Lamont McPhatter
Safety / California University of PA
Alex Khvatov: What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?
Lamont McPhatter: I am 5’10 ¾, 200 pounds and 4.6 forty.
Alex Khvatov: Where are you currently training?
Lamont McPhatter: At Grossetti Performance in New Castle, PA.
Alex Khvatov: When is your Pro Day?
Lamont McPhatter: I recently had a pro day at Villanova on March 6th and my school’s pro day will be on March 16th.
Alex Khvatov: How did you perform at Villanova’s Pro Day?
Lamont McPhatter: I had a good pro day. There is certainly room for improvement. I had a 33.5-inches on the vertical, 9’9 on the broad and I benched 12 on the 225.
Alex Khvatov: What are your goals for the Pro Day?
Lamont McPhatter: Main goal have fun, improve my time across the board, run faster than a 4.6, present it to them, improve on all my numbers.
Alex Khvatov: What was the feedback that you received from NFL teams after the Pro Day?
Lamont McPhatter: They definitely liked my size. I was a lean 200 pounds. My positional work was good.
Alex Khvatov: Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in you?
Lamont McPhatter: I actually got my offers at the Ohio State camp. Jake Bateman, Ball State’s defensive coordinator, was interested in me. I had offers from Ball State and Eastern Michigan, a few FCS and D-II offers.
Alex Khvatov: Why did you choose Ball State?
Lamont McPhatter: My offer actually closed up. I was supposed to go to the banquet at Ball State. I called the coach and let him know that I can’t wait to be there. They told me that the offer had closed up. My scholarship had closed. I was looking at FCS schools. Ball State played in the GoDaddy Bowl, coach Bateman told me that somebody was leaving and the spot would be open for me. I committed to them before the bowl game.
Alex Khvatov: How would you describe your career at Ball State?
Lamont McPhatter: I didn’t play my true freshman year because I had a stress fracture. Coming into the spring of my redshirt freshman year, I showcased my abilities. I came out and played all 13 or 14 games. I received defensive freshman of the year on the team. During my sophomore year, I got my hands tied up. I failed three drug tests in one year and was suspended from the team. I am not going to make excuses, but I had a lot of stuff going on. I couldn’t come back until my redshirt junior year. Everything was spiraling downhill. I came home for Fourth of July, and there was a shooting in my house. My sister wound up getting shot, and I wasn’t worried about going back to school. My mother and father worked full time jobs, I had to be the man of the house. I wasn’t around good company at the time. I made some bad decisions. Lots of stuff was going through my mind. I finished out that semester. It was hard not being on the field and going to school at the time. I wanted to get back on the field. I finished the semester with a 3.0 GPA. My sister recovered from the shooting, but she was traumatized from it. I do everything for my family and for her. My sister is only a year older than me.
Alex Khvatov: Why did you transfer to Cal U of PA?
Lamont McPhatter: I was aiming at FCS schools, so I can play right away. They were playing in the playoffs at the time. I wanted to be at the school that next semester. PSAC West teams like Slippery Rock, IUP and Cal of PA were looking at me. Slippery Rock was too close to home. Cal of PA was able to develop defensive backs that went to the league. I had the chance to be that next DB from Cal of PA.
Alex Khvatov: What are your strengths?
Lamont McPhatter: My versatility. I pride myself on it. I am an impact player on the field. I am able to cause turnovers. I know where my teammates and I are supposed to be. My IQ is high. I can control my emotions on the field and execute no matter what. I can play as a single high safety or play in the slot or in the box. I can blitz.
Alex Khvatov: What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?
Lamont McPhatter: There is room for improvement everywhere. I am not at my full potential. I can get better in certain areas.
Alex Khvatov: Tell us about your overall career at Cal U of PA.
Lamont McPhatter: I had a lot to prove to myself. I chose to respond. I had a chip on my shoulder coming out here. I came in and developed a leadership role. My coaches wanted me to take on that leadership role. They wanted me to lead by example and vocally. I wanted to instill a D-I mentality into a D-II program. I had to earn my teammates respect. During my first year in 2017, we went to the playoffs. But we came up short of the playoffs the last two years. I didn’t start in the beginning because they had their guys. But I ended up taking a starting spot during the third or the fourth game of the season. I made first team all-conference and second team all-region my first year. I had five INT’s and two pick sixes. In 2018, I was named team captain. It was a glorious honor. Many guys looked up to me at the program. I earned first team all-conference, first team all-region and first team all-American. I was a team captain again my last year. I wanted to have fun this year. I had to do a little bit more this year. A lot of teams knew about me now and were going away from me. I didn’t want to press on the field. I got first team all-conference, first team all-region and first team all-American.
Alex Khvatov: What is the highlight of your career up to this point?
Lamont McPhatter: A team win my junior year. We have a rivalry against IUP. We call it a coal bowl. They were #2 in the nation. It was a night game at our stadium. We were up six points. They were driving down the field. We stuffed the run. I knew that they weren’t going to run the same play two times in a row. They did an RPO, and I got out there to the number one receiver. I came up with an INT and returned it 102 yards to seal the game. I never heard the stadium get that loud. I scored, and my teammates got crazy. They corralled me, and I couldn’t breathe. It was the best highlight. Seeing the excitement on my teammates’ faces was a feeling that I can’t describe.
Alex Khvatov: What is your biggest accomplishment in college that you are most proud of?
Lamont McPhatter: Graduating. It has been a long journey with trials and tribulations. I left for college at 17 years old. No one knew what I would go through. I persevered, stayed dedicated and committed. I responded in the correct matter and learned from my mistakes. A lot of the times I felt like giving up, but I was able to graduate.
Alex Khvatov: What was the biggest thing that you took away from your coaching staff?
Lamont McPhatter: Be able to focus on the now. Focus on today. Don’t dwell on the past. You have to know where your feet are. You can only control today. Life gives you twists and turns, just stay focused.
Alex Khvatov: What is the most important trait for a DB?
Lamont McPhatter: You got to have the mentality and short-term memory. You have to decipher those things on the fly and execute.
Alex Khvatov: What is your favorite NFL team?
Lamont McPhatter: Growing up, my dad was from North Philly. I was an Eagles fan.
Alex Khvatov: Who is your favorite NFL player?
Lamont McPhatter: I like to watch Tyrann Mathieu and Earl Thomas. Both of those guys bring a lot to the game. They bring versatility and leadership. I idolize those guys and emulate my game after them.
Alex Khvatov: What players on your team should we keep an eye on for next season?
Lamont McPhatter: Noah Mitchell, Jermal Martin Jr., Naszhir Taylor, Gerald Brown and Noah Dillow.
Alex Khvatov: Who was the best player that you have faced on an opposing team?
Lamont McPhatter: Corey Davis from Western Michigan and Kyler Murray from Oklahoma.
Alex Khvatov: What do you enjoy most about football?
Lamont McPhatter: Being able to express myself when I am on a gridiron. To hit and not get hit as a safety. It is a violent sport. It is all about hitting somebody and making plays.
Alex Khvatov: What are your hobbies?
Lamont McPhatter: I like to cook, read and make music.
Alex Khvatov: What do you want to do with your life after your football career is over?
Lamont McPhatter: I want to get married and create a strong family. I want to provide for my family.
Alex Khvatov: What five words best describe you?
Lamont McPhatter: Humble, hungry, insatiable, relentless and determined.
