Deasfernandes looks to continue his growth at Iowa
In high school, cornerback Brenden Deasfernandes was a late bloomer, growing from a 5-foot-4, 122-pound sophomore to a 6-foot-0, 165-pound senior. Now, Deasfernandes is up to 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds as he gets ready for his freshman year at the University of Iowa. We caught up with the Michigan native this week to talk about his growth, his training during the pandemic, his upcoming freshman year, and much more.
Q: How have been you dealing with things since the pandemic started with school and training and everything?
DEASFERNANDES: I’ve just primarily been training every day. I’m just trying to be conditioned and physically ready for when I get up to Iowa, so I can give myself a chance to compete with everybody that is on campus. Then we started doing schoolwork on Google Classroom about a month ago and that ends in about a week.
Q: Training wise, what are you mainly focused on and what are you able to do right now?
DEASFERNANDES: I can’t really access any weight rooms because of the quarantine, so I’m just running hills or on the field. I usually do some sprints, some suicides, and try to time myself so I make sure I’m improving. I’ve been working on my concentration, my form when I’m running and my back pedal, getting in and out of my breaks, and flipping my hips.
Q: Coaching wise, who are you talking with the most at Iowa and what has been their message during all this?
DEASFERNANDES: Coach Parker will occasionally call me and just check in to make sure everything is okay with me and my family. We don’t officially know right now when the freshmen will get to arrive on campus, but I’ve read we might know more after June 1st.
Q: Have you found out what number you will be wearing in college?
DEASFERNANDES: No, I haven’t. I can’t wait to find out, but I’m not really going to beg for a number or anything. I’ve just got to stay humble with whatever number they give me. It’s really a blessing for me to even go to Iowa.
Q: What are you looking forward to when you get to eventually arrive on campus?
DEASFERNANDES: I’m just looking forward to playing hard and getting an opportunity to get on the field. Even if I don’t right away, it’s the perfect team for me, so I’m just going to be patient. Everything happens for a reason. Since I’m going to be a freshman, I’m going to stay in my lane and just be thankful and work hard.
Q: Going back to your recruiting process, can you take me through things last June and how your camp performances led up to an offer?
DEASFERNANDES: First I went to the Lindenwood Camp in Missouri and balled out there. Coach Parker and one other coach from Iowa were there and liked how I moved and how hard I worked, so they invited me to their camp. I went there like a week later and showed out. They said my hips were moving fluidly and my technique was good, so they invited me back for an official visit, which is where I earned an offer and committed.
Q: Going back even further, you grew quite a bit physically from your sophomore to junior to senior year. Can you walk us through that whole process and the specifics?
DEASFERNANDES: Yeah. I can remember I went into my sophomore year at 5’4” and 122 pounds. At the time, I was experiencing a lot of back pain and missed out on some practices and games because my back was hurting all season because I was growing so much. Going into my junior year, I went into that season about 5'10" or 5’11” and 145 lbs. Then from junior year to senior year I went up to 6’0” and 165 pounds, and now I’m 6’1” and 180 pounds.
Q: You also had some other Division I players in front of you at Belleville when you were younger. What was it like your senior season getting a chance to show more of what you can do?
DEASFERNANDES: It was great. There was a big chip on my shoulder because I felt like I still had something to prove. That’s kind of always my mindset.
Q: When Iowa was recruiting you, did they talk about some of the success Phil Parker has had with under the radar defensive backs in the past?
DEASFERNANDES: That’s something I already knew from doing my research on Iowa. I read a lot about it and thought I could end up being one of his projects. Now I actually have a chance to be successful and maybe get to the NFL, but I just need to stay focused and stay humble.
Q: What do you think you showed him at cornerback during those two camps in June?
DEASFERNANDES: Just my patience, my work ethic, and my technique.
Q: What is the feeling going to be like for you the first time you come out of the tunnel at Kinnick Stadium?
DEASFERNANDES: I’m just going to be excited and proud of everything I’ve done, especially thinking about all of the people that have helped me get to that point.
A two-star prospect, Deasfernandes committed to Iowa on June 23, 2019, choosing the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from Southeast Missouri State, Northwood, and Davenport.
As a senior, Deasfernandes finished the season with 30 tackles, nine pass breakups, and one interception for Belleville.
See highlights from Deasfernandes' senior year in the video below.