Rob Rolle
Safety
Villanova

 

Ed Hunt:  What are your measurements? (Height, Weight and 40 time)

 

Rob Rolle:  I’m 6’1, 192lbs and 4.49 is the time I’m clocking.

 

Ed Hunt:  Are you more of a free safety or a strong safety?

 

Rob Rolle:  More of a free safety.

 

Ed Hunt:  What positions can you play?

 

Rob Rolle:  I have played free safety, strong safety, nickel and somewhat linebacker before my injury.

 

Ed Hunt:  Who is the best player you have faced on an opposing team?

 

Rob Rolle:  In 2016, in terms of physicality, Darius Victor out of Towson and Earnest Edwards out of Maine.

 

Ed Hunt:  Coming out of high school, which schools showed interest in you?

 

Rob Rolle:  UMass, a handful of 1-AA schools and then I picked up Villanova and Delaware later.

 

Ed Hunt:  What made you ultimately choose Villanova?

 

Rob Rolle:  I had a really good unofficial visit.  I wanted to be a team’s priority and a place I could get a good education.

 

Ed Hunt:  What are your strengths?

 

Rob Rolle:  Athleticism and natural instincts.  I do a lot of film study.

 

Ed Hunt:  What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?

 

Rob Rolle:  Consistency as a tackler.  Being more technical with my fundamentals.  Being more physical as a tacker.

 

Ed Hunt:  Describe your overall career.

 

Rob Rolle:  I came into Villanova and played corner as a true freshman then after I switched to strong safety.  2016 was my breakout year.  We had the #1 defense in the country.  My senior year, I tore my ACL and came back for my fifth year.  It was an opportunity to remember why I love the game so much.

 

Ed Hunt:  What is the highlight of your career at this point?

 

Rob Rolle:  Probably back-to-back 100-yard interceptions.  One was called back because of a clipping penalty.

 

Ed Hunt:  Tell me about your injury history.

 

Rob Rolle:  My ACL was the only time I missed any time.  I came back fully healthy.  Week three versus Towson, I suffered a high ankle sprain.

 

Ed Hunt:  Would you say it was fair to say that an injury derailed your career after leading the league in interceptions in 2016?

 

Rob Rolle:  No, I wouldn’t say it derailed my career.  I still went out there and did what I could.  Our 2016 defense was really loaded.  I still had some highlight plays, but it didn’t reach my standard in 2018.

 

Ed Hunt:  I noticed you have a nose for the ball. What do you attribute this to?

 

Rob Rolle:  I got so much better at picking up on my tendencies.  Knowing where I would need to be.  It’s like getting the answers to the test before you get there (film).

 

Ed Hunt:  What have you learned the most from your coaching staff?

 

Rob Rolle:  I learned a lot of values.  I had a lot of coaching changes.  It taught me to lean on my teammates.  It made me make sure my team was together.  Our coaches made sure that the lesson that we learn translated to real life.  We learned to stay humble.

 

Ed Hunt:  Is there a role you have played on special teams thus far in your career?

 

Rob Rolle:  I’ve always played gunner, jammer and kickoff team.

 

Ed Hunt:  What is your favorite NFL team?

 

Rob Rolle:  Falcons.  I loved watching Mike Vick as a kid.

 

Ed Hunt:  Who is your favorite NFL player?

 

Rob Rolle:  Mike Vick is my favorite player of all time.  I like Karl Joseph and Tyrann Mathieu’s game a lot too.

 

Ed Hunt:  What’s the most important trait for a safety?

 

Rob Rolle:  Intelligence.  You have to be in a position to line guys up and know where to be and the flow of the game.  You have to know the offense’s tendencies.  Outside of athletic ability, you need to do film study.

 

Ed Hunt:  Before the ball is snapped, what tendencies are you looking for in that offense?

 

Rob Rolle:  I’m looking to the field.  I want to know how many threats there are and lining up myself properly.  If there is a running play or a passing play.  I have to call plays before, so we aren’t getting called behind.  I know as the last line of defense if my linebackers are going to scrap.

 

Ed Hunt:  What players on your team should we keep an eye on for next season?

 

Rob Rolle:  Jaquan Amos is going to be a big prospect.  The running back Justin Covington from the Bronx also.

 

Ed Hunt:  What do you enjoy most about football?

 

Rob Rolle:  The brotherhood it brings with your teammates.  It makes you bond with them.  It always has that correlation to real life.

 

Ed Hunt:  Who is your biggest role model and why?

 

Rob Rolle:  My father.  He has taught me so much outside the game of football.  He is always looking out for my family.

 

Ed Hunt:  What is your definition of a leader?

 

Rob Rolle:  Someone who brings the best out of everyone.  He is going to be able to get everyone to do their best.

 

Ed Hunt:  What do you want to do with your life after football?

 

Rob Rolle:  I want to stay involved with the prison system.  I have been doing an internship.  I was a case manager at a minimum level security prison.  I was the liaison from the court system to the prisoner.

 

Ed Hunt:  What five words best describe you?

 

Rob Rolle:  Passionate, competitive, trustworthy, dedicated and hardworking.

 

Ed Hunt:  Who will win the Super Bowl next year?

 

Rob Rolle:  Hopefully, whatever team picks me up.