Yahoo Sports ‘Best feeling of my life.’ Hometown heroes from NC, SC get picked in 2024 NFL Draft
Ardrey Kell football coach Greg Jachym had a feeling long ago that Cedric Gray might be an NFL player one day.
Turns out that feeling was right.
Gray, who graduated from Ardrey Kell in 2020 and played at North Carolina, became an NFL player Saturday when the Titans selected him with the 106th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“I was at my son’s Little League game and watching on my phone,” Jachym said. “Man, I was super excited for him, to see how far he’s come as a player, and I think he’ll be a great NFL player for a long time because of his intangibles and his work ethic. It was just so exciting to see him land somewhere and somewhere relatively close, so we can see a few games.”
Ardrey Kell opened in 2006 but has now turned out four NFL players. Gray follows Prince Shembo (No. 139 overall to the Falcons in 2014), Romeo Okwara (signed as undrafted free agent by the Giants in 2016) and Julian Okwara (No. 67 overall to the Lions in 2020).
Jachym attended Gray’s watch party in Cornelius on Friday night. He said Gray, who is usually very calm, was a little nervous but was surrounded by family, friends and some college teammates from North Carolina, where he became an All-American and a two-time All-ACC guy.
By the time Gray was drafted, he felt a huge wave of relief. His mother, Esther, did too. Esther traveled to Gray’s home and away games in college and said she expects to travel to all her son’s games next year — whether they’re in Nashville or San Francisco or anywhere in between.
Gray called Saturday one of the best days of his life. He added that his phone has been blowing up and that he feels so loved by everyone who has helped him get to this position.
“It was the greatest feeling ever, the best feeling of my life,” Gray said of the moment he heard his name called, in a phone conversation with The Charlotte Observer on Saturday. “When they called, I looked at my mom, and we both looked down at the phone, and I just answered it. We knew what it was after that.”
Said Esther: “I kept peeping over his phone. Did the phone ring?” She laughed. “And then I saw Tennessee was coming up in a couple picks, and he stepped outside, and I was like, ‘It’s about to happen.’ It was an awesome feeling, just that relief, just to know that he’s being recognized, being picked here. And I think the Tennessee Titans will be a great fit for him.”
Jachym said Gray, who landed about where he was projected to land, was one of the “the most special kids I’ve ever coached” and that “this is just awesome now to see him get drafted.” UNC head coach Mack Brown agreed.
“Cedric Gray has been one of the great players of our second tenure here at Carolina and it’s been fun to see him develop into the player and leader he’s become,” UNC head coach Mack Brown said via release of Gray, who became the 253rd Tar Heel and 32nd Tar Heel linebacker taken in the draft on Saturday. “Ced is a graduate of UNC, is tough as nails, plays through injury, serves as a role model to younger players and held everyone accountable.
“Those traits, along with his physical gifts and work ethic, are going to make him an asset for the Titans. We’re so happy for Ced and wish him nothing but the best as he starts his NFL career.”
It hasn’t just been Gray who has reached his NFL dreams this week. The NFL Draft has given the Carolinas a lot to cheer about. After a handful of guys with ties to North Carolina and South Carolina went in the first round — including Charlotte-area native Drake Maye and South Carolina Gamecock-turned-Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette — the flow of local guys coming off the draft board ramped up.
Of the 30-plus players with connections to the area who went into this week hoping to hear their name called, several had already their names after Days 1 and 2 of the draft.
That includes Maye (to Patriots at No. 4), Graham Barton out of Duke (to Bucs at 26), Legette (to Panthers at 32), Payton Wilson out of N.C. State (to Steelers at 98th) and others. More were taken Day 3.
