From theathletic.com (subscription required):
49ers’ Danny Gray received a boost when his father figures sprang into action
By Matt Barrows
Jun 17, 2022
Scott Nady, the director of recruiting at SMU, is eager to explain just how immensely popular youth football is in Southeast Dallas. He gives an example.
Every Thursday before SMU home games, he walks around and hands out tickets. He hits barber shops and barbecue joints, street corners and Boys & Girls Clubs. One day he was at the opening of a boxing gym on South Second Avenue and started telling one of the trainers about an exciting new recruit SMU had on the line, a guy who’d played youth football in that part of town.
“I said, ‘Hey, I think Danny Gray’s going to come to our place,’” Nady recalled.
As soon as the name left his lips the rattle and hum inside the gym came to a halt.
“This old guy was probably 5, 6 feet away sitting at a table talking to a bunch of other old guys,” Nady said. “And he turned his chair all the way around and his eyes were as big as saucers: ‘You guys are about to get Danny Gray?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I think so.’ And he said, ‘Man, y’all gonna win some games.’”
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