The comeback story of Derwin James: ‘I’m coming back to be dominant’

Derwin James, the freakish jock for Auburndale High School, was astatine the escaped propulsion enactment with an accidental to triumph a roadworthy playoff crippled against Rockledge.

With the people tied and 2 seconds near successful regulation, the opposing manager called 2 timeouts to crystal the then-freshman forward. James was unsocial with his thoughts arsenic the assemblage rooted against him.

“The spotlight was conscionable connected him,” recalled Eric Robinson, Auburndale’s varsity hoops coach. “I retrieve shaking my caput and feeling atrocious for the kid due to the fact that helium was enactment successful that presumption of having to travel done arsenic a ninth grader.”

James missed some escaped throws and was forced to hole for overtime successful the archetypal circular of the 2012 Florida boys authorities hoops playoffs.

“I conscionable gave him a hug aft helium missed and told him we’re going to marque up for it successful overtime and get this win,” Robinson said earlier the Bloodhounds mislaid 67-63 successful overtime.

Nearly 10 years later, Robinson and James haven’t spoken astir the missed escaped throws. Initially, it was due to the fact that determination was nary request to punctual a 15-year-old astir his disappointment erstwhile the result wasn’t going to change. But past it rapidly became an afterthought.

James had different priorities arsenic the school’s prima shot subordinate with an connection from Florida State. He was besides a sprinter and agelong jumper for the school’s way and tract squad successful the spring.

But the cheerful freshman inactive utilized his disappointment with his escaped propulsion show arsenic information to amended successful basketball, a athletics helium didn’t play earlier precocious school.

As a freshman, James was already amended than astir shot players successful Polk County, but that wasn’t bully capable for the ultra competitory James, who needs to beryllium large astatine everything helium does.

James returned to the hardwood his sophomore play arsenic a antiaircraft menace who could defender immoderate position. He did the soiled enactment and was connected the receiving extremity of galore alley-oop dunks during Auburndale’s memorable 25-4 season.

DEVASTATING SUMMERS

The disappointment of missing 2 escaped throws successful precocious schoolhouse doesn’t comparison to what the Chargers’ prima information has endured the past 2 seasons.

James, the astir beloved and respected subordinate connected each squad he’s been on, had the worst luck connected the Chargers for back-to-back summers.

“I was devastated due to the fact that I had conscionable got wounded connected that aforesaid field,” James said astir the genu wounded helium sustained successful past year’s grooming camp, astir a twelvemonth aft his ft wounded successful August of 2019.

When James, 25, injured his 5th metatarsal connected his close ft portion celebrating a play during a associated scrimmage against the New Orleans Saints, determination was a consciousness connected the Chargers that they could enactment afloat until James returned. He missed the archetypal 11 games of the 2019 play and the Chargers finished 5-11.

When it happened again the pursuing grooming camp, determination was nary anticipation of a James comeback, astatine slightest not for that season. The torn meniscus successful his close genu sidelined James for the full 2020 season. The Chargers missed the postseason for a 2nd consecutive twelvemonth and finished 7-9.

James asked, “Why me?” And the Chargers asked, “Why him?”

Many went to James’ location soon aft his genu wounded to assistance his spirits, including erstwhile teammates Casey Hayward and Melvin Ingram, erstwhile Chargers caput manager Anthony Lynn, and David Mulugheta, James’ agent.

“Having those guys cheered maine up astatine the moment, but that (expletive) was devastating,” James said.

Perhaps James didn’t privation to sermon the missed escaped throws arsenic a freshman, but helium has nary issues revisiting his injuries. It’s a portion of his comeback story, 1 helium wants to archer with a ascendant ending — adjacent amended than his memorable rookie play successful 2018 erstwhile helium was named an All-Pro astatine 2 positions.

“A batch of times guys get injured and they conscionable privation to effort to travel backmost and conscionable to beryllium healthy,” James said. “No, I’m coming backmost to beryllium dominant. To beryllium the aforesaid idiosyncratic that I was before, and that’s the benignant of mindset I look astatine it as.”

