all their bases. You can kind of tell who is a bit more interested, but at the same time you don't know for sure. We'll see what the next month brings."
Q: Now that you've had some time to reflect, how would you describe your career as a Jackrabbit?
Rozeboom: "I think it exceeded my expectations by a long shot. It was everything I wanted in a college experience for sure – college football experience, academics, relationships – it was everything that I wanted and I met a lot of great people that will be in my life forever. Then the football – the teammates, the coaches – everything was what I expected. What they told me in the recruiting process is what I got. Just the experiences that football gave me is something that I will always be thankful for."
Q: Is there any one game or any one moment in your career that stands out?
Rozeboom: "That's tough – there's a ton of them. I would say my first tackle at TCU is one I will remember for a while, and then there's beating NDSU my freshman year at their place. There's also little ones in the meeting rooms, stuff like that, just experiences with the guys that I will miss for sure."
Q: Just in case football doesn't work out in the immediate future, what would be next?
Rozeboom: "I don't really have a backup plan right now. I graduated with a degree in animal science, so something in the ag field. My plan going into college initially was to go to vet school and I think I would apply if football doesn't work out, but I'm going to give it at least a full year and see what opportunities keep coming, but I'm sure I'll end up somewhere in the Midwest."
-GoJacks.com-
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Q: Give us a little update as to what you've been doing since the season ended in December.
Rozeboom: "I was training up in Minneapolis at a gym called Training House, which is part of (Twin Cities Othopedics) and the Vikings facilities. I really enjoyed it, really felt like it was a good spot for me. Then our Pro Day got canceled, obviously, so then we were going to do a virtual one (two) weeks ago on a Thursday and a couple days before that the governor shut down all the gyms and everything so we ended up doing like a really last-minute video and testing. We ended up getting it in, so it was good in that sense, but obviously not in the setting you wanted it to be in. But that's what everyone is going through so you can't really do much about that."
Q: How are you able to train now or what have you been doing to stay in shape during this process?
Rozeboom: "It's tough – you've got to get creative. I'm just doing stuff in my basement. I went to (my girlfriend's) place and we did some workouts. I went to the football field and worked out. I've just tried to keep in the best football shape."
Q: Like you said, everyone's kind of in the same boat right now, but how did you feel you were stacking up against the competition in your workouts?
Rozeboom: "I was excited about Pro Day, honestly. Based on what they thought I would run, I was excited to see all the hard work pay off. My trainer at Training House is a really good dude and someone I've known for a long time, so I was excited for it. It is what it is now and I can't do anything about it so I just have to do the best with what opportunities come along now."
Q: You had the opportunity to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January. What was that experience like for you?
Rozeboom: "It was really fun; I enjoyed it a lot. Getting to play with other guys from all around the country and from different levels was super fun. Playing for coaches that coached in the NFL for a long time, college for a long time, I enjoyed learning from them. Just the experiences – we played at the Rose Bowl so it was super cool. We practiced there every day, too, so just being in the locker room with those guys at Rose Bowl stadium was a really cool experience. I had never been to California, actually, so being there was a first-time deal for me, too."
Q: Do you believe you raised your profile by going to that event?
Rozeboom: "I think I just needed to prove that with a small-school label that I could play with anyone. I think that I proved myself in practice, which was honestly more competitive than the game. The game was a fun way to end the week, but the practices were where a lot of the scouts were and where people were really paying attention."
Q: Did your goals or expectations change as a result?
Rozeboom: Draft or no draft, just an opportunity is all I want right now. It's really up in the air right now – I don't even know what I'm doing next week. It's hard to even look for expectations right now"
Q: Have you received any advice from any former teammates who have been through the process? Who else is helping you during this evaluation period?
Rozeboom: "(Former Jackrabbit and 2019 draftee) Jordan Brown is one of my best friends so I have been talking to him a lot about different stuff. My agent (Chris Gittings) has been doing this for a long time. He's the same guy who has (former Jackrabbit running back) Zach Zenner as a client so he has gotten me in contact with Zach and I've talked with him. My agent has been the one who has given me the most advice like what to expect the bowl game, what to expect for interview questions, so he's been really good at preparing me for stuff like that.
"At the Collegiate Bowl I interviewed with almost all the teams, but I think they do that to cover all their bases. You can kind of tell who is a bit more interested, but at the same time you don't know for sure. We'll see what the next month brings."
Q: Now that you've had some time to reflect, how would you describe your career as a Jackrabbit?
Rozeboom: "I think it exceeded my expectations by a long shot. It was everything I wanted in a college experience for sure – college football experience, academics, relationships – it was everything that I wanted and I met a lot of great people that will be in my life forever. Then the football – the teammates, the coaches – everything was what I expected. What they told me in the recruiting process is what I got. Just the experiences that football gave me is something that I will always be thankful for."
Q: Is there any one game or any one moment in your career that stands out?
Rozeboom: "That's tough – there's a ton of them. I would say my first tackle at TCU is one I will remember for a while, and then there's beating NDSU my freshman year at their place. There's also little ones in the meeting rooms, stuff like that, just experiences with the guys that I will miss for sure."
Q: Just in case football doesn't work out in the immediate future, what would be next?
Rozeboom: "I don't really have a backup plan right now. I graduated with a degree in animal science, so something in the ag field. My plan going into college initially was to go to vet school and I think I would apply if football doesn't work out, but I'm going to give it at least a full year and see what opportunities keep coming, but I'm sure I'll end up somewhere in the Midwest."
-GoJacks.com-
Â
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