From Small-Town Mississippi to the NFL: D'Wayne Eskridge's Unlikely Journey
The Lead
Wondery
3.9 • 2.2K Ratings
🗓️ 29 April 2021
⏱️ 17 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The NFL Draft always brings intense speculation, insight and analysis. But it also brings some of the most emotional moments in sports -- moments when players and their families realize a lifelong dream and see their futures transformed in a single moment. Today, The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner brings us the story of Western Michigan wide receiver D'Wayne Eskridge, a converted track star who has followed an unlikely path from a small town in Mississippi to the NFL Draft, and the remarkable sacrifices and support his family found along the way.
Read Nick Baumgardner's story:
https://theathletic.com/2529614/2021/04/23/dwayne-eskridges-nfl-draft-dream-became-reality-thanks-to-his-village-i-dont-do-anything-alone/
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Transcript
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| 0:07.0 | Hi there, Wondry listeners. Hannah and Sruti here from TrueCram Podcast Redhanded. |
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| 0:31.0 | It's a weekly show where we deep dive into the most talked about cases like the Delphi murders |
| 0:35.0 | and also those you might never have heard of like the Nathari child sacrifices in Delhi. |
| 0:40.0 | Go listen to Redhanded right now on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 0:46.0 | One of the best things about the NFL draft, which kicks off tonight, is the stories of the players and families |
| 0:59.0 | whose lives are transformed in a single moment. |
| 1:02.0 | I'm finally here now, you know, I've been talking to the dream about all my life. |
| 1:08.0 | I don't want to tell my dad that I love him, that I miss you, dawg. You got, you've been a positive influence on my life |
| 1:17.0 | from my whole entire life. So I just want to thank you for letting it out, love you, man, and we did it. |
| 1:22.0 | And for many of these families, the path to those emotional moments is very long and very improbable. |
| 1:28.0 | Today, the Athletics Nick Baumgardner brings us the story of a young man whose football dream is about to come true |
| 1:34.0 | and the unlikely path he followed to realise it. |
| 1:37.0 | For his family, that's what the emotion will be. It was worth it. One of us made it and thank God he's able to tell the story. |
| 1:43.0 | From Wundry and the Athletic, I'm Anders Keltow. It's Thursday, April 29th, and this is The Lead. |
| 1:53.0 | Well, Nick, I imagine that a lot of people listening to this right now have not watched a ton of Western Michigan football over the past couple of years, |
| 2:00.0 | shot out to my Broncos. For those who haven't seen him play, how would you describe Dwayne Eskridge, the football player? |
| 2:07.0 | I mean, lightning bolt. And he could be off to the races. Dwayne Eskridge takes it to the house. Where did that speed come from? |
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