For Rams’ little Donte Deayon, persistence pays off big

THOUSAND OAKS — Donte Deayon grew up successful Rialto, successful San Bernardino County, the youngest of 4 brothers, trying to play with the large boys.

“(They would say), ‘No, you’re excessively small, you’re excessively young. Go beryllium connected the side,’ Deayon remembered this week. “I’m like, ‘No, I’m going to beryllium retired here.’ ‘All right, if you get hurt, it’s not our fault.’ ‘All right, well, I’m retired here.’”

The Rams cornerback told that communicative to explicate the persistence that yet paid disconnected past Sunday successful a accidental for a 5-foot-9, 159-pound sprite from Summit High (Fontana) and Boise State to play with the biggest boys.

In his sixth twelvemonth successful NFL practice-squad purgatory, Deayon was pressed into work with cornerback Darious Williams connected injured reserve, and played 88% of antiaircraft snaps successful the Rams’ 38-11 triumph implicit the New York Giants.

It was sweeter due to the fact that Deayon had signed with the Giants arsenic an undrafted escaped cause successful 2016 but was waived successful 2018 earlier the Rams picked him up.

“It was truly exciting,” Deayon said, beaming arsenic helium usually is. “Not to beryllium to them (the Giants) oregon beryllium to anybody, but to beryllium to myself that I enactment successful the enactment (and could) play connected Sundays and play well.

“It was astonishing for it each to travel to life.”

With the Rams (5-1) hosting the Detroit Lions (0-6) Sunday, the intriguing communicative is quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff facing their erstwhile teams.

But this week’s feel-good communicative is Deayon.

Deayon, 27, led Summit to a CIF title successful 2011, establishing an Inland Empire grounds with 22 vocation interceptions and gaining 2,020 yards rushing and receiving arsenic a senior.

If anyone thought a subordinate his size had topped retired successful precocious school, Deayon went to Boise State and intercepted 17 passes, earning second-team All-Mountain West 3 times.

And if the NFL seemed excessively large for him, erstwhile again, he’s retired here.

Not easily, though. Deayon has been waived oregon released six times, signed to signifier squads 5 times and shuttled to 53-man rosters 3 times. The Rams waived him Aug. 31, brought him backmost to the signifier squad Sept. 1, and signed him to the progressive roster Tuesday.

Deayon is getting the accidental to amusement he’s much than the locker-room jester who made a splash connected HBO’s “Hard Knocks” by mimicking Rams antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald’s bodybuilder pose, comparing his meager musculature to 1 of the NFL’s legendary physiques.

“He’s an incredibly intelligent player. He’s got large short-space quickness,” Rams manager Sean McVay said. “I’ve been truly blessed for him. He’s a large communicative of continuing to work, overcoming immoderate things, whether it beryllium the size (issue) or, ‘Uh, tin helium truly play?’

“And past helium gets his opportunity, and helium capitalized connected it. I deliberation you’re going to spot him person much opportunities arsenic we determination forward.”

Donte Deayon, is pictured playing for Summit High successful Fontanta successful 2011 connected his mode to a touchdown. (Frank Bellino/Press Enterpise)

Deayon was credited with 4 tackles. Giants backmost Daniel Jones completed lone 5 of 11 passes, for 25 yards, to receivers Deayon covered.

This is wherefore Deayon persevered.

“It’s that desire, that hunger, and grit. I’ve ever got a spot connected my shoulder,” Deayon said aft signifier Thursday. “And I emotion this. I emotion this game. I emotion everything astir it.

“And I emotion being capable to play with teammates who are great. Being astir guys who are increasing arsenic well, oregon tin accidental they’re the champion astatine their position. I emotion that feeling of being retired there, helping and learning from them.”

For 3 seasons connected Rams signifier squads and scout teams, Deayon helped Goff hole for games.

“Now, successful a real-life setting, it’s going to beryllium exciting,” Deayon said of Sunday’s game, for which helium expects to person 15 relatives and friends astatine SoFi Stadium.

Nobody successful the Rams’ installation shows their excitement astir being successful an NFL signifier installation rather similar Deayon.

“He’s the feline that brings each the energy,” rookie cornerback Robert Rochell said.

Deayon suspects his joyous property has helped him to instrumentality around.

“I decidedly would accidental it helps with (creating) opportunity,” Deayon said. “Now, what you bash with your opportunities, that’s each going to beryllium (about) what you enactment connected the field, what you enactment connected tape.

“(I) travel successful each time with a affirmative cognition and a grin connected my look due to the fact that I emotion what I’m doing. Whether it goes my mode oregon not, I’m going to beryllium the aforesaid mode each day.”

He’s inactive not acceptable to beryllium connected the side.

NOTES

Rams moving backmost Sony Michel (shoulder) was listed arsenic constricted successful signifier for the 2nd consecutive time Friday and questionable for Sunday’s game, but Sean McVay said he’ll play. Center Brian Allen practiced Friday aft missing a time with a tummy bug. … With Johnny Mundt (knee) connected injured reserve, McVay indicated the No. 2 choky extremity relation Sunday could spell to Brycen Hopkins oregon practice-squad subordinate Kendall Blanton. Rookie Jacob Harris is the different choky extremity connected the rotser. Jared Pinkney was signed to the signifier squad this week. … The Rams-Lions constituent dispersed climbed to 16-1/2 Friday. It’s the 3rd clip McVay’s Rams person been favored by 2 touchdowns oregon more. They were favored by 14-1/2 erstwhile they bushed the Cardinals successful 2018 and 17-1/2 erstwhile they mislaid to the Jets successful 2020.