Q and A with X-Men draft prospect Henoc Muamba

StFX Sports Information Coordinator Krista McKenna sat down recently with X-Men football linebacker Henoc Muamba for a Q and A session. Muamba, a top CFL prospect throughout the season, is a rumored in football circles to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming CFL taking place this Sunday, May 8th. Here's the inside scoop on Muamba's anticipation in the days leading up to the draft.

StFX:  How are you feeling leading up to draft day?

Muamba:  I’m feeling good, I am excited and just patiently waiting for Sunday to come. I can’t wait.

StFX:  Reflect back on this past season - you were the CIS Defensive Player of the Year and will leave StFX as the all-time leading tackler in X-Men history - what do these accomplishments mean to you?

Muamba:  Well, I first want to give a big thank you and shout-out to all my teammates and coaches over the past four years.  The personal accomplishments mean a lot, it’s like the cherry on top of a good career and it is very rewarding to receive an award after putting in a lot of hard work.

StFX:  What brought you to StFX?

Muamba:  The school was known for its good reputation and also Coach [Gary] Waterman taught and coached me in high school so he was an influence in bring me to StFX. Likewise my brother (Cauchy Muamba) and former X-Men Jonathan Hood were important influences.

StFX:  What will you take away from StFX?

Muamba:  I will definitely take away a lot of memories and good times, I made a lot of friendships and relationships.  I matured during my fours years at X and it has made me a stronger person, not only physically but emotionally and spiritually as well.  It is a place I will never forget and it will always be another home for me.

StFX:  No X-Men has been drafted higher then sixth overall, and StFX has had only two first round draftees dating back to 1970. What would it mean to you to be selected first overall?

Muamba:  It would mean a lot; it would be another reward for hard work. I’m a hard working guy and I have worked hard with my training over the past four years. My close friends and family will be happy, it will be great to represent those people who mean the most to me in my life. Hopefully my name will be called early on May 8th and I will let God’s will take its course.     

StFX:  Tell us one thing fans may not know about Henoc Muamba.

Muamba:  I have a collection. I collect coffee crisps, they’re my favorite chocolate!

StFX:  What is your advice to young athletes just starting their CIS career who may have professional aspirations?

Muamba:  My first advice would be to keep your marks up in the classroom. You need to first succeed in school in order to make it to the next level. Then I would say it is not an easy road, there is a lot of hard work involved and you need perseverance. There’s going to be hard times, aches and pains and injuries along the way, but you need to stay positive and stay focused on your goals and work at it year by year.

StFX:  Where are you going to be on draft day?

Muamba:  I plan on being at home with my family and close friends watching on television.

Henoc Muamba closed out his four year career with StFX this past fall as the X-Men’s all-time career leader in tackles. The 6’0”, 230 pound native of Mississauga, Ont. finished his career with 149.5 tackles, fourth overall on the AUS career tackling list. The AUS Defensive Player of the Year in both 2008 and 2010, Muamba was honored as the recipient of the President’s Trophy this past season for the top defensive player in the country.

Muamba is also a three-time CIS All-Canadian and AUS defensive all-star, and was a participant in the 2010 East-West Bowl that features the top CFL prospects in that draft year. In September, 2010, Muamba was ranked 11th by the CFL’s Scouting Bureau among the top 15 eligible prospects for the upcoming 2011 CFL Canadian Draft. After an impressive CFL evaluation camp this past March, he leapt to No. 3 on the prospect list and current rumors within football circles have him as a potential top pick in Sunday’s entry draft.

The draft is slated for Sunday, May 8th in Toronto with the first two rounds being televised live on TSN beginning at 1:30 pm AST. StFX University has had only two first round picks in CFL draft history, dating back to 1970. Mark (Farraway) Verbeek was the last X-Men to be selected in the first round, chosen 8th overall in 1997, while Andrew McConnell is the highest X-Men to be selected to date, selected 6th overall in 1987. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers hold the rights to the first pick in this year’s CFL draft, followed by the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions.

To view more information on X-Men draft prospect Henoc Muamba, visit the Prospect Central section of the CFL website or TSN online.