Quick Chat: Smael Mondon, Jr.

By John Frierson
Staff Writer

Smael Mondon, Jr. wasn't always a tackling machine, or the catcher of very unusual interceptions in the SEC Championship Game. The Georgia sophomore inside linebacker has certainly emerged as such this season, however. Heading into the College Football Playoff, Mondon, who missed two games with an injury, is tied with Jamon Dumas-Johnson for the team lead with 64 tackles.

Back at Paulding County High School, the now 6-foot-3 and 220-pound Mondon, from Dallas, Ga., did a bit of everything. The former five-star recruit got plenty of tackles in high school, of course, but he also proved productive at quarterback, running back and receiver.

During a recent Quick Chat, Mondon talked about his days on offense, rewatching that wild interception against LSU, his deep love of cheeseburgers, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:

Frierson: We're doing this the day before the early signing period begins, so what do you remember about your signing day? Was it as exciting a time as I imagine it would be?

Mondon: Signing day wasn't really that big of a deal because I had already committed the month before. It wasn't like a toss-up or anything, I wasn't thinking about flipping or anything like that, it was more so just like closing the book because I'm officially signed.

Frierson: Were you glad to have the whole recruiting process over with?

Mondon: It was exciting to know where I was going, but I enjoyed the process. It was a fun process, getting to meet new people and see different possibilities. Even if it was a school that I most like knew I wasn't going to, it was still fun to get see the facilities and get to go different places.

Frierson: What was it like playing a bunch of different positions in high school? did you ever leave the field?

Mondon: It was a fun experience, especially doing it with all of my friends that I grew up with.

Frierson: How would you describe yourself as an offensive player?

Mondon: [Laughs] I don't know, I guess electric. That was high school; I haven't touched the ball in a while. I touched the ball in the LSU game and I didn't really make too much of it. I don't think I gained any yards on the interception, but it was still just fun, like a flashback.

Frierson: How much does that interception come up these days just because it was such an unusual play?

Mondon: I'm not going to lie, I like to play music and just watch it in the background, like a highlight [laughs]. I don't know how much it comes up on the internet but it comes up on my phone a lot [laughs].

Frierson: Did all of your time playing offense in high school help you be a better defensive player in college?

Mondon: Yeah, I feel like it has. I understand blocks, I guess, open space, and how to fit blocks. I felt like I could understand that naturally after being on the other side and knowing where they want to hit it.

Frierson: It's the holiday season, a season of gift giving, so what is the best present you've ever received?

Mondon: I don't know, maybe this offer to come to Georgia. It got me here and opened a lot of doors to meeting a lot of people.

Frierson: That was certainly one you earned, I'd say.

Mondon: If it's a gift that was given to me, it was a bike. I forgot how old I was, but it was the first bike I ever got. The called my mom and told her to hide me in the living room, and my dad brought it in. I rode that bike all through the house; I remember it had training wheels on it. I forgot what year it was, but that's one that stays with me.

Frierson: Who is the funniest person on the team?

Mondon: Probably Trezmen (Marshall). [Laughs] He's just funny. I don't know, you can just look at Trez and he'll say something regular but I'll just laugh. It's his voice and everything. Trey is just a funny guy.

Frierson: How valuable is that during a long season?

Mondon: It's really valuable. It helps on those days when people are sluggish and stuff like that. People like that just make you handle those days a lot better.

Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?

Mondon: A cheeseburger. People call me some type of dawg because of how many burgers I eat. I love cheeseburgers.

Frierson: Is there a place that makes your No. 1 cheeseburger?

Mondon: It really just depends on how I'm feeling. If I'm feeling like I'm going to keep it original, it's McDonald's. A lot of people like to talk trash about McDonald's, but I feel like I'm the one that still keeps them in business with how much I eat McDonald's [laughs].

I used to work at McDonald's in high school. I really like the McDouble. The double cheeseburger has an extra layer of cheese that the McDouble doesn't have, and I don't really like all of that cheese, so I stick with the McDouble. That was my first job in high school.

I'll go to Wendy's sometimes, and if the pocket's feeling good, I might go to Five Guys, which is on the more expensive side. Or Grindhouse, right down the road (a few blocks from Georgia's practice fields). I like to switch it up.

(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)

Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.

Players Mentioned

Jamon Dumas-Johnson

Smael Mondon, Jr.

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