Slingin it with QB Velocity #3: FCF Wide Receiver Andrew Jamiel

For Season 3 Episode 3 of Slingin It with QB Velocity we got a chance to speak with current FCF player Wide Receiver Andrew Jamiel.

Andrew started all four years at Stonehill College with him carving out a great career there. He is now one of the standouts in the FCF playing in the championship game this weekend.

In the interview we talked about the FCF, what the week looks like, how he chose Stonehill, and what inspired him and more.

Be sure to check out the podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or anywhere else you listen to podcasts!

How are you feeling coming of the playoff win? Heading into the championship game this weekend?

I'm feeling great. I mean that game is a lot of fun. You know, we felt like we were the underdogs. Coming into that game. You know what I mean and the beast were rolling all year. So, it was awesome to come out and compete like we did.

And you know the fact that we're playing in the championship next weekend is unreal. So, it was a lot of fun to go out there and ball out. But that's what we expected. because we got some dudes on our team, you know, we mean. We just haven't been playing, you know, a consistent game, so it was good that we put it together at the right time.

How where you able to put it together at that time for the game with the teams always changing?

It's been different playing with guys every week, but I mean we all practice together and we get a lot of reps and everybody is a professional. You know what I mean. So, we seem to adjust to it pretty quickly, so we obviously did our last draft 2 weeks ago and that was our team for three straight weeks now so we had like the last regular season game playoff game and then the championship so.

This is gonna be a third week playing with the same quarterbacks and running backs and receivers and skill players, which you know a lot of. That's chemistry and timing. So, like I said, we get a lot of reps in practice, so every day.

I mean we're just getting closer and closer and I feel like we're playing our best football right now on offense and the defense balled out last game. So, if we do that again. I think we're gonna come up with a W.

How is the process trying to work together on the team?

I mean it's good you got all the dudes here cool you know we all get along with spend a lot of time together that's just how it is when we got here 2 1/2 months ago. We just said you know we're going to be in this all season so we just you know we've been able to make it work but it's been awesome up but I'm enjoying playing with all these guys.

From D2 and there's kids here that played you know at some of the biggest schools in the country and already played the NFL like there's two or three kids here that have super bowl rings in the NFL so it's crazy that we all came together to play.

How did your opportunity come about joining the FCF?

So, this past summer, like I was just training staying ready. Obviously the CFL got cancelled. XFL got cancelled so it was kind of just. I mean it was hard. So, I basically I felt like I'm good enough and I still do and I can play with some of the best.

So, I just I was waiting for an opportunity that I could just show people that you don't mean and I had met Francois. At a free agent showcase in front of some scouts in San Diego and he and I end up talking, we exchanged numbers. He hit me up a few weeks later and he's like, yo, there's this try out in Atlanta for this new League. My agent told me about it.

He said I'm gonna go so I was like yeah alright I'll go to and then that's the one destroys was at and then from there I just learned about the League. They gave me a call offer me a contract and. I mean I said, why not?

You know, like that I was talking to Commissioner Ray when he called me and offered me the contract. He's like, you know, I get that your free agent, but he's like the best thing you can do is put in film out there and letting teams know like. You're still active in keeping your name relevant in the football world. You know what I mean?

So, I just didn't see a downside to. It was only six games, and I mean I knew was gonna be good competition, which is what I wanted so. It's been good.

Can you talk about your resilience and how some kids don’t even play college ball?

I mean, I don't take it for granted, you know? I mean playing the game just because I love football and I always have since I was seven and I come from a football family. So, I just feel like to this point and it's just like one of the main things that I've always known and done is played football, you know.

So being able to play in college was awesome, but I always I always knew in high school. I wanted to play college football so I just worked at it and I mean because I cared. And just being able to play now professionally, you know it is cool. Especially this is my first professional contract, so it's definitely different from college, but I mean, it's awesome.

Being able to make some money and play football, and you know, be able to inspire some people. You know what I mean? Like you said, being a D2 kid, just you know, playing with these guys and trying to get to the next level. like I said that it all just comes from the love of the game I just love playing football.

What were your expectations for coming into the league?

Really no expectations. I mean this is season one. You know what I mean, yeah. I knew it was a smaller field. I knew it was seven on 7. And but I wasn't too skeptical, you know? I mean, they still run around and catch in the wall.

I found out that for their conversions they did one on ones I'm like. OK, that's really cool. That's just like that's just film and tape and tape right there to send it to him, so I mean.

Do you understand you're going to play Francois and we have been talking about a little bit? I didn't really know anyone else. Know anyone personally coming into this?

