The beginningI didn't even start playing organized football until high school. I did play baseball and basketball around fourth or fifth grade, mostly in church leagues. Where I grew up, in Eastover, S.C., there was a weight requirement for youth football, and I was always too big to play with kids my age -- I remember my shoe size was always two years ahead of my age. My dad didn't want me playing with the older kids, so I just played backyard football with friends from the neighborhood. They would come over on Sundays, and we'd be outside all day. The middle school daysI have to say one of the best times for me as a kid was playing baseball. I was on the Eastover Bears in sixth or seventh grade. We sucked, but it didn't matter. We turned our hats backward like the pros and just played. It's funny: I do remember telling my mom when I was young, probably in the sixth grade, that I was going to play pro football and take care of her. I just knew from the start that's what I wanted to do. When I was that age, people weren't saying, "He's going to make it to the NFL." I was slightly above average as an athlete but was also the youngest in my class and didn't develop until later than everyone else. I was just the perfect example of a late bloomer. The high school daysI stuck with basketball into high school [Lower Richland High; Hopkins, S.C.]. I had opportunities to join AAU teams but never had a true passion for the sport. I did it to stay in shape and work on my athleticism. When I was a senior, I dropped basketball and focused on football. That last year of high school I started training with Ken Taylor at a gym in Columbia to get stronger and work on my form; I was still a pretty raw prospect even going into college. I've continued to train with Ken in the offseason during my NFL career. I played at a smaller high school, so I never really knew how I compared with other guys who were talented enough for major schools. (I did play with Jonathan Goodwin, who is a 49er now; we played next to each other on the line and played on the basketball team.) My senior year, I was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl [South Carolina's all-star game] and realized that I had what it took. That's when major colleges came knocking; it seemed like I had a different coach at my house every night for dinner. Georgia had shown interest in me as a junior, before all the other schools came calling, so I signed there. Follow The Mag on Twitter (@ESPNmag) and like us on Facebook.
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