Senior wide receiver Jamal Jeffers is in his second year with the Panthers with one year left of eligibility. The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma native first started his football journey as a quarterback but switched to wide receiver.

When Jeffers committed to Southwestern Oklahoma State University at 2019, he stayed at the institution for two years. Jeffers decided to use his redshirt season in his first year, and because of COVID-19, Jeffers did not play in the 2020 season.

After the 2020 season, Jeffers transferred to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for two years. Jeffers played in eight games during the 2021 season on the special teams unit. After the 2022 season, Jeffers decided to make the move to Charleston to play for the Panthers.

Most players in Eastern’s football program have said Jeffers is the funniest person on the team, and Jeffers also said he would vote himself as the funniest person on the Panthers.

In this Q&A, Jeffers talked about his time at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M before transferring to Eastern, his troubles with his transcript before coming to Charleston, and Jeffers answers an anticipated question from redshirt sophomore running back MJ Flowers:

Q: When did you first start playing football?

A: “I’ve been playing since little league. I’ve been playing since the age of five. 2006 Little League Falcons.”

Q: What did you get your undergraduate degree in?

A: “I just graduated with my bachelor’s degree in psychology. I’m in a masters program right now. I’m a first-generation grad[uate], so I’m trying to take it all the way.”

Q: What’s your major for graduate school?

A: “For my graduate right now, I’m in human services, but I was trying to get into the clinical psychology, but I got enrolled late, so I have to wait until next semester to get it changed over.”

Q: What are you planning on doing with your degrees?

A: “I want to get into counseling. I had a counselor growing up, so I know how it works and how they impact people. I feel like getting into counseling, I just want to work with kids in adolescence, from 12-17 [years old] because that’s the critical age. It’s the critical age they want to explore life.”

Q: Is the Earth round or flat?

A: “It’s flat. The Earth is flat. I’m one of those conspiracy theorists. I’ve been watching a lot of videos, and I believe them.”

Q: Do you have any other conspiracy theories?

A: “I’ve seen a couple. I believe in aliens. Area 52 is real. They’re probably keeping stuff there that we don’t know about. I don’t mean green little aliens, but I believe aliens are real.”

Q: How is the environment between you and your teammates?

A: “I love them. The teammates show me love. They be lit. All of them. I don’t have a teammate I have an issue with, that’s the funny part. In JUCO, you could be arguing with anybody, everybody on a given day because we’re all grinding, trying to get out. Out here, it’s kinda different, that transition. We’re all grinding for a common goal. Fall camp, it gets chirpy. It’s 100, dang near 200 boys out here in the middle of the summer in the middle of nowhere, lot of testosterone, but there’s no issue for real. We’re all linked in. And we have to see each other everyday, all day. That also formed our bond and why we’re so tight.”

Q: Why did you choose to major in psychology?

A: “I said ‘Oh, talking to people? Ya, I’ll do that.’ When I was getting into it, they told me I only had to take one math class, but they tricked me. I didn’t know it was going to be psychological stats. I had to learn and memorize a lot of formulas.”

Q: Why did you choose to come to Eastern?

A: “Honestly, it was God’s plan. It was just a blessing. When I was in JUCO, I had a transcript issue, so I wasn’t on the roster, but I was always helping out in the training room because we only had one trainer. Imagine Scott, he’s our trainer, for the whole entire campus. He maybe had some helpers, but we practiced in the morning, so the girls wouldn’t come. I’d always try to come early and try to get tape and help Anthony out. He put me on a training scholarship. The funniest thing is, I was really a trainer and pretty much a water boy almost. I was just helping out, and I said ‘Imma just do me,’ and got my practice film. When the coaches came up, I went down there and showed my face in front of FAMU, Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois. I stayed in contact with Eastern’s coaches, and they put me on a preferred walk on position. I was like, ‘You know what? I’ve been betting on myself already, so Imma bet on myself some more.’ I took the opportunity and came out here. Never knew about EIU. I’ve never seen it, and my first time seeing the school was when I applied online. I did my little research on it and came straight out here. I walked on when I first came out here. Coach Wilk[erson] is really a real one. He really sees us players, and he meets you in the middle. He understood my situation and pulled me into the office and was saying I earned my scholarship to pay for my bachelor’s in the spring.”