So, I don't know my expectations were just so just play football you know me keep my head down and work hard and just do what I've always done it I mean just play the game and I know if I if I give my best effort whatever happens I'm you know I mean I'm good with it just because I know how football is you know it's got ups and downs but like I said I just love the game so I'm just happy I'm still love playing.

What do you enjoy most about this league?

Um? What do I enjoy most? I mean the games themselves are a lot of fun. Just because they you know. I mean they. They treat us like professionals like you know we score touchdown, were allowed to have some fun, loud dance a little bit. They let us, you know, to talk ****.

It's fun dude. It's fun playing on Twitch in front of you know 1.3 billion or however many we had last week. But for me personally, my favorite part I kind of mentioned earlier, it's just playing. You know with these guys that I used to watch on TV.

You know, I remember sitting on the couch by junior Senior High School watching Johnny Manziel run around and win the Heisman. And now I'm catching passes from him. It's like it's crazy to me and we go back to the hotel where you can launch together hanging out.

And I mean Josh Gordon was in my van going to and from practice every day so. I was chopping up with him dude. He's the man I was like I was like yo bro, you Gotta come back to the Pats. I don't know about that quarterback situation. It's been fun.

Can you talk about some of smaller name guys that could play in the next level? Who do you see will end up getting a chance in the pros?

Great question. This League is filled with kids that can play football, but the ones that you have really showed out in the game's you guys know the names you know. I think Travis Toivonen he's just a big body catches the ball. He goes up forward. He's all of 6 four, yeah whatever. However tall he is.

So, I think he'll get some calls. I think Gua for the Aces, the running back Galloway. Yeah, I know he played the CFL before. You know my boy Soi? I mean he's the NFL talent, you know, and I think it's only a matter of time for him, I mean.

If a team brings him in to work him out. I mean, I don't see why they wouldn't sign it like they do, just he throws a great ball. He's big, he can run, he competes. You guys know Quinton Flowers. He's a bigger name guy, but that guy was competitive. You know.

They mean he was. He was a stud running throwing the ball, doing whatever so. I mean the people that really have been out in games I think I think they should all get calls but we'll see I mean it is what it is. Guys are competing.

Have you had many interactions with some of the owners like Richard Sherman or Marshawn Lynch?

Yes, they Popping on zoom call sometimes. I know they all. Like Dodo join the game feed and commentate for a little bit like him. Just saying my name, you don't know about saying get your name and get him the ball.

Oh, you mean something? I never thought of never thought would happen, especially destroying too. You know I got to meet him and I still text him a little bit. He was at the game the other day.

Yeah dude just being able to network and you know being this League with some big-time owners, you know Marshawn Lynch too. He was in our locker room getting ready put on a uniform like he's going to play. yeah, just it's been awesome.

How was the transition for you from college to FCF?

I mean. Definitely transition because there's a lot more depth like everybody here on the roster. Was starting college like I know when you get to college, people are like everyone. Here is a stud with the name from but obviously some high schools have better competition than others and it's not as I feel like valid is when you get to the professional level and you say every kid was a stud where they came from and you refer them in college.

Because in college like. It doesn't matter what division, there's kids that can play, so if you're a stud at that level, you know what I mean. But I've gone against some broken players like you know, there's a couple kids. Obviously, you guys know Deonte Harris, you know that played for assumption this one kid, Jake Carlock, who I played three years at LSU.

He's a linebacker for the Giants now. I mean, there's in town at every level. You know it wasn't too different. but I just Gotta be on I just Gotta have 100% you know ready to ready to bring every single rep or else I'm not going to win the rap you know they mean because everybody out here is there's nothing free you know you Gotta work for everything.

What is the training regimen like?

So, we got practice. Got practice Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Walk through Friday and then we got. We got two lifts a week, usually in season so we usually left like Tuesday and Thursday. Something like that Wednesday nights we do the skills competition, the one on ones.

So, it's good I mean I came here to get better you know you mean I feel like I'm a I'm a better football player now than before I came here so I'm getting coached up I'm going to get good competition I mean like I said I just came here to get better so i feel like if a team calls me i feel the best I've ever felt you know.

Where do you see this league ending up like next year?

Did I really do it? To be honest. I mean I don't see why it wouldn't because there's always going to be athletes and players that want to play like me. Don't mean and they just see this as an opportunity to get themselves out there.

SO, there was. I think there's always going to be talent and. I mean obviously covid everything that's happening is a shame, but we were able to work around it this year with the bubble and obviously the bubble is not ideal, but it is what it is because we all just want to play football.

