Third in a sequence exploring the origin tales of three of the Chargers’ prime defensive gamers with Florida roots.
At the moment, security Derwin James Jr., who most positively is his father’s son.
They'll nonetheless really feel the reverberations round right here, the gorgeous aftershocks from the ferocity produced when he flexed his unusual stage of athleticism.
Derwin James’ exploits echo at his alma mater to at the present time, even breaking the midsummer stillness of the grassy countryside that surrounds a soccer subject flanked by a cemetery.
Sure, the locals proudly counsel, James rocked the opposition with sufficient drive to stir the lifeless.
“He got here at you want a flash, only a black streak comin’ after which, ‘Growth!’ ” mentioned Olin Gee, who spent greater than three a long time teaching at Haines Metropolis Excessive. “When he bought to you, he was lightin’ you up good.”
Followers of the Chargers can nod knowingly at Gee’s recollections, their eyes confirming as real any story of James’ skill to separate a person from his senses.
An All-Professional as a rookie, James now enters his fifth yr within the NFL coming off a season by which he made 118 tackles and his second Professional Bowl.
However right here’s what Chargers followers don’t know: Gee wasn’t speaking about that Derwin James — however their Derwin James.
He was recalling the unique Derwin James, the daddy of the Chargers’ security, the Haines Metropolis Hornet they nicknamed “Blue” as a result of, when he dropped his shoulder into somebody, the poor mark turned that almost all unnatural of colours.
“The son was a hell of a hitter,” mentioned Gee, who coached each variations of Derwin James. “However the father, he got here with dangerous intentions each time. Individuals ran away from him in highschool.”
So the story of Derwin James Jr. can rightly begin solely right here, with Derwin James Sr., who gifted his son every little thing from athletic prowess to mannerisms to a straightforward smile, serving to form the boy many in these components nonetheless name by a childhood nickname: “Pooh Bear.”
It was Derwin Jr.’s sister, Shaderrika, who just lately needed to be reminded of the order of enterprise on this household.
“She instructed me, ‘You act identical to ‘Pooh Bear,’ ” Derwin Sr. recalled with that identifiable grin. “I instructed her, ‘No, ‘Pooh Bear’ acts identical to me.’ ”
He was a highschool operating again, as nicely, Derwin Sr. blessed with the type of velocity that made him an annual participant in Florida’s state monitor championships.
However he actually excelled at center linebacker, the place he might smear chaos sideline to sideline and orchestrate the protection like one other coach, ensuring everybody was lined up correctly.
If that once more sounds acquainted to Chargers followers, nicely, Derwin Sr. handed these qualities to his son, too, Derwin Jr. one of many few NFL defensive backs who calls alerts within the huddle.
“His father was sooner than Derwin,” mentioned longtime Florida State assistant Odell Haggins, who recruited each Derwin Jameses. “His father would knock your face off. His daddy was unreal.”
Sure, Derwin Sr. had the sport. He simply didn’t have the grades, his educational points stopping him from absolutely seizing his athletic abilities.
Throughout his closing yr of highschool, Derwin Sr. found he was going to be a father. Derwin Jr.’s mother, Shanita Williams, gave beginning the summer season earlier than her senior yr.
She had to surrender going to school and operating monitor at Haines Metropolis, the place she additionally stood out as a sprinter.
Shanita took one job on the close by Publix and one other at a day-care middle and bought her personal place, a $315-a-month one-bedroom house. She mentioned she nonetheless graduated on time and with honors.
Derwin Sr. was in school then, his soccer profession expiring after two seasons at a small college in Michigan due to a knee harm.
He returned to Florida and remained with Shanita till 2001, the couple splitting when their son was 4, by which level they had been satisfied that they had produced one thing particular.
Though he was “Pooh Bear” — Shanita: “He at all times regarded like slightly bear to me, so plump and spherical and bushy.” — Derwin Jr. was robust as a toddler, a burly ball whose first phrase really was “ball.”
By center college, he was operating previous, round or via children his measurement and bigger.
“You would see the place Derwin was going with it,” Shanita mentioned. “Even that early on I felt it. I believed it.”
“It was loopy how freakish of an athlete he was at 15. He had that loopy athletic construct. His physique regarded all — I don’t know the way else to say it — loopy.”
— Eric Robinson, Derwin James Jr.'s basketball coach
There stay conflicting accounts about what number of occasions a younger Derwin Jr. was hit by a automobile whereas driving his bike. Some say it occurred twice; others contend it was 3 times.
Both manner, the purpose is “Pooh Bear” grew up as a rumbling type of little one.
Derwin Sr. mentioned he was teaching a crew of 6- and 7-year-old children when he lastly relented to the tugging on his pants leg and allowed Derwin Jr. to hitch them. He recalled his boy being 4 on the time.
“He was simply begging to play,” Derwin Sr. mentioned. “We put that child in some pads and the remainder is historical past.”
