- Name: Noah Conner
- Position: Nickel OLB / / SS
- College: Missouri Southern State University
- Height: 6’2
- Weight: 203
- Twitter: 1o_NoNo
- Instagram: _nono_two4
What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2027 NFL Draft?
What makes me a top prospect at my position in the 2027 NFL Draft is my physicality and position flexibility, with the ability to play on the roof as well as an outside LB/Nickel. I have the size, speed, and mechanics as any other nickel or strong safety in FBS football, and I plan to show that during my pro day, God willing.
Tell me about a time you faced adversity and how you responded?
Adversity has been a consistent theme in my life, especially as I transitioned into a collegiate athlete. One of the biggest turning points in my career happened after I had walked on and made the team for Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. I had worked very hard, driving an hour every day during the summer of 2023 from my mom’s house in Tyler to Athens to participate with the team. After making the team and competing in Fall camp, my season came to an abrupt halt because I would be deemed ineligible. This happened because I wasn’t able to get my previous transcript due to not having money to pay off the holds. After a short conversation with the head and position coach, I was let go, and my season was gone. At this point, I was ready to give up Football altogether. I was defeated because all the work, effort, and money I had put into playing that year amounted to nothing, and I was still in debt. I decided to move myself back home to Chicago with no money or other offers to another school. I just knew I had to reset and come up with a lot of money fast if I ever wanted to play again. I started working full time and even overtime some weeks. On top of working, I had to keep myself in shape, so when the given opportunity came, I would be ready to compete. After long days of work or early mornings, I would allocate my time to the field and gym. Eventually, by January 2024, I was able to come up with the ten thousand dollars I needed to release the transcript from my previous college. With the transcript now in hand, I was given an opportunity to play for Los Angeles Valley College. After moving myself out to California and competing in 8 games in 2024, I was blessed with making all-league as a Safety as well as receiving accolades from the college. This successful season gave me the film I needed to gather over 8 division 1 offers. Going from being completely defeated in 2023 to accomplishing something I’ve dreamed of most of my youth just within a year showed me that adversity doesn’t mean failure. Adversity can come in many shapes and forms throughout life, but as long as you choose to keep going and trust that God has a plan for your success, it will come in due time.
What are your hobbies outside of football?
One of my favorite hobbies outside of football is working on cars. Although I’m no mechanic, I do enjoy modifying a car. Whether it’s making the vehicle faster or just the aesthetics of the car, I find a lot of happiness in learning how to add to the vehicle. I also enjoy collecting cards, whether it’s sports cards or anything to Magic: The Gathering.
What role do you see yourself playing at the next level?
At the next level, I see myself as a hybrid safety that can play in the box but can go into coverage, whether that’s covering ground or man. I believe this makes me versatile to play mostly any Safety position.
If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?
If I could donate to one cause in the world, it would be helping underserved communities. I say this because while growing up, I saw a lot of people around me, whether it was a friend or just an associate, make the wrong choices. A lot of what caused these people to make these decisions came from the pressure of being in such environments. So with that being said, if God ever blesses me with the opportunity to give donations to these people, I wouldn’t hesitate. My hope would be that the donations would go towards bringing people out of their environment, whether that’s temporary or even permanently. This would help people see other parts of the world and hopefully open their minds up to realize there is more to life than what’s going on in their current communities.
How do you handle coaching, especially criticism or being corrected repeatedly?
Very well, I am always able to pick apart and pull out the message rather than getting caught up in the delivery. I believe every coach has something that can help with my game. Being corrected repeatedly can be frustrating, but more with myself and not applying what the coach is looking for in that situation. All in all, I have to believe the coach is there to help me get better.
Who is the most underrated teammate at your school?
My most underrated teammate is Tillman Martin. He started for us as a true freshman and made a name for himself. He’s smart enough and has a good enough arm to play anywhere in college football. I look forward to seeing what he will do for us this coming season.
If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would it be and why did you choose them?