And you know, if we obviously we got all the owners that are like you know, throwing it out there on social media, I don't know if you guys follow Bob Menary, but that dude hilarious. Like president from now on all of them.

So that just gets people fired up like sure, even if I wasn't playing in this League. But I heard Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel were playing in a Football League. I would watch it, you know. Yeah, then you too and it's actually some good football, right? Should happen. I think it's going to keep going up. We don't have 8 teams instead of four. I do but their turn with different locations.

The viewership is crazy especially being on twitch, I felt like there is nothing but good things to come from that.

You just want to be a part of, you know, because. Obviously, it doesn't work without us players, and the Commissioner let us know that all the time you know so. it's just it's just been good this is working out for us. Settle another Commissioner told us he's been working on this for seven years, yeah? Just talking which is crazy used to play in the NFL. Ray Austin.

What made you pick going to Stonehill?

It was a few things. For one, I was one of seven kids which is pretty crazy. So, you know the fact of the matter is that I just I had to go where the money was. I mean where I was wherever I was going to get scholarship. I had a couple.

Division One like preferred walk ones like I did try to walk on at UMass Amherst. But I want to play, you know. I mean, I want to play right away, yeah? Well, I had some interest from the two schools. I went, I said there's some film they seemed interested like that that they know I could play, but when I went to their one days so the only three one days, I did go into my Senior High School was Saint Anselm, Stonehill and Bentley.

Those are the only three like you know, pretty close to full off full offers that I got, you know I mean, so the fact that they were able to see me live, you know, in the summer running routes. Three schools that I was able to narrow it down to once they offer me and. I mean, I did overnight at all three and I just I don't know.

I like to know the best. I just feel like it was a good fit for me. Football academically, and I mean they were winning. You know. I mean they always said good record and I wanted to win games, you know, so I guess that's ultimately. how it went down.

How were you able to stay consistent all 4 years at Stonehill?

Just building chemistry with quarterbacks and the coaching staff, and I wanted them to trust me and know that you know I'm going to be a guy that's going to do my job and I'm going to be reliable. And I mean, that's what you Gotta be at receiver and I was lucky because our offense was just a perfect fit.

You know, for the type of player I am it was that RPO offense so you know every single run play we had the option to throw bubble or screen or a slant. So, a lot of times I was that guy that was getting the ball in my hands. We had a stud quarterback my first two years and you know I love the offensive coordinator.

But yeah, I just worked hard. I practiced hard. You mean I got my reps in and I just tried to do the right thing. Like I said turn the Coaches Trust and I was better to captain my senior year which is cool. but yeah man I just I just kept my head down and stay focused. It's not that hard when you love football and you want to be great at it. That’s how I think about it.

Is there anything that you would change about your recruiting process or college process?

I would tell myself to eat more and lift more weights. That's the only thing I feel like that I right now that I really needed to get an immediate, you know, improvement on. I just feel like if I could put on 10 pounds, I would just be done much better.

You know, I still. I still think I'm fine to play at any level so I know how to avoid hits. And you know? Just play the slot position. But no, I mean the way I like where I'm at right now I'd like to think this is a stepping stone this league and my journey it's all part of the story so I had a great college career and like I said there's guys that go delete from division two all the time you know so no I wouldn't change it to be honest.

What did you want your legacy to be walking into Stonehill?

To be honest, I wasn't even thinking about it. All that like thinking about this whole big legacy, I was just thinking about getting through the training camp of not getting through, but. Grinding out this training camp a freshman year and do whatever I can do to win a job.

I remember thinking they asked if there were any holders. If anyone was a Holder in high school so I was like, yeah, I was the Holder for the teams. So, they had me with the ones as a Holder, so I'm telling my boys I might go this is gonna be how I make the travel, but it's likely to hold it there like bro. What do you mean you're going to be receiver?

I'm like yeah, I don't know, I don't know but yeah, I just I don't know I just came in and I went to work that freshman year and I want a starting job as a freshman. So, I started the first game of the year, actually. And then I ended up winning Rookie of the Year as a freshman, which is pretty crazy, but I just didn't.

I didn't think too far ahead at all. I just stayed in the moment one game at a time. You don't mean, yeah, and you know, I know football is too long of a sport too long the season where. you can't get too high or too low you know you mean so I just stayed focused but it's everyday grind you know playing football mentally and physically.

When was the first moment you fell in love with the game?

Dude, I remember playing running back. I think I was seven years old. And I'm like you know I'm getting the ball and like getting hit getting tackled. Like trying to figure out like how this whole football thing works and I remember like being like my dad was my coach.

