Tyrone Goard Exclusive Interview: Talking Football and Life with an NFL Prospect

Tyrone Goard was never handed anything, but he's taken advantage of every opportunity given to him. When Eastern Kentucky University was the only school to give him a shot with a scholarship, Goard took it and ran.

Goard spoke to Bleacher Report to discuss the draft and his career at Eastern Kentucky, one that saw him grow into a dominant force and a draftable prospect.

Goard is no stranger to big moves, having moved from North Carolina to West Virginia, eventually playing football at Capitol High School in Charleston, West Virginia. He was good enough to get walk-on offers at a variety of schools, but his financial situation forced him to look elsewhere. At one point, he had given up home when he finally got an offer from Eastern Kentucky.

Even though Goard grew into a dominant force at Eastern Kentucky, he is aware he still has work to do to make it in the NFL. At 6'4" and with a 4.50 40-yard dash, Goard was able to get by on pure physical superiority at Eastern Kentucky. That won't work as well in the NFL.

Still, that physical ability is enticing, and his head is definitely in the right place. At once both confident and humble, Goard warns that teams needed to double-team him, and nobody even tried to jam him, but he also is committed to getting better.

Goard is completely aware that he's "living the dream," a phrase used by so many prospects. He is relishing every second of it, but he also knows he's "gotta keep pushing, get better and better every day."

To that end, he pinpoints his route-running and catching as areas to work on, but he also is aware that every receiver could stand to improve in those areas. Goard remains confident that he can improve in those areas and grow into a legitimate NFL receiver.

To get an idea of who Goard really is, we asked him to describe himself to the world. His answer is telling:

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He's a guy that works hard, starting from the bottom and working his way up. He does what he has to do to get his work done.

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Any team drafting Goard can be confident that he'll put in the work, and the physical talent is clearly there. With his upside and work ethic, Goard could end up being a real steal in the draft's later rounds.