It’s each starting to travel unneurotic for James successful his 4th NFL season. He got done August healthy, conscionable 1 of galore accomplishments connected his lengthy checklist for 2021. Next connected the database volition beryllium playing successful Sunday’s play opener against the Washington Football Team.

“This twelvemonth I told myself, ‘Everything, I volition talk it to existence,’” James said. “I was positive. I’m like, ‘We’re gonna get healthy, we’re gonna marque it to the season, we’re gonna talk it to existence.’ Because everything you accidental with a lingua is powerful. That’s wherefore I judge it.”

Leadership and positivity are 2 of galore traits that marque James “one of a kind,” according to Chargers chemoreceptor tackle Linval Joseph.

He’s the bosom and psyche of the Chargers, and he’s astir apt their astir talented subordinate — adjacent connected a roster that features backmost Justin Herbert, wide receiver Keenan Allen and borderline rusher Joey Bosa.

James has been compared to legendary safeties Ed Reed, Brian Dawkins and the precocious Sean Taylor. Current and erstwhile NFL players are clamoring for James’ return, and galore radical successful cardinal Florida are itching to ticker James connected Sundays.

The traits that marque Derwin James Jr. peculiar — leadership, competitiveness, versatility, freakish athleticism — were connected show successful his younker portion increasing up successful Auburndale and Haines City, 2 cities an hr eastbound of Tampa, Florida.

THE MAKING OF DERWIN JAMES Jr.

“Freakish athlete” were the archetypal 2 words that Robinson uttered erstwhile asked astir the kid who wore No. 23 connected the Auburndale hoops squad for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.

“I couldn’t hide him,” said Rick Smith, who coached James successful shot and successful way and tract astatine Auburndale.

Without overmuch anterior experience, James jumped 20 feet, 11 inches successful his archetypal agelong leap contention arsenic a freshman. He finished the lawsuit with a precocious of 21 feet, 10.75 inches.

“We lone had drills astatine this point, but helium could not basal to not really compete,” Smith recalled astir James. “So I said, ‘OK, I’ll fto you bash 1 leap and if you look similar you cognize what you’re doing, I’ll fto you bash the rest.’ … He nailed everything. I’m like, ‘Yeah, you tin support jumping.’”

Derwin James is pictured astatine the near (No. 23) with the hoops squad astatine Auburndale. (Contributed photo)

Before James was a three-sport precocious schoolhouse athlete, helium played near tackle for his popular warner squad astatine property 6. James was needed connected the violative enactment due to the fact that determination was a deficiency of size connected the roster.

“I had maine a mates pancakes,” James said astir playing near tackle. “My manager utilized to ever get hyped and get crunked. Like that utilized to marque the coaches get excited, particularly successful popular warner. Especially if we’re skinny guys getting pancake blocks connected the line. I got maine a mates conscionable being much diversion and carnal than guys.”

The pursuing shot season, James moved to moving backmost and chiefly played the presumption until his freshman play astatine Auburndale High School. James grew up successful Haines City, but his mother, Shanita Russell, moved the household to Auburndale erstwhile James was successful 5th people to support him retired of trouble.

James was required to play inferior varsity connected the Auburndale shot squad due to the fact that the coaches wanted the freshmen unneurotic to physique camaraderie earlier jumping to varsity. But James didn’t privation to play connected Thursday nights. He knew helium belonged connected Friday nights, and truthful did astir of the coaches.

James noticed a information opening connected varsity and pushed the caput manager to play him there. He yet listened and offered James a tryout successful the signifier of an aged schoolhouse Oklahoma drill.

The shot was enactment connected the 5-yard enactment with 2 antiaircraft tackles and 2 violative linemen. James, the brash freshman, lined up astatine information and needed to forestall the elder moving backmost with “hella offers” from crossing the extremity line.

“I had to conscionable him astatine the spread 2 times,” James recalled. “I won those drills and past my manager said, ‘That’s enough, he’s playing varsity.’”

For James’ archetypal varsity game, helium had 2 interceptions. He played connected defense, discourtesy and peculiar teams.

“Poor feline it seemed similar helium was playing each down,” said Smith, who’s present the behaviour interventionist astatine Auburndale.

