Jaguar Profile: Derek Cox,

by Photos and interview: Daniel Goncalves
Q: You came from William and Mary, it’s your rookie year. Where’s home? What do you miss most from home?
A: North Carolina. I would just have to say, home is home. You know. There is no place like home as you’ve heard. I have a great family, so you know, not being at home I miss all of them. School, college is a fun time and definitely miss all the people back at William and Mary. I formed a lot of friendships there, established a lot of relationships. Can’t wait to get back to see a lot of people so that would be one of the first things that I do.
Q: I noticed you had a pretty snazzy haircut before the season began, who gave you that rookie haircut?
A: That Haircut was done by Reggie Nelson and um Scott Starks.
Q: What was the inspiration?
A: It was Reggie’s handprint on my head and Starks held the clippers so it was a combined effort.
Q: I can tell you’re a joker, are you a bit of a prankster?
A: No I’m not a prankster, I used to be when I was younger. I got out of the pranking business but yeah there are some pranksters on the team.
Q: What’s your best prank from your prank business heyday and what era was it executed in?
A: (laughs) Let me see, that’s hard. Let me think back to college. There wasn’t anything I did in college. I got to dig deep. Biggest prank I may have done….The worst prank I may have done. I must have been in grade 4 so I must have been 9 or 10. I remember I took my brother’s toothbrush, I was mad at him and I took his toothbrush and I scrubbed the toilet with it for a little bit (laughs) and I put it back in the toothbrush jar. So when he used it that’s what he got in his mouth.
Q: Did he notice?
A: Nah, he didn’t notice because I never told him. That was probably the worst prank I have ever done. I didn’t care I was trying to get him back.
Q: What’s your favorite restaurant in Jacksonville?
A: Favorite restaurant. Uh, I enjoy J Alexander’s, it’s in (St. John’s) Town Center, it’s right across from Cantina Laredo.
Q: What kind of food do you like?
A: I wouldn’t say there is a particular food that I like. I like different things. Usually when I go there (J Alexander’s) I get uh, they have roasted chicken and mashed potatoes because they give good portions that’s why they’re high on my list for good restaurants.
Q: Do you cook?
A: No. I do a little bit, not enough to claim that I cook. I can do roasted peppers.
Q: I know you don’t get too much downtime right now, but when you do, what do you do on your downtime?
A: Usually it’s just been relaxing; I like to catch up on my old tv shows that I’ve missed during the week. Check up on some of my reading and contact my friends.
Q: What kind of reading do you do?
A: Book I’m reading right now is “Today Matters,” you can say it’s one of those “self help” books. The main focus of the book is making the most out of everyday and how to make yourself a successful person through your daily habits.
Q: So it helps you get that “roasted pepper” just right?
A: (laughs) yeah!
Q: Do you do any Madden?
A: Nah, I used to be big on that when I was in high school. Once I was in college I just never found the time. I spent a lot of time doing that in high school. Occasionally Halo but I haven’t played since I left college.
Q: What kind of personality are you on the team?
A: I’d say I’m the laugher. Right now I just observe, soak it all up, get a feel for people and get comfortable with people. I do a lot of observing and as a result I do a lot of laughing.
Q: Nicknames?
A: Some of the guys call me “Baby Tuck.” That’s in relation to coach Tucker, that’s saying I’m his son.
Q: Or his baby?
A: Yeah, there are some similarities.
Q: What do you go by?
A: Derek, D Cox.
Q: First Job?
A: With my dad, he was a contractor, had me up early doing construction work. Taught me work ethic.
Q: Last job before NFL.
A: In college it was actually a moving company formed by one of my teammates it was called “Odd Jobs.” Our services included anything from yard work to moving furniture. That was have been the summer of my fourth year. Moving jobs too because I had a truck so that helped a lot of if they had anything that needed to be moved.
Q: Did you get paid in pizza?
A: Nah (laughs), I needed cash.
Q: In many years from now, after the NFL, what do you want to do?
A: I’m trying to find my sweet spot. I can’t exactly say right now. I wouldn’t want to remain stagnant. The sky’s the limit, many options. Maybe my degree in marketing from William and Mary will give me something.
Q: What was your degree in?
A: Marketing.
Q: Something people might not know about you.
A: I have a twin sister, a fraternal twin. Me and her are complete opposites. It makes things interesting around the house for you to have twins and them be polar opposites. Great friend of mine and uh, she hasn’t been down here yet because she’s focusing on school so once she gets done with all that it’ll be nice to get her down here.
Q: Who’s older?
A: She’s older than me, I’m actually the baby in our family. The youngest. The youngest of five.

Thanks Derek for your time, lets see you get some interceptions and a couple of touchdowns on Sunday.