Emmanuel Rugamba

Cornerback

Miami, Ohio

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

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I had my height at 5’11 3/8, and my weight was 194 at the Tropical Bowl.   

Alex Khvatov:  Besides football, what other sports did you play in high school?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I played basketball for three years.   

Alex Khvatov:  What positions did you play in high school? 

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I played corner and receiver.   

Alex Khvatov:  Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in you?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I had interest from Illinois, Indiana, Boston College, Syracuse, and majority of the MAC schools.

Alex Khvatov:  Why did you choose Iowa? 

Emmanuel Rugamba:  It was close to home.  I liked the campus.  It was a Big 10 school.  I felt very comfortable with DC Phil Parker. 

Alex Khvatov:  How would you sum up your overall career with the Hawkeyes? 

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I would say it taught me a lot about football.  My football IQ grew when I was there.  I feel like I was productive.  I was a nickel back and I grew to love special teams there.  I had a background on offense in high school.  Coach Parker was a great benefit to me in the long run in understanding defensive concepts.  I just developed physically and mentally at Iowa.   

Alex Khvatov:  Why did you transfer to Miami, Ohio? 

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I just needed a fresh start.  I was comfortable with the school.  I almost committed to them out of high school.  Coach Martin is a great recruiter.  He reached out to me.  I got a chance to visit the school.  I liked the University and the campus.  It is like the places you saw on TV.  I knew I didn’t want to transfer to another school.  I knew that I would give them all I have.     

Alex Khvatov:  What was it like to win the MAC Championship in 2019?        

Emmanuel Rugamba:  It was definitely a big deal.  In 2018, I redshirted.  I was playing on the offensive scout team.  Miami of Ohio hasn’t won the MAC Championship in 10 years.  It meant the world to me to give them the championship and be a part of it.  We did it as a team.   

Alex Khvatov:  Tell us about your senior year as a whole. 

Emmanuel Rugamba:  My senior year had some ups and downs.  I wanted to win another MAC championship.  We were supposed to play six games, but only played in three games.  In that short period of time, I was productive.  I had a pick and a TD.  I had a QB hurry, a PBU, and a forced fumble. 

Alex Khvatov:  Where are you currently training for the 2021 NFL Draft? 

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I am training in New Jersey at TEST.  My buddies went there.  I know the athletes that they have there.  I did my homework on them.  My agent also sent guys there.   

Alex Khvatov:  You had the opportunity to play at the Tropical Bowl all-star game.  Describe that recent experience.    

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I enjoyed my time there.  I was super happy that I went.  There weren’t a lot of guys there.  Lots of guys didn’t come out and decided to go back to school.  The numbers were lower than usual.  You got every opportunity to show yourself.  There were no subs all weekend.  I was working out at TEST already, so my conditioning was good.  Coaches were there to help you with every single rep.  Scouts were there.  You were able to prove yourself on every play.  I played inside, outside and at safety.     

Alex Khvatov:  What are your strengths?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  My football IQ.  I play at a faster pace than your average player.  I excel at press man.  I get my hands on receivers and I am aggressive.  I also tackle very well.  I played special teams every year in college.     

Alex Khvatov:  What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  Sometimes, I can be overly aggressive.  I need to improve on my form as far as tackling.  I need to improve my feet at the line of scrimmage and ball skills.   

Alex Khvatov:  What is the highlight of your career up to this point?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  There were two highlights.  Winning the MAC championship.  I was the defensive MVP in the MAC championship game.  Also the 2016 Michigan game.  It was my first start as a freshman.  I didn’t know that I was starting until that Thursday.  Our starting corner broke his foot.  Michigan was undefeated.  It was a night game.  Desmond King was the opposite corner of me.  I knew that they would stay away from him and challenge me all game long.  I had to compete.  I was a young guy and I held my own.  We won that game.   

Alex Khvatov:  What is your favorite NFL team?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I root for a bunch of guys I played with.  Greg Mabin, Desmond King, and Dominique Dafney.   

Alex Khvatov:  Is there an NFL CB that you aspire to play like?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  A few corners.  Number one is Richard Sherman.  He is so good off the line of scrimmage and disrupts the timing of receivers.  I can apply his game to mine.  Desmond King can play outside and inside.  He is very versatile.  As far as ball skills, Marcus Peters is second to none. 

Alex Khvatov:  What is the biggest lesson that you have taken away from your coaching staff? 

Emmanuel Rugamba:  The biggest lesson is the importance of understanding that things won’t always go right.  You have to be able to understand the whole defense, what we are doing as a whole.  It is not just a one on one battle.  You are going against the offensive coordinator.  You have to get into OC’s head and his scheme.  You have to understand what he likes to do in certain situations.    

Alex Khvatov:  What players on your team should we keep an eye out for next season?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  Corner Cedric Boswell, safety Cecil Singleton, safety Sterling Weatherford, DE Ben Kimpler and DE Kam Butler.   

Alex Khvatov:  What is the most important trait for a CB?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  The most important trait is football IQ.  You got to have a short memory and ball skills.  You need to put fear into offenses.  

Alex Khvatov:  What sets you apart from the rest of the cornerbacks in this draft?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  Physicality and man to man coverage skills.  I am able to play multiple positions.  Tackling as well.  A lot of guys aren’t willing to tackle at corner.  A lot of guys don’t have the ball skills.   

Alex Khvatov:  What do you enjoy most about football?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  Getting into the offensive coordinator’s mind.  You have seen things on film.  You see certain tendencies.  Understanding it throughout the week, applying it on the field and seeing it pay off. 

Alex Khvatov:  What are your hobbies?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I like to play Call of Duty.  History of the world interests me.  So many things are bigger than us in this world.  Understanding concepts of this life.   

Alex Khvatov:  What do you want to do with your life after your football career is over?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  I want to stay around the game.  Running and organizing a team whether it is CFL, NFL or Arena.   

Alex Khvatov:  What makes you unique?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  Being where I am from.  I was born in a refugee camp in Zambia.  My family supporting me throughout this journey.  Realizing that football can change my life.  My upbringing of humility.  Coming to the United States when I was three years old, and the things we struggled with.  Continuously seeing the good things in life.

Alex Khvatov:  What five words best describe you?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  Perseverance, willingness, compassion, caring, and opportunistic.   

Alex Khvatov:  Who wins the Super Bowl this year and why?

Emmanuel Rugamba:  The Packers are playing at a different speed.  They are playing with confidence.  Aaron Rodgers brings confidence to everyone.  That staff has been successful.  I don’t see them slowing down any time soon.