I'm like I could just like. Like basically joke about, I was saying like make a mess he's like yeah you could as long as you score a touchdown. So, then I started making some people miss and that was like my first football memories. I don't know playing when I was seven just being able to get all my hands and make some plays.

Like I said, my dad was my coach. He actually started our youth program in my town so. You know, I played for my town. I played in high school. I just come from a football family and I mean every room in my house. You just you, you would know it. You don't know.

My dad played in college. My older brother played Division One. My younger brother. It has some Division One offers. Right now. We'll see where he ends up. But yeah, man, that's just what we've always done is what I've always done.

Can you talk about how you developed over the years?

My brother went to college and played receiver and that was the first time that he was exposed. To some, you know, real deal. Like next level coaching some Division One. You know he was playing receiver and. He came home.

I remember the summer before I was going into my freshman year high school and he just started showing me some tricks how to run routes. How to you know? Just think about certain things and I saw it right away. How? How much it helped me because I wasn't the biggest. I wasn't the fastest ever when I was playing, but I was still, you know, getting open running these double.

These double moves, his college NFL routes as like a freshman in high school. Just because my brother taught me some technique just showed me just a couple little things. I mean that just helps so much how to get open. So, I just had immediate success.

You know, with it at that level when he showed me that and then I just took it and ran with it and worked on my craft.

And then. you know I fell in love with receiver in high school in me playing receiver on just like how you can make big plays you also can just be consistent and that's why you need to do get on the field you don't know your job block and catch the ball.

At the end of the day what do you ultimately want your career to be like?

I don't have any regrets. You know what I mean? I feel like I'm good enough to play at a really high level so I didn’t want to quit just yet. You know what I mean? I want to make sure that I give my best shot.

So, 25-30 years and I won't look back. And you know, I think damn I didn't do what I should have done. But I'm definitely gonna show my kids the tape highlight. I gotta get him routes, I'm gonna yeah exactly.

Yeah, I mean that's just the biggest thing for me. Not having any regrets, and that's why I play in this League. I mean, a Commissioner was like whatever decision you make. He's like just make sure you're at peace with it, you know, and I'm thinking.

I'm like if I'm sitting at home training and, you know, working my job at the restaurant, and I see these guys at the FCF ball now. And yeah, I mean, I was like I'm gonna wish I was there. So, like. It was a no brainer for me to sign to play.

Anything you want to pass on to the next generation of football players?

Yeah, I mean that's a good question. because that's like, you know, one of the reasons why I play football to. I mean, once you get to this level to like Inspire kids, you know I mean, especially with level.

Um? I mean my coach used to say that like clichés or clichés for a reason, because they're true. So, like I, I hate to just say it, but it's just he's gotta work hard you know. I mean if you love the sport bad enough you wanna do it. I mean guys, dread going to practice working out to me. It's like I know if I want to be great, I have to do it.

And I mean it's some stuff you can't use like just having a love for the game. If you really want to play, you know, in college or past college because you know, I know you know, playing college football is is a grind and you can't plan that you love it. So, I mean once you once you find that love the game, you just work hard at it.

I mean good things will happen. Good teammate, that's one of the things that I learned to not that I ever had a problem with it, but. My coach just told me he's like. He I remember he talked to him one time. He was like you know when guys think you 20 years now, they're gonna say Oh yeah, he was really good.

He's like because you got the stats to back that up. Everyone knows that he's like, but do you also wanted to say like Oh no he was a prick though no one liked him you know you mean he's like that's like the little stuff that matters like seeing guys you know before practice you know.

Sandwiches good like he's like those like the relationships that are going to mean something 30 years from now so that's something I was thought up to playing college football and now at this way just always being a good teammate. That is what it is all about next working and meeting people through the sport. I mean football bonds you together.

What is the score prediction for this weekend?

I think it's going to be a shootout boy. I mean, if we play like we did Saturday, you guys watch the games on Saturday. Yeah yeah. I mean I don't see us. I don't see us getting stopped. I think we can. I think we should score.

You know, every drive that that's just the mindset you gotta have in the SDF because the games are quick. Ann, there's just a lot of crazy big plays in the game isn't over until it's over as you guys have seen, there's been like 3 Hail Marys, you know. I think they have a great offense too.

Though. You know Jersey, good quarterback and they got some stud receivers and they got the way at running back. Who's you know? Top two in the League? So, it's gonna be good. It's gonna be good, but I think it's gonna be high scoring game. I'm go with. 58-54 boys OK.