2020 NFL Draft Prospect Joe Gaziano: 'Playing For Patriots Would Be Dream Come True
(CBS Boston)- The NFL Draft is a little over a month away, and despite no longer being a public event, is still on the minds of sports fans everywhere. Hundreds of prospects are hoping to hear their names called the weekend of April 23rd-25th, and Massachusetts native and Northwestern defensive lineman Joe Gaziano is one of them.
A former three-star recruit out of Xaverian Brothers High School, Gaziano went on to become Northwestern's all-time sack leader (30) over the course of his five years with the program. His father and uncle both played football collegiately at Lafayette College, and he credits them with getting him into the game.
Oh, and of course, growing up in the era of the Patriots' run of dominance didn't hurt either. This is his story, in his words, with some light editing.
One of my earliest memories watching football was the Patriots playing the Rams in 2001 and the "Greatest Show on Turf" team in Super Bowl XXXVI. Being in the New England area, everybody watches the Patriots, and being able to watch them got me into the game of football at an early age.
Combine that with my dad and uncle playing football into their collegiate years, and football was ingrained in me early. I started playing at the youth level in third grade, and I actually ended up playing with the kids a year ahead of me because I was big for my age.
My dad was my coach, and he and my uncle both were huge influences in my learning what it takes to be a player and the heart and grittiness of it. Not only were the pair of them influences on my football life, they are the reason that I have the name I do.
See, in an Italian family, the tradition is that the father of your father gets to name you, which would be my grandfather. My grandfather, he had given the rights to the name Joseph to my uncle, Joe, who obviously carries the name to this day. He calls himself the 'OJG' Original Joe Gaziano.
My dad wanted the name Joseph, so in order to get that, my uncle said, 'let's make a trade, what do you have?' To which my dad said, 'Well, I have this old weight bench I have been carrying around.' My uncle said 'Perfect' so the meathead in the family, they made the trade, and I ended up with the name Joseph Gaziano.
Safe to say once I got started playing football, I fell in love with the game, but it didn't become much of a thought for me as to how far it could take me until after my sophomore year of high school. I had a teammate that I aspired to be like, Mo (Maurice) Hurst, who now plays for the Raiders and played at Michigan. I was a sophomore and starting for the first time when he was a senior and had the hype train already rolling because he was committed to Michigan and one of the best players in the state of Massachusetts that year. So, I had someone to follow that path and become someone at my high school who could take over that role of being a leader and a captain.
Playing next to Mo also made my life a lot easier as a sophomore, having to deal with just single one-on-one blocks since he was doubled so often. But, once my junior year came and I started getting offers from colleges, that is when it became surreal.
I grew up playing the game, my dad influenced me in playing the game so I never really thought of it as this is something that could take me on a path. It was more just, I love this game and let's just take it as far as possible.
During high school, I played lacrosse in the offseason for football, which I think really helped my overall development as an athlete. Though I was much better at football, lacrosse gave me certain skill sets I could translate to playing defensive line. In lacrosse, having quick feet and being able to change direction quickly are key.
A perfect example is this. In lacrosse, an attack man is bearing down on you trying to dodge and get towards the crease for a shot on cage. In order to keep him away, you're squaring him up with your shoulders and forcing him back to the alley where you have help or you use your hands and physicality to force him out along the goal line extended.
In football, playing the zone read, you have to be able to shuffle down the line of scrimmage, keep your shoulders square and then, if the quarterback pulls the ball, stop on a dime and get flat down the line of scrimmage going back the other way and make the tackle on a quarterback. That same foot speed and change of direction agility translates nicely.
Once I realized that football could be a way to put me through college, I started and ended my search with academic schools. Coming out of high school, three-star ranking out of Massachusetts, I wasn't very highly touted. So I wasn't thinking I want to go to a school that is going to send me on to the NFL.
My thought process was, I want to go somewhere, get a great education that would set me up for the next 40 years. Get a great job somewhere, and if I happen to become a great player there and develop my skills, then I would take a shot at the next level. Academics were first and foremost.
With Northwestern, the academics were clearly there. But beyond that, it was the people I encountered and Coach Fitz to be honest. I knew he was going to be there all four years that I was there. I knew he was true to his word.
My time at Northwestern was amazing, because I was part of a special group. The class above me was quarterback Clayton Thorson and running back Justin (Jackson) and all of those guys. To be a part of that history there, the sack record is awesome, but when I got it, the first thing I said on social media was it takes a village. There are three other defensive linemen on the field at all times. They're eating up blocks. There are linebackers and DBs making coverages. There are guys blitzing that make the quarterback flush towards me. So, yeah it's cool to be a part of history and have my name cemented like that at least until someone breaks it hopefully in the near future. But, yeah, it's cool to be part of that history of winning bowl games and being part of championship teams.
Following my career there, I was hoping to get an invite to the NFL Combine, though one never came. But, I just told myself I'm going to use this as fuel for the fire. I had a successful career at Northwestern, I thought I would get that invite, and I was hopeful that I would. But, when it doesn't come, you can't let it beat you down. You can't let it beat you twice. I got beat in that round, but like Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder, you have to stand up and throw punches in the next round. You can't take a loss and let that defeat you. I have been using it as motivation to work harder.
I have since gone through my pro day and had the opportunity to speak with NFL teams. And the main thing that I have heard from them is asking for versatility. Some see me as an edge rusher who may have to drop into coverage. Others think I can play three-technique defensive end and hold people up at the point of attack in a 3-4. Basically, for me, I am working to prove I can do all of those things.
I'm a relentless player. I can play all three downs, stout against the run, and I pride myself on the fact that I don't get moved off the line of scrimmage, willing to go toe-to-toe with any guy on the offensive line. At the same time, I have the athleticism, I have the length and speed to come off the edge and rush the quarterback consistently.
Consistency is a big part of my game. I'm a smart player and able to use my knowledge of offensive schemes and of the game against a team. But, at the same time, I'm an instinctual player, who can read and react. My best attribute is being relentless and getting to the ball carrier whatever it takes.
When it comes to draft day, I am excited to go to whatever team wants to make me part of their NFL family. But, if I were to be drafted by the Patriots? That would be an ideal situation. I would have to spend probably my first couple of game checks on various ticket requests for my entire family. It would be a dream come true having grown up watching those guys.