Former Hawkeye defensive end Adrian Clayborn will be back in town this weekend to host a fundraiser on April 27 from 6-8 p.m. at Tailgators for a family friend with cancer. The event, dubbed ClaybornForCancer, will feature a silent auction; it will cost $25 for adults and $15 for children under 12. All proceeds will benefit Cindy Heims’ battle with cancer.
The Daily Iowan spoke with Clayborn about the fundraiser, his rookie season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his thoughts on Iowa’s coaching changes, and more.
Daily Iowan: So tell me a little about the event this Friday.
Clayborn: It’s just for a friend of the family. She found out she had cancer a month or so ago — a little over a month; she has been dealing with it.
They’re having trouble paying for stuff, so I figured I’d throw a benefit to help out.
DI: What was the transition like from college to the pros? Was it as challenging as you expected?
Clayborn: It was a big change as far as the speed of the game and stuff like that, but it wasn’t too unbearable.
DI: What was your rookie season like in the NFL?
Clayborn: It was good, it was real good. Season didn’t go as well for the team, but it went well.
DI: The Buccaneers ended the season on a 10-game losing streak. What’s that like to deal with?
Clayborn: I don’t know; it was difficult. Definitely never lost that many at Iowa, but you just got to keep moving.
DI: How much have you followed some of the changes going on with the Iowa coaching staff?
Clayborn: I heard some change was going on, but there’s nothing wrong with change. Change is good sometimes.
DI: The new defensive-line coach is Reese Morgan, the old offensive-line coach. What were your impressions of him as a coach?
Clayborn: He’s a smart man. We worked a lot with him when he was coaching the O-line. He’s a smart man, I’m sure he knows his stuff. Those coaches will get them right on track.
D*: Some of your old teammates have draft night coming up on Thursday. What advice would you give them on waiting to hear their name called?
Clayborn: Just don’t let your highs get high and your lows get low. Anything can happen, you don’t know where you’re going to be. Don’t expect one team that you’ve been talking to a lot to draft you.
DI: Riley Reiff is expected to go somewhere in the top half of the first round. I know you had a lot of practice battles with him. How good an NFL player can he be?
Clayborn: I’m not sure how he’s going to turn out. But he’s a good player and a hard worker, so I’m sure he’ll be fine. He’s pretty good.
