Anthony Cioffi taking versatility, strong work ethic to NFL

Rutgers safety and 2017 NFL Draft hopeful Anthony Cioffi knows the value of hard work. He’s excited to prove he belongs in the NFL…

Anthony Cioffi is a playmaker.

He learned through the experiences of his family that nothing ever comes easy. You have to work for every inch. As he now prepares for life after the Rutgers football program and perhaps a shot at the NFL, Cioffi believes a ‘family first’ approach to how you work will never return void.

“I’ll start off with my grandfather,” Cioffi said in an exclusive interview with NFL Mocks. “He’s someone that came over from Italy when he was 18 not knowing any English. Forget about football, he was just thrown into a new country not knowing anyone and figuring out how to adapt.

He taught me that you have to be able to adapt to your surroundings. My Father and Uncle also taught me that things don’t always pan out the way you want it to be, but whenever you make a mistake you never lose, you always learn. You always have a chance to improve yourself.”

Cioffi came to Rutgers four years ago as a three-star prospect out of Springfield, New Jersey. Since his arrival at Rutgers, Cioffi has had to work hard for every rep, fighting through the adversity of playing on a team that didn’t have much success as a whole.

With his senior season now finished, Cioffi recalls the moment he felt like he belonged on a field with elite level athletes…

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“When I was a freshman, when I sacked Teddy Bridgewater and got thrown into the fire against Louisville. We called a corner blitz. I was like, man, first couple of plays in college and I get a blitz! That really put in my mind that I could do this. There’s always doubt as a freshman, but I made a play to help the team and felt like I made some guys proud.”

Starting off his college career as a cornerback, it was apparent that the 6-foot defensive back had a nose for the football. He mentioned his sack against Teddy Bridgewater, but Cioffi also had 31 tackles, four for loss, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a blocked kick as a true freshman.

As a junior, Cioffi made a position switch to safety, and it paid huge dividends. He picked off four passes as a junior, racking up 46 tackles in the process. He talked about the fact that his change of positions was beneficial not only at the time, but looking to the future as well.

“I feel that I shifted to my more natural position at safety my junior year, and I’m gearing up for that. I have enough versatility to where if they need me for nickel support or dime, I can cover the slot and be a zone type of safety. I feel like I’m gearing up more toward a safety role in my training.”

After proving his versatility through three seasons at Rutgers, Cioffi truly saved his best for last as a senior, now having a year of experience at safety and adding nearly 30 pounds to his 6-0 frame. Weighing in at 203 pounds (listed weight) and maintaining his elite speed, Cioffi was like a heat-seeking missile in 2016.