Having labored two locations directly when Derwin Jr. was an toddler, Shanita mentioned she assumed one other important duty later. She emphasised the significance of succeeding in class, too, understanding the chances awaiting her firstborn.
“That was my different job,” she mentioned. “I made positive I did that.”
Derwin Jr. started highschool subsequent door in Auburndale, the place he arrived with a well-recognized identify and an excessive amount of expertise and want-to to go unnoticed. He was lengthy and lanky, an eye-grabbing type of modern.
The child’s physique was completely different. Derwin Jr. was stronger than he gave the impression to be, ran sooner than he seemed to be transferring and will dunk a basketball with an nearly weird ease.
“It was loopy how freakish of an athlete he was at 15,” mentioned Auburndale basketball coach Eric Robinson. “He had that loopy athletic construct. His physique regarded all — I don’t know the way else to say it — loopy.”
Nonetheless, the foundations had been easy as introduced by the person who was then the varsity’s head soccer coach. No freshmen on varsity. Interval.
Rick Smith was a defensive assistant on the time and nonetheless can recall the response when the edict was introduced.
“Each one of many varsity coaches was like, ‘There’s no manner you’re holding Derwin down,’ ” Smith mentioned. “He was in all probability our greatest participant already. I imply, we nearly mentioned it in unison.”
By then, that they had recognized the large potential and every little thing else that instructed Derwin Jr. was a rarity.
The child would carry weights to the purpose the place coaches needed to inform him to cease. He was good and frequently asking questions as a result of he needed to be smarter. He didn’t simply watch movie; Derwin Jr. decoded it.
In one thing that felt like an instantaneous, he was escaping his father’s shadow as an ascending faculty soccer recruit but additionally reflecting gentle again on every little thing Derwin Sr. had been by reminding locals of the tales of “Blue” James.
Derwin Jr. has mentioned he knew he needed to play for Florida State as early as first grade. Then-Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher wasn’t that far behind in that considering.
Haggins visited Auburndale throughout Derwin Jr.’s first season, seen him lining up everywhere — on either side of the ball — after which checked out a roster. Chatting with nobody specifically, Haggins recalled saying aloud, “You’re telling me that’s a freshman?”
When he returned to Tallahassee, Haggins mentioned he walked into the soccer places of work and, so enthusiastic about what he had simply witnessed, couldn’t resist presenting his findings in a manner what can be memorable.
He opened by apologizing to Fisher for lacking on Derwin Jr., admitting a child that noticeable in some way had ducked his radar. Then Haggins performed the video from Auburndale, pointed to Derwin Jr. streaking throughout the display and instructed Fisher he was a senior.
With Fisher about to blow up, Haggins mentioned he laughed and knowledgeable his boss that Derwin Jr., in fact, was only a freshman. Fisher’s response: “We have to supply him now!”
“He’s a servant. He places others earlier than him. That’s what he's — a servant. Guys like that, they arrive round as soon as in a lifetime.”
— Odell Haggins, longtime Florida State assistant coach, on Derwin James Jr.
The supply did come, after simply one other day or two, Haggins remembering tears pooling within the eyes of each Derwin Sr. and Jr., who dedicated instantly. They known as Shanita with the information and she or he cried, as nicely.
Throughout his two years at Auburndale, Derwin Jr. grew to become a star in soccer and monitor and a team-first grinder in basketball, one who utilized his ample athletic abilities to the grunt work. Setting screens. Rebounding. Blocking pictures.
He additionally emerged shortly as a frontrunner regardless of being an underclassman at a brand new college and enjoying a sport that was no higher than his third-best.
“Everybody heard his voice when he talked,” Robinson mentioned. “There have been issues I didn’t have to fret about. I knew he’d maintain it. I imply, who’s gonna bow as much as Derwin James?”
For his closing two highschool years, Derwin Jr. attended Haines Metropolis Excessive, rejoining most of the children with whom he grew up.
He continued roaming your entire subject — too dynamic for one place, Derwin Jr. performed all of them — usually precisely calling out the opposition’s plans pre-snap as a result of he acknowledged what was coming from his Monday movie research.
He stored pushing iron till lastly, as a senior, he handed even Gee, his outdated Haines Metropolis coach, within the bench press. To totally grasp the importance of that accomplishment, notice that in the present day all of the Hornets’ athletes work out within the Coach Olin Gee Weight Room, named this spring after the thick, broad-shouldered profession educator.
Having began at 135 kilos, Derwin Jr. maxed out in highschool with a bench press of 415.
However right here’s the factor about Derwin Jr. and his power: He at all times has displayed a capability to carry extra than simply weight.
“What you see in L.A., that’s what we noticed in Polk County,” Robinson mentioned. “Enjoyable-loving, at all times smiling, at all times constructive. Individuals cherished Derwin. And I imply not simply on Friday nights.”
Mentioned Haggins: “He places others earlier than him. ... Guys like that, they arrive round as soon as in a lifetime.”
Derwin Jr.’s Haines Metropolis soccer jersey — No. 6 — hangs within the college’s essential workplace, proper above an autographed No. 33 Chargers jersey.
