Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in-between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

It’s late July, and DK Metcalf is distracted. It takes a minute to figure out why, until I hear the faintest PlayStation menu sound in the background of our phone call. Metcalf eventually fesses up: He’s playing Fortnite with his friends.

Virtually hanging out with buddies from high school is the favored stress-buster of the 21-year-old Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver, who was born and raised in Oxford, Mississippi, and played college football at Ole Miss. He suffered a season-ending neck injury in 2018, but made a remarkably quick recovery and opted to declare for the NFL Draft anyway.

Despite that scary neck injury, Metcalf was selected in the second round, 64th overall, thanks in large part to his impossible-to-ignore NFL Combine performance. Standing 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Metcalf ran an absurd 4.33 second-40 yard dash, which was fifth-fastest overall, and completed 27 reps on the bench press, tied for the most among wide receivers.

It’s true that scouts in every pro sport can grow too enamored with the combine statistics, but Metcalf also passes the proverbial eye test. If you don’t already know what I’m referring to, then please see below.

Metcalf’s preseason was interrupted by a recent minor knee surgery, but the procedure isn’t supposed to keep him out for long. (He hasn’t been ruled out for week one of the regular season.) Whenever he returns, he’ll be counted on as one of quarterback Russell Wilson’s go-to targets, especially after the retirement of former star receiver Doug Baldwin.

In an interview with GQ, Metcalf discusses his development into arguably the strongest-looking wide receiver in NFL history, breaks down the differences between the college and pro game, and reveals his go-to coffee order.

GQ: You told Sports Illustrated that you’re sick of taking your shirt off for shoots—

DK Metcalf: Yeah…

Is that the reason for doing the offseason workouts in the long-sleeve hoodie? Just taking it in the opposite direction?

I just always wanted to try that look out in college but never could, because we had a dress code in practice. I’m a little freer now that I’m in the league, and I can wear what I want. I’m just trying to exercise that right. But the sweater hoodie makes me feel a little more comfortable—I feel better when I wear it.

Your high school strength-and-conditioning coach said you were skinny at first, which is hard for me to imagine. When did you start bulking up?

I came into Ole Miss at 205ish, but got hurt my freshman year, so throughout that whole time, I was working with one of our strength coaches, and he put me through an intense arm workout almost every day. We hit some real small muscles that I never knew I had, and we just got after it. I worked out twice a day for like four months. When I got back healthy and was able to do everything again, I just kept that same intensity and the same workout.

When did you first realize you had really eclipsed other college athletes physique-wise?

I really didn’t think I was that big until the combine workouts. This last season, I actually thought I was getting a little big weight-wise, so I tried to slim down in that area.

What’s your daily routine been like this offseason?

Since December, I’ve woken up around 7:30, and then I eat a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. While I was training for the draft, we’d work out and fine-tune the 40 [yard dash]. But even after I got done training for the combine, I kept that same routine of waking up and eating oatmeal. I did eventually try to get back in football shape, so I would run more and do conditioning tests. But at the same time, I kept the same mindset of going in and just smashing a workout. I did a lot of power cleans, a lot of kettlebell squats, bench press, curls, triceps, biceps, a lot of small muscles and conditioning.

Even here, our strength coach just came from USC, and he has that college mindset too. My workout routine pretty much hasn’t changed. I do what the coaches say, but I also always try to do one or two extra reps in everything that we do. Cody Barton, a linebacker who’s a rookie here as well, he has the same mindset as me in the weight room, so we work out together. I also try to keep the same eating habits that I had when I was training for the draft. I have a private chef, and she has a nutrition sheet that I follow for my diet.

Story continues