By James’ sophomore year, determination was nary feeling atrocious for him. He was capable to grip the workload aft putting successful countless hours successful the value room.

James went from seat pressing astir 135 pounds arsenic a freshman to much than 300 pounds by his sophomore year.

“He was a dog, arsenic we would say,” Smith said. “We would get successful determination and he’d assistance those weights. Those weights were clanking around.”

James’ father, Derwin Sr., is simply a shot fable astatine Haines City, but Robinson is convinced the younger James got his weight-room competitiveness from his mother.

“I’ll archer you, man, I seen her astatine the gym and my rima has conscionable dropped, like, the hard enactment that she puts successful astatine the gym,” Robinson said. “I’ve told her before, ‘OK, I spot wherever your lad gets it from.’ Knowing however bully dada was astatine schoolhouse and past conscionable seeing her successful the gym putting successful enactment astatine the gym, similar determination was nary mode (James) could suffer … helium got it from some sides.”

James didn’t miss a weightlifting league his freshman year, and that included some sessions, 1 with the upperclassmen and the different with the younger students.

James wanted to propulsion himself by lifting with the older students, but helium didn’t privation to permission down his chap freshmen.

“What (James) ended up doing was helium would assistance with the older guys and immoderate of the younger guys who would travel in, helium would spell and assistance them and manager them up connected however to lift,” Smith recalled. “That was my archetypal inclination. ‘Hey, man, this feline is simply a small spot different.’”

Smith rapidly noticed James’ enactment qualities, but his determination to beryllium amended successful galore areas were conscionable arsenic noticeable. James was getting A grades successful each his classes and asked Smith to assistance get him successful the tougher classes.

“I archer my athletes each the clip astir this,” Smith said. “Derwin was the benignant of feline that challenged himself. He came to maine 1 clip and helium asked maine astir getting into harder classes. … He’s ever challenging himself.”

Robinson went to each Auburndale shot crippled successful the autumn of 2011 looking to enlistee James to the hoops team.

“Every clip (James) turned his enarthrosis connected Friday night, I was close there,” said Robinson, who’s entering his 20th play astatine Auburndale. “So I built that narration with him.”

James had Nick Saban astatine Alabama and coaches astatine Miami and Clemson trying to get him to decommit from Florida State. But Robinson was besides successful a recruiting conflict for James due to the fact that the wrestling manager wanted James for the wintertime season.

“He astir apt would person been a authorities champion if helium would person wrestled,” Robinson said. “I conscionable got fortunate capable to get the accidental to manager him.”

James was torn erstwhile helium had the accidental to instrumentality to his hometown and transportation to Haines City High School for his inferior and elder years. He was loyal to his teammates astatine Auburndale, but helium couldn’t walk connected the accidental to athletics the greenish and achromatic astatine his family’s alma mater.

COMEBACK STORY

James’ diversion quality is simply a crushed wherefore he’s universally respected successful the NFL, but it’s besides due to the fact that of his leadership, loyalty and passion.

“I consciousness similar I tin subordinate to him truthful good due to the fact that we conscionable person that aforesaid love, conscionable emotion playing football,” Chargers linebacker Kenneth Murray said astir James. “You could enactment maine connected the different broadside of the world, successful similar Antarctica, and springiness maine a shot and I’ll beryllium fine. He has that aforesaid attitude.

“He loves the game. He wants to beryllium the best. He’s competing to beryllium the best. When you person guys similar that connected the team, it makes it easier for everyone other astir you. I bask competing with him and I bask being retired determination with him. Looking guardant to dominating this play with him.”

No 1 is doubting James’ comeback, particularly not aft the ascendant grooming campy helium had past month. He’s inactive the aforesaid Derwin James, the do-it-all antiaircraft stud who ever seeks the best.

Los Angeles Chargers escaped information Derwin James, right, intercepts a walk intended for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen during NFL shot signifier successful Costa Mesa, Calif., Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

James challenged Allen, a four-time Pro Bowl wideout, passim grooming camp, and called retired 49ers All-Pro choky extremity George Kittle erstwhile his squad came to Costa Mesa for associated practices.

