NFL Draft 2022: Maywood native Perrion Winfrey considered top 50 prospect

The NFL hopeful is spending his night surrounded by household and mates in a house in Palos Park. He walked right down to a cheering crowd of his greatest followers on his greatest evening.

“That is the perfect half. I like having the ability to be round different people who believed me when no one else believed in me and simply being round my family members every single day,” he mentioned.

“My feelings are so excessive proper now,” mentioned Shantel Thomas, mom. “By no means in 1,000,000 years did I think about we might ever, ever be right here.”

Thomas mentioned she remembers the day her son informed her he wished to play within the NFL.

“The explanation I am so pleased with Perrion as a result of even when perhaps different folks did not imagine in him, he believed in himself. He is spoke this day-after-day on a regular basis. I’ll the NFL,” she mentioned.

The Lake Park Excessive College alum’s journey to this large day has taken him from the western suburbs to Iowa Western Neighborhood Faculty, the place he ranked No. 1 total junior faculty recruit.

NFL Draft returns Thursday, with Chicago Bears slated to choose twice in 2nd spherical

From there, Winfrey joined the Oklahoma Sooners as a defensive sort out, and was named the Reese’s Senior Bowl MVP.

He mentioned all through each transfer it was his household that each grounded and drove him.

“Every single day, always, simply ensuring that I used to be doing the precise issues and ensuring my head was on straight,” he mentioned.

He is now thought-about a prime 50 prospect, and draft knowledgeable say he may very well be picked up throughout the first two days of the 2022 NFL draft.

Winfrey mentioned no matter group he finally ends up on, he plans to proceed his targeted work to enhance, impress and encourage.

“It is not concerning the flash, the glitz, the glamour is the cash to fame, none of that” he mentioned. “I am simply out right here chasing a legacy that I would like my youngsters to have the ability to dwell by and simply search for, and I am additