National Scouting Combine Player Spotlight: Zach Hadorn

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Name: Zack Hadorn
School: Saginaw Valley State University

Q: How did you get started playing football? 

A: I started playing football when I was in third grade, I wanted to start earlier because I grew up watching my brother play but through our little league organization you had to at least be in third grade to start playing tackle football.

Q: What separates you from all the other athletes trying to become a professional?

A: I have a very strong work ethic and will always go above and beyond what is asked of me.  This has been a dream for me sense I was a little kid running around in the neighborhood playing pick-up football with my friends.  I have grown up with people always telling me that I am not going to make it and that I am to small, that has been my drive and chip on my shoulder to prove everyone wrong and fulfill my dreams.  I will outwork any individual I am up against!

Q: Tell us about your college choice, career and what the recruiting process was like.

A: I chose to go to Saginaw Valley State University which is a DII college in Michigan.  During my recruiting process, I was approached by a lot of the schools in the GLIAC which is the conference that SVSU participates in, as well as a few DI MAC conference teams.  When it came down to making a decision it was hard but I chose SVSU because they were always calling me and reaching out to me asking how everything was going and just made it feel like they truly cared about me more than just a player but also as an individual. 

Q: What would you consider to be your biggest accomplishment in your sports career so far?

A: I was a 3-year starter at Saginaw Valley State University and my senior year I received honorable mention in the GLIAC.

Q: What do you consider to be one of the more important things you learned from the coaching staff?

A: The thing that sticks with me the most from my coaching staff is the word FINISH.  This was something that was always preached to us and was a standard at Saginaw Valley State University.  Finish does not mean just get through whatever you are doing, but it means give it your all until the very end of the drill, game, or even in the academic setting.  This has been a standard that I have implemented into my life, I will never go through the motions, if I am told to finish through five yards I am going to sprint 7 yards to ensure that I finish to the best of my ability and leave everything I have on each task asked of me!

Q: What is/was your biggest challenge and how do/did you manage it?

A: I stayed at Saginaw every summer for our optional workouts, one summer I was there and my grandmother passed away who I had been very close with, I missed a week of workouts but even while I was in Arizona for the funeral I was still working out.  This drove me to do my absolute best because I knew that she wouldn’t want me to feel sorry for myself and to keep pushing.  Also I have had to overcome financial struggles every year, while playing I was able to maintain a 3.0 GPA as well as maintain a job and not allow for that to affect my athletic performance.

Q: What is your biggest strength or X factor that you bring to a professional team?

A: I have been the underdog throughout my entire career, everyone has always said that I am not going to make it.  I have already proved them wrong with making it to college football now I am going to do my best to prove them wrong again.  I have that chip on my shoulder and am willing to do anything that is needed to help my team win!  I have a great work ethic and go above and beyond what is asked of me, I currently work 12 hour days and train in the middle.  I am the type of person that will lay my body on the line every time I step on the field because I am here to prove that I can play with anyone and will do whatever is needed of me.

Q: Who is or has been the most influential person in your life?

A:  My parents have been the most influential people in my life, I have grown up watching them grind every day.  I know that some days it wasn’t the best day for them but they still came home from work and took me to practice and sat there the entire time watching always giving me their coaching at the end then taking me back home making dinner and once I was asleep they kept working.  Watching the work ethic of my parents has truly influenced me to be the best that I can be at whatever I do.

Q: What are your goals with football? If football does not work out, then what?

A: I would love to play professional football for as long as I can!  This is a dream and I would love the opportunity to turn it into a reality.  With football, I am not looking for the fame but the opportunity to take my abilities and gifts and pay it forward by helping the younger generation learn more about football or even just helping them make it in life.  That would be one of the most rewarding aspects of playing football.  If football does not work out I am going to be a professional Strength and Conditioning coach hopefully working with professional athletes.

Q: How did you prepare for the National Scouting Combine and what are your expectations?

A: I have been training at Barwis Methods in Port St Lucie Florida under Mike Barwis who has trained numerous professional football players.  I have been working out every day and pushing myself to the absolute max.  I expect to be one of the top athletes in my position at the combine, I have put in the hard work and time in perfecting every aspect of running and lifting as well as on field play.

Q: What would be your ultimate achievement?

A: I was not named the team captain but my ultimate achievement would be becoming the leader of my position group for two years.

Q: If you have to compare yourself to a current pro player, who would it be and why?

A: I would compare myself to JJ Watt because I have watched him play every year that he has been in the league and tried to pattern my play after his.  He is a very hard noise player with a lot of grit which I also see in myself.  He was a walk on in college that had to prove himself and then became an amazing NFL athlete.  I was not a walk on but I had to also prove myself to our coaches and show that I was there to not only be the best at what I do but also that I am willing to what is needed to help the team achieve the set preseason goals.

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