If I could have dinner with three people, it would first be my late grandfather. He had a huge impact on not just my life but my family as a whole. He was there for us through a lot of tough times and always seemed to know what to do or had the right words to say. My next person would be Coach Lester Towns. This was my junior college coach. He really poured into me as a player and individual. He played in the NFL and had an interception against Brett Ferve as a linebacker; he also was a defensive coach for Alabama for a number of years. My third person would be my late great-grandmother. I was fortunate enough to meet her earlier on in my life. Now, as a young adult, I wish I had more time to build a relationship and hear her stories. She lived long enough to see 4 generations that came from her. I know she was very wise. God blessed her with a long life.
If you were benched tomorrow, what would be the most likely reason?
If I were benched tomorrow, the most likely reason I could come up with is if I were to get too emotional as I was playing and I needed to calm down for a minute to regain composure. I play football with a lot of passion. As I’ve developed into a collegiate athlete, I’ve been a lot better at controlling my emotions, especially during a game. That being said, I don’t foresee this being an issue anymore, but if I had to pick one reason, this most likely would be why. I’m generally a laid-back individual, but I definitely flip a switch when my helmet comes on. I believe it’s a big aspect of my game, especially as a defender.
Walk me through your typical pre-game routine?
My typical pregame routine starts as I arrive at the facility. I will grab bands and either go somewhere I can have my own space in the facility or out to a corner of the field depending on the weather. There I will go through some stretches as I listen to music. Next, I like to get somewhat dressed as far as pants and Under Armour. I will then take myself to the training room or to the trainers to get taped. During this time, I like to go on YouTube and watch college highlights of past and present FBS safeties. Once I’m taped, I go back to the locker room. There in my locker, I like to just go through some mental steps, whether it’s envisioning what I have to do during the game or things I need to remember about my opponent. I won’t think too hard about it because the preparation should already be done, and I want to be loose as I go out onto the field. I then will get completely dressed and make sure I’m hydrated and fueled up, ready to go through the team’s pre-game rehearsal.
What is your favorite snack food?
If I had to choose one favorite snack food, it would have to be dried mangos, especially the ones from Trader Joe’s.
What scheme do you feel you fit the best in?
The scheme I feel I fit best in is a 4-2-5. This allows for a hybrid linebacker on the field. Someone that can play the run game well but also drop into coverage or play man. As a safety that can play all three positions, I believe this is a scheme that I would fit well in.
What is your degree in?
My degree is in Marketing. Growing up, working in sales was always something I did well in. So once I got to college, I decided I wanted to take a field of study that would give me more knowledge in understanding the science behind sales.
What would be the first thing you buy with your first NFL check?
The first thing I would buy with my first NFL check would be a house for my mom and grandmother. I know this is probably the most generic response, but my mom has moved around a lot and never been able to get one on her own yet. I really aspire to do that for her one day, God willing. My grandmother has an older home that was owned by her mother in West Philadelphia that she has been in since I was born. I want to move her out of that neighborhood, as it has just gotten worse over time.
Describe a time in a game where you feel you made a mistake, and explain how you bounced back?
There was an early game back in 2024 when I made a mistake overreaching and shooting my hands too far, and ended up giving the receiver a big play for 20-30 yards. That had caused me to lose some trust with my coaches. The following week in practice, I knew I needed to reestablish myself and have a big game. One of the coaches had talked down to me and tried to question if I should continue to start. Instead of responding badly or letting them affect the play, I locked in on how I could have a big game. Fast forward to the game; the very first snap I got, I intercepted the quarterback and also forced a fumble late in the 4th quarter to keep my team alive. Every time I get bothered or start to question myself, I remember this game, and my ability and my confidence come right back. I think it’s important every athlete does this because nobody will always be perfect; mistakes will happen in the game, but it’s how you respond that makes you stand out among the rest. I plan to really utilize this mindset going into this season.
Name three songs, we can expect on your playlist?
Three songs you can expect on my playlist are Love Sosa by Chief Keef, Struggle by G Herbo, and Bring Me To Life by Evanescence.
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