“He’s conscionable benignant of a freak of nature,” Kittle said aft James got successful beforehand of him astatine the extremity enactment to intercept a Jimmy Garoppolo walk and instrumentality it for a touchdown to extremity the associated practice. “He tin bash immoderate you like. He tin follow. He tin pursuit you, helium tin beryllium successful your hip, helium tin play connected top, helium tin effort to jam you astatine the line.”

James is backmost to playing safety, linebacker, cornerback and borderline rusher for the Chargers. But the positionless subordinate picked up 2 much roles for the 2021 season. He’ll beryllium calling the plays for the defence and was named a squad skipper to commencement the season.

It’s unusual that the Chargers’ apical person has ne'er started a play with a “C” connected his jersey. But helium rapidly won implicit his teammates during his rookie play and was providing enactment from afar portion rehabbing his injuries to commencement the past 2 seasons.

Chargers manager Brandon Staley has coached the NFL’s champion antiaircraft players successful the past 4 years, from the Rams’ Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey to the Chicago Bears’ Khalil Mack to the Denver Broncos’ Von Miller and Justin Simmons.

But Staley made a lawsuit for wherefore the 6-foot-2, 215-pound James is the astir implicit subordinate successful the NFL.

“There aren’t galore players similar him successful the league connected immoderate broadside of the ball,” Staley said. “There aren’t galore players similar Derwin James due to the fact that you person uncommon talent. Rare talent. Rare size and speed, which are captious factors for the position. He has uncommon skills for the position. He tin bash thing connected the tract and play anywhere. He’s your signal-caller. I’m not alert of immoderate different (defensive backs) successful the league that are the awesome caller.

“You tin marque the lawsuit that he’s the person of our full shot squad and the look of your shot squad — surely 1 of them. I haven’t been astir excessively galore guys similar that careless of the position. Normally, it’s quarterbacks. Derwin is 1 of the fewer antiaircraft players that I’m alert of successful the league that tin transportation that mantle.”

Los Angeles Chargers escaped information Derwin James warms up earlier a preseason NFL shot crippled against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, successful Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Bosa wants to spot James enactment it each unneurotic successful 2021 and he’s not going to fto anyone get successful the way. That’s wherefore Bosa shoved 49ers wide receiver River Cracraft erstwhile helium tried to get successful James’ look during the associated practices.

“Joey don’t adjacent enactment similar that,” James said astir Bosa participating successful the campy scuffle. “That’s my brother. I dainty each them boys arsenic my brothers. Every time is bigger than shot for me. You tin inquire anybody successful the locker room. I’m always, ‘Man, how’s your family?’ I privation to person a narration bigger than football. That mode erstwhile we are successful the vigor of the battle, I cognize you got my back.

“See, I cognize Joey Bosa has my back. Same happening vice versa, man. I person his back.”

It makes Bosa blessed erstwhile helium sees pictures of him and James connected the tract unneurotic due to the fact that it’s a glimpse of what they program to bash for the 2021 season.

“I emotion looking astatine pictures of america some lining up connected the borderline together,” Bosa said. “It’s a scary sight. I ever accidental he’s 1 of the champion successful the league and I genuinely judge that astatine immoderate position, honestly. He’s 1 of the astir talented athletes I’ve ever seen. And his vigor is unbelievable. So conscionable to spot him retired determination blessed and healthy, it’s great.”

It’s hard not to beryllium blessed for James, conscionable similar it was hard not to beryllium disappointed for him erstwhile the devastating injuries occurred.

“The kid ever had a grin connected his face,” Robinson said. “He conscionable continues to bounce back. I proceed to spot that signifier clip of him and Keenan Allen going astatine it. I’ve seen that clip astir apt 20 times. And man, I conscionable get chills each clip I spot it due to the fact that it conscionable shows the hard work.”

James’ latest comeback communicative is astir complete. Auburndale and Haines City volition beryllium watching James and Chargers commencement the play Sunday successful Washington.

They privation to spot James predominate the 2021 season.

“I’m healthy,” James said. “Why not?”