Q: Who on the team are you giving the aux to?

A: “I will go with a real music guy. I gotta give it to Joel Barrows. He is a music guy. They’re sleepy on my boy, Joel. Me and him know about that Old Thug. That was our favorite rapper, Old Young Thug. Joel knows how to play in every environment. He got some party playlists, he got some chill, he got the pregame, he even got the R&B songs. Joel really gets into it, he’s really on that DJ stuff. MC Barrows.”

Q: Pancakes or waffles?

A: “Waffles. I like the crunch.”

Q: Do you put anything on your waffles?

A: “I used to not, but they put me on a hack up here. Stev[enson], don’t get mad at me. They take the Oreo mix and they throw it into the waffle mix, and it was bomb, I can’t lie. I think someone put cereal in there too, I don’t advise the cereal, but the Oreo mix in the batter was bomb. It’s the same thing as deep-fried Oreos.”

Q: I got told by MJ Flowers to ask you this question: Who do you think are the top three funniest people on the team, excluding yourself?

A: “I know CJ Nelson is goofy, so CJ Nelson is up there. J Peezy. JP up there, Jay Pearson. I’m really going blank for the third. I got to think in position rooms. We got people that do goofy stuff, but then we also got people who just constantly say funny things. JP, CJ Nelson. I don’t know after that. Maybe it’s an o[ffensive] lineman or d[efensive] lineman. Let me think. I mean Deuce just does funny stuff. Mark Aitken, I’m putting him as the third. He just does funny stuff. I was just thinking about the locker room. Now, I’m starting to think about everything like life and when we go out. It’s definitely Mark. Mark Aitken’s definitely up there. Tell them I had no order. I’m giving it to CJ, JP and Deuce.”

Q: How do you feel like the depth of the wide receiver room is?

A: “I feel like we got weapons. I like us. We’re a tight knit group, we cool, and we’re very diverse. I wouldn’t say they’re two of the same people because there are, like Coop[er Willman] and Collin [Willard]. Those are twins. They’re not twins for real, but they’re definitely twins. The depth is pretty cool, and we’re pretty diverse, but we all get along. We got a lot of new people in general; transfers, freshmen, and with our coach being new and he’s young, it’s lit in there. We have a lot of fun.”

Q: Who’s your favorite NFL team?

A: “I don’t have a team.”

Q: Do you follow players in the NFL?

A: “Ya. I’m a players person. First, it was Cam Newton because I grew up playing quarterback. I’m an Odell [Beckham Jr.] fan when I changed to wide receiver, so I’m technically a Ravens fan.”

Q: What is your favorite post game meal?

A: “In a perfect world, Whataburger. It’s the perfect spot. It’s 24/7, and it’s amazing. Whatabruger has everything, that’s the thing. You could be there late at night and get breakfast. Or Waffle House. I love Waffle House. I’ll go to St. Louis to get Waffle House. When I fly in, I always get Waffle House. Or Zaxby’s. There’s no Zaxby’s up here, and it’s only in the South. Zaxby’s over [Raising] Canes any day because Canes doesn’t season their chicken. What’s so lit about Canes for real if you really think about it? It’s just the bread and the sauce. The chicken is just regular, and they got four things on their menu.”

Q: Do you have any secret talents?

A: “I can paint. I have like five paintings in mama’s crib. Don’t think I’m Picasso or anything. I get some canvases on Amazon and some acrylic paint and do my thing. I’ll find some stencils online, look at them, and try to copy. I got some good stuff though. It’s peaceful. I had to start getting in tune with different things, and I figured I like that.”

Q: Knowing everything you know now, what would you tell 10-year-old you?

A: “I’d tell him to take it easy. To enjoy being 10 years old. I was always stressing about the next thing, trying to be this and that. I’d tell him to take it easy, enjoy being 10 years old. It’ll work itself out. God got you.”

Zaria Flippin can be reached at 581-2812 or at zhflippin@eiu.edu.