National Football League

Cardinals' Humphries shaped by food, family

Published May. 1, 2015 5:11 p.m. ET

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- D.J. Humphries always knew he'd have to get big to play offensive line in the NFL. It was the buffet line to big that caused the problem.

"When I was in college, I kind of thought you were supposed to just stuff your face -- pizza, burgers, milkshakes," the Cardinals' 2015 first-round pick said Friday at the team's headquarters. "It helped me gain weight but I wasn't gaining the good weight that I needed to."

When the Florida junior decided to enter the draft this year against the advice of the NFL Draft Advisory Board, it was time to get even bigger.  

"No way you're going to play left tackle in the NFL at 290," he said. "It just doesn't happen."

Humphries had to learn how to add the right kind of weight so he trained for six weeks at Exos (the old Athletes Performance) in Gulf Breeze, Fla. 

"They taught me how to eat the right way and cook for myself and make shakes," he said. "I learned a lot of stuff I'll probably use for the rest of my life."

Humphries said he arrived at Exos at 290 pounds with 25 percent body fat. He left at 305 (he has since added 10 more pounds) with 19 percent body fat.

He said he'd like to add even more weight, but the immediate goal will be to compete with Bobby Massie for a starting job at right tackle, and build camaraderie with his teammates. On that front, Humphries' big personality should be a valuable tool.

"There's nothing wrong with having a young kid with personality in the room; just to lighten the mood," offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin said. "It's a family because we spend so much time together. If you don't fit in you're going to be the outcast of the room."

Family played a major role in shaping Humphries, even if the circumstances weren't ideal. His parents had him when they were 15. He lived the first 12 years with his mom then moved in with his dad, D.J. Humphries Sr., because he needed a man in his life to instill discipline.

Humphries admited his dad was hard on him, but insists it was the good kind of hard.

"My dad never whupped me just to whup me," he said. "I was always doing something. I was too big for everybody else and I didn't know how big I was."

When asked where he'd be without his dad's influence, Humphries drew a deep breath.

"I could probably be somewhere in prison or on the corner somewhere doing something illegal," he said. "Lots of guys grew up in the same situation I did but their dad just didn't stick around and it kind of affected them negatively. I feel like him being in my life affected me positively. He means the world to me."

D.J. Humphries Sr. attended the draft with his son and other family members in Chicago. When the Cardinals' selected his son, he gave him a congratulatory slap that D.J. thought was "going to break my darned shoulder blade." 

Humphries' dad played at Presbyterian College and had a tryout with the Baltimore Ravens before playing with the Carolina Cobras in the Arena Football League. The sight of his son achieving the dream he never did was apparent.

"I had more fun sitting back and watching my family being excited than me actually enjoying the experience," Humphries said. 

Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter

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