Name: Tyler Adams
School: Harvard/Butler University Graduate Transfer
Position: WR
Height: 6-0
Weight: 194

Q: What goals did you set and/or accomplish in your final collegiate season? 

Each year I think it’s important to have both individual and team goals. Coming off of an ACL injury, my biggest individual goal was to get back to my normal self and be our explosive playmaker downfield to propel our receiver room and diversify our pass game. From a team perspective, I wanted to contribute to a changing culture at Butler and we wanted to be in the running for a league championship by the end of the season. With a new coaching staff coming in and a handful of graduate transfers, myself being one, we wanted to show Butler fans and the Pioneer League that this is a new program that can be dangerous to play against. After a combined 3 wins the previous two years, we were able to win 7 games and shut out Dayton breaking the longest non-shutout streak in college football. By week 9 we were a contender for the league title.

Q: What would your coaches and teammates say about the type of player you are?

I think my coaches and teammates would say I’m someone who embraces adversity and faces it head on. I’ve dealt with multiple ACL injuries prior to getting to Butler and was only 9 months out of my second surgery at the start of the season, but along the way always tried to maintain a “what can I control” mentality. It enabled me to look through adversity and be the playmaker our team needed when we were looking for a breakout play.

Q: When you are studying film, what are the things you focus on to improve your game?

When I study film I’m looking at two things as a receiver. First, I’m looking at the big picture for coverage schemes when we align in different formations or on different downs/distances. Second, I’m looking closely at the technique of the defensive backs to know their tendencies going into the game. Being prepared for how corners press, how DB’s play in off-man coverage out of the slot, or even when a guy will flip his hips during a route allow me to anticipate my next move to find an opening in the defense.

Q: What separates you from the other pro prospects at your position? 

My biggest separation from other guys at my position is my combination of downfield speed with the ability to make contested catches in traffic. At the next level, everyone can run fast, but the great players are the ones that make the catches that shouldn’t be caught. I really pride myself on being able to go over or through a defender and help our quarterbacks out when the ball isn’t thrown the way they want or there isn’t an open window like we anticipated before the snap.

Q: What is your offseason plan to train and prepare for professional opportunities?

I’ll be doing a lot of weight training with our strength and conditioning coach at Butler, and place a heavy emphasis on speed and agility training with a speed coach to maintain the burst in and out of cuts needed to create separation. My biggest focus going into the offseason is always how I can get faster to play at full speed.

Q: What kind of strengths and abilities will you bring to a team that will stand out both on and off the field?

On the field I’ll bring reliability, consistency, and work ethic. When I’m on the field I’ll execute my job and when the ball is thrown in my direction it’s my responsibility to make a play. In practice, my goal is to continue to build exponentially on what I’ve learned all season to excel. Everyone is athletic at the next level, but I want my guys to know that when I’m on the field they can rely on me to make plays and contribute to the success of our football team. Off the field, the team will be getting a selfless leader. Someone who is coachable and will have a desire to learn from the veterans and coaching staff, but will push teammates to do the same and to battle through challenges that a football season brings.

Q: What is your final pitch to the NFL and any other pro leagues?

My final pitch is that all I’ve ever asked of myself is to get an opportunity to play at the next level. Everything I achieve in my football career will be earned. I want an opportunity to prove in camp that I can be a valuable asset to a team and I’ll show that through my actions both on and off the field through my work ethic and positive attitude in adversity.