The show is completely becoming, if not utterly correct. A small gold plate close to the underside identifies Derwin Jr. because the seventeenth general choose of the 2018 draft — all true — however chosen by the “San Diego” Chargers.
Although he modified excessive faculties, Derwin Jr.’s dedication to Florida State remained everlasting, identical to the Seminoles tattoo he wore on his higher left arm lengthy earlier than he performed for Florida State.
Throughout his senior yr, Derwin Jr. even instructed Haggins that the coach didn’t need to proceed calling him each week, that his promise to be a Seminole couldn’t be shaken.
“He by no means deviated,” Haggins mentioned. “He instructed me as soon as, ‘Look on my arm, Coach. You’ve seen it. I’m coming to Florida State.’ That type of dedication tells you one thing a couple of younger man.”
If a single play might outline Derwin Jr.’s time in Tallahassee, it got here throughout his freshman season, in opposition to rival Florida.
Lined up at defensive finish in a pass-rush state of affairs, he bullied to the bottom a fifth-year senior named Mason Halter, who was listed at 6 toes 6, 295 kilos, 4 inches taller and 80 kilos heavier than Derwin Jr. weighs to at the present time.
“As coaches, all of us checked out one another like, ‘What?’ ” Haggins recalled. “One of many biggest performs I’ve ever seen.”
After starting his time at Florida State with solely “James” on his again, Derwin Jr. later added the nod to his father after he approached Derwin Sr. and shared his intentions.
The choice meant a jersey alternation that was minor — simply the inclusion of “Jr.” — but carried significance that was something however.
“It was a proud second,” Derwin Sr. mentioned. “I instructed him, ‘OK, do your factor, child.’ That was cool.”
With the Chargers, the “Jr.” appeared in the beginning of his second season. By then, Derwin Jr. had made an influence that was simply as spectacular and equally as instant because the second he demolished that Florida offensive lineman.
In his NFL debut, in opposition to AFC West rival Kansas Metropolis, Derwin Jr. broke up a move some 40 yards downfield to open the second quarter. Two snaps later he was within the backfield, sacking Patrick Mahomes.
Seems, Derwin Jr. had time-stamped his arrival within the league even earlier than dealing with the Chiefs. That August, he despatched his father a training-camp video of him intercepting Philip Rivers in observe.
“He picked off Phil on the objective line,” mentioned Derwin Sr., who nonetheless has the video on his cellphone. “Oh yeah, child. That was huge. I got here off my seat on that one. ‘My boy! Ain’t no one gonna cease him from bein’ nice!’ ”
After signing his rookie deal, Derwin Jr. purchased his mom a five-bedroom, four-bath dwelling in a gated group in Auburndale. For his father, he bought a truck.
Each dad and mom nonetheless work and mentioned they may proceed to take action even when, as anticipated, Derwin Jr. quickly indicators an extension that would make him the highest-paid security within the league.
Shanita, who has been employed at McKesson Pharmaceutical for 17 years, mentioned she prefers to earn her personal cash, and that she will make no declare to the hundreds of thousands her son has collected.
Having spent 26 years working with at-risk youth, Derwin Sr. seems on the state of affairs via eyes so aware of sometimes-stark, often-unforgiving central Florida.
“I like to sit down again and replicate on the place we come from,” he mentioned. “I grew up choosing oranges. And never simply me, however his momma’s facet of the household, too. I imply, choosing oranges! All of us did harvest work. That’s simply the way in which it was.”
After lacking the primary 11 video games of the 2019 season due to harm, Derwin Jr.’s second sport again got here in his dwelling state, in Jacksonville. He completed with six tackles, together with one for loss, and a move breakup because the Chargers received by 5 touchdowns.
Sitting within the stands that overcast December afternoon, Derwin Sr. mentioned he stared down and marveled at what he was witnessing, the truth hitting him deeper than ever earlier than.
“I’m my son and saying, ‘Man, he’s dominating out right here. He’s the most effective of the most effective,’ ” Derwin Sr. remembered. “Just a bit nation boy from ol’ Polk County. That was like, ‘My boy is right here to remain.’ ”
Having been to Southern California a number of occasions for video games, Derwin Sr. mentioned he nonetheless isn’t accustomed to seeing his son’s face throughout city, whether or not on a billboard for Oakley or a mural in Venice Seashore.
He mentioned a good friend just lately despatched him an image of Derwin Jr. featured on an commercial in a Las Vegas mall. The picture triggered chills, much like those Derwin Sr. mentioned he feels when seeing “Pooh Bear” on the large SoFi Stadium video board.
“He’s in every single place,” Derwin Sr. mentioned. “You'll be able to’t do away with him. ‘Rattling, you in every single place, son.’ You simply have to consider it, take into consideration the place we come from and say, ‘Wow!’”
Derwin Jr. is in every single place — on the sphere and off it. Generally, it’s like there are two Derwin Jameses. Yeah, generally. Like now.
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