One-on-One: Jayah Kaisamba

(Photo:guhoyas.com)

Jayah Kaisamba has played defensive back for the Georgetown Hoyas since his freshman year in 2008. In each of his four seasons, he played in at least ten games.

Throughout his four year career, Kaisamba recorded 170.5 tackles with five forced fumbles. He also totaled 17 pass break-ups, 24 passes defensed, and seven interceptions.

After his junior year, he was First Team All Patriot League and was also named to the ECAC Division I FCS First Team. Kaisamba was also an ECAC All Star. That year, Kaisamba recorded 59.5 tackles, six pass break-ups, 11 passes defensed, and 5 interceptions.

Your junior year you were named an ECAC All Star, what does that accomplishment mean to you?
"It meant a lot to me but it also is a credit to my secondary coach, Robert Sgarlata. We had set some high standards and goals that we had wanted to achieve as a secondary and we were able to make incredible strides from my sophomore year to my junior year. It really showed the hard work that the team and myself did to improve from a season in which we won no games."

What is your favorite memory you have of playing at Georgetown?
"My favorite memory of playing at Georgetown is when we beat Lafayette University my junior year. We were down 21-7 in the second quarter and came back to win 28-24 when I picked off a pass on our own 3-yard line to seal the victory with one minute left. It was a great team victory and a testament to the hard work and four quarters of play we put together. Also, it was great because it was Georgetown's first league win since I had been there."

If a scout were to ask you what your best quality is, what would be your answer?
"I would say that off the field my best quality is my preparation. I love to watch film and breakdown tendencies of my opponent. On the field I would say my best quality is my ability to play press man, in combination with reading receivers and upper body I know it can translate that especially to the next level."

What is one thing you do that sets you apart from the rest of the DBs in the draft this year?
"I believe that the one thing that sets me apart from other DBs in this year's draft is my combination of strength and speed. There aren't too many corners that are both really strong and fast, but I think I have one of the best combinations of that as compared to those in recent year's class and it translates to my performance on the field."

What is one aspect of your game that you feel you could improve on? What have you been doing to improve on that?
"One aspect as a corner that you are always trying to work on is your hip fluidity and quickness. Having great and smooth hips helps in your transitions and with receivers being so quick you need to be able to react to their breaks and movements. I have been putting a much greater emphasis in stretching on a daily basis and doing hip exercises to increase my flexibility which also translates to being a faster player."

What have you been doing to prepare for draft and impress scouts?
"I went to the NFL Baltimore Regional Combine and also to the Beyond Sports Network Showcase in Akron, Ohio. I had a leg injury at the Regional Combine so I wasn't satisfied with my performance there but at the BSN Showcase ready and healthy I had a career day at the combine. I had also been invited to a Winnipeg tryout in Dallas but because of some circumstances out of my control I was not able to attend."

What are you most looking forward to about playing at the next level?
"The thing I look forward to most in playing at the next level is the opportunity to play against my sports heroes and legends and to prove to them and myself that I deserve to be playing and performing at a high level with them. It is an exciting time in my life and I just look forward to putting 110% into whoever gives me that opportunity."

When watching Jayah Kaisamba on film, you can't help but be impressed with his ability. His speed and ability to close is uncanny. He can easily make up five steps while the ball is in the air. He does a great job at making a play on the ball and not on the receiver. He is aggressive and has soft hands. His aggressiveness could get him into trouble. Over aggressive players run a high risk biting on fakes.

Kaisamba's numbers at the Akron combine were impressive. He ran a 4.42 40 yard dash and a 4.13 on the 5-10-5 shuttle run. He had a vertical jump of 40.5" and bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times.