‘I made some stupid mistakes’: Orlando Scandrick opens up about his time at Boise State on ESPN | Idaho Statesman

Former Boise State star defensive back Orlando Scandrick appeared on ESPN’s “Highly Questionable” on Monday afternoon and opened up about several topics, including his time at Boise State and overcoming perceived character issues.

The 30-year-old Scandrick, originally from Southern California, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Scandrick took first-team reps in mandatory minicamp earlier this month, according to ESPN‘s Todd Archer. Scandrick has started 58 games in his nine-year NFL career; he missed the entire 2015 season with a knee injury .

Despite running a 4.32 40-yard-dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, Scandrick fell in the draft due to what he believes was immaturity. When asked about “do-overs,” Scandrick admitted he would have focused more on school and personal growth.

“I’d go back and I’d apply myself more in school, try and just show more maturity. I was a very immature kid. I left college at 20 years old. I did some stupid things. I made some stupid mistakes,” Scandrick said in the interview. “It’s a difference between character and immaturity. I think I was immature. I don’t think I have bad character. But, you know, that’s not my decision, and that’s so far behind me, but I would have just tried to be more mature.”

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Scandrick also discussed the difficult transition from California to Idaho.

“It was much different. Living in California, you have great weather all year. Living in Idaho, you have some days where you don’t even want to go outside. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I was walking to class and the wind chill was hitting in the face and I was like, ‘I’m going to turn around and walk with the wind and just go home,’ ” Scandrick said. “I always say, I felt like it was like five years behind. I felt like I was seeing things there when I was 12 years old.”

Scandrick was also asked about where his toughness comes from. The 5-foot-10, 192-pound Scandrick referenced his grandfather as inspiration, who he lost when he was eight.

“I was doing everything for my grandfather. How would he feel about me? Is he smiling? Is he happy with the progress I’m making in life? Is he happy with the person I became today? And I think that made me tougher, because I was living for someone’s expectations that was no longer here,” Scandrick said.