CB Darrell Luter Jr. Press Conference

CB Darrell Luter Jr.

Press Conference – April 29, 2023

San Francisco 49ers

Just wondering what your pre-draft interaction was with the 49ers, whether you paid a visit, had a workout or anything like that?

“I had a Zoom call to start off with them. It was my second Zoom call after my pro day. After that Zoom call, I had a 30 visit which was last week with them. Everything went well.”

What has your interaction been with defensive coordinator Steve Wilks? He’s kind of a defensive backs and safety specialist.

“I heard so much about him because I went to dinner with one of the DB coaches there, so they always told me what he’s big on, what his rules are, and so when I got to meet him, the vibe was there. I connected with him instantly. He loved everything that I was talking about. We were watching film and we connected very well. I feel like I had a real good vibe with him and we both ended it off well.”

I’ve noticed from some highlight tapes that you seem like a particularly physical player. Do you enjoy playing a little bit closer to the box and line of scrimmage? I know you have versatility between slot corner and outside, but is there something that you really like about being able to show that physicality closer to the box?

“Oh yeah. Being close up and in press, it allows me to put my hands on early. It allows me to be able to rough those receivers up and get them into their routes sooner than they would want to. That’s something that I’ve done since I was little. I’ve been doing that coverage, especially press, my whole football career.”

Aside from that physicality, how would you describe your skills as a corner?

“I feel like they are on top of the roof. I got the strength, I got the physicality, they say I got the mental part of the game. Especially coming into the NFL, that’s something that I take pride in. I always talk about, once I get drafted I’m getting into the playbook as soon as I get there. I’m connecting with a veteran because I want to get that stuff already taken care of. I want to be able to make people feel like I am a veteran, that way I’m comfortable. When I get out on the field, I want coaches to know that they can trust me on that field, so that’s what I’m bringing. I’m bringing the physicality part and I’m bringing the mental part to the game.”

Do you consider yourself an outside corner or a nickel? Do you expect to cross train when you get here? What have they told you initially about how they see you fitting in to the 49ers defensive back field?

“Honestly, I’m very versatile. I play both nickel and outside corner. I can play both. Of course, a majority of my career I have played outside, but I’ve also been reintroduced a couple of times back at nickel since high school, so I can play both positions. It doesn’t matter which one, as long as I’m able to help out the team in any way.”

I read that you were a no star recruit. If that’s accurate, what did colleges miss about you and were you surprised coming out of high school that there wasn’t more interest?

“So, there’s a story behind all that but we’ll get into that later on down the road, but I feel like a lot of teams missed out on the skillset that I have, the abilities that I have that I’ve been given. I also feel like they missed out on the stuff that I bring to the game. Again, like I always tell you, the mental and the physical part, I feel like they missed out on those things and so, as you see later down the line from high school to Pearl [River Community College], from Pearl to South [Alabama] you see nothing but progression, and people just look back like, ‘Wow, why haven’t we recruited that guy or even take that guy in?’ It’s all good though.”

We can see that sign waving behind you. Can you describe where you are and who’s with you?

“Boom! This is actually a sign that my mother-in-law made. This was around graduation time and you see up close this is the picture when I was in the locker room. Today, we’ve got a couple veterans out. I have my aunties and my uncles. I have my cousins. I have my wife, my daughter. I have my nephew. Pretty much got a good amount of family here to support me. So, I mean this is an excellent day.”

Being a husband and a girl dad, how does that affect how you’ve prepared your life for this NFL career?

“Man, it’s unexplainable. I’m not going to lie to you. Since the day I knew I was projected to get drafted, to the day I got married, to the day I got a kid, everything’s just been building on top of each other. It continues to motivate me. It adds onto the stuff I was already motivated from in the past, so it just keeps building up. It’s very unexplainable, man.”

I was just wondering if you knew S Tarvarius Moore who also went to Pearl River? He used to play for the San Francisco 49ers and is now with the Green Bay Packers.

“I honestly don’t. I’ve heard a lot about him, but I honestly never got a chance to meet him. I look forward and hope I get a chance to meet him one day.”