NFL Combine Interviews: Alabama Fullback Jalston Fowler met with Packers

On Thursday during media days at the NFL Scouting Combine, Alabama fullback Jalston Fowler was among the players who were available. Acme Packing Company spoke to the big back, who was surprisingly versatile for a big man in racking up over 700 rushing and 100 receiving yards in his college career.

Fowler began by talking about the Combine process so far:

It's been good so far, just busy all day. From the time you get in, you got something to do. Lot of meetings with teams, just informal meetings, not the formal meetings. Only got a couple of formal meetings, because I did most of that at the Senior Bowl.

Did he talk to the Packers?

I did talk to them, I talked to one coach (running backs coach Sam Gash), he was telling me that he was a fullback in the league. He was just telling me he gone be watching me and to see, can I join that fraternity as a fullback? He gone be watching me to see if I can earn that.

The fullback is a dying breed in the NFL, but does he think he can bring it back?

Yeah, I can bring it back. I see a couple teams using the fullback, it's just more of a move-around guy, kind of a do-it-all guy. Some of them put them outside, let them catch the ball. Some of them block in the backfield. Me, I can pretty much do it all, so I gotta think I'll last a while once I get in.

On his strengths:

I can catch the ball well, I can block, be physical at the point of attack. I can also run the ball.

And his influences growing up:

Jerome Bettis because I always been a big guy. So I tried to learn how to move like a finesse guy like Jerome Bettis.

On whether he is the top fullback in the draft:

You know it, baby! I can pretty much do everything ... some of these guys can just block, but I'm a great catcher.

On his attitude off the field:

I'm just a cool, collected guy, like to hang out with friends and have a good time. Play video games, if a friend wants to go bowling, go bowling. Just hang out, just have fun.

What was his relationship like with Alabama head coach Nick Saban?

Coach Saban was cool. He talked to me at (Senior Bowl) practice, he says he used to walk around at practice messing with everybody. Me and him had a good relationship, except one time me and him banged heads one time, but we apologized to each other and moved on.

He said he was just trying to light a fire under me. That's pretty much it. He thought I said something about him at practice, but really he was just picking at me at practice, just trying to get a fire under me that's it. That's last year around the Oklahoma game. He did it in front of the team, me and him banged heads a little bit.

On what stood out about blocking for Eddie Lacy:

Spin move, circle button (laughs).

On the positions he played on special teams:

I play the PP (personal protector) on punt, I play the 4 scout on punt return, and I play the left guard on kickoff return.

What's his favorite food?

I don't like junk food, I like to each fried chicken.

On his weight now and goals for the future:

I weighed 254 today. I was at 264 at the Senior Bowl, and I feel pretty good about the weight. But I'm gonna continue to work to get it down, I want to be down around 245, 248. Like my pops tell me all the time, the strength is not going to go anywhere, it's always gonna be there.

On goals for the 40-yard dash:

I ain't the fastest guy, try to get in the 4.6, 4.7. Ain't the fastest guy, never was.

On Thursday, Fowler measured in at 5'11" and 254 pounds. He is scheduled to participate in on-field workouts with the running back and fullback group on Saturday at the Combine. He is expected to be a mid-round draft pick, and is likely to be the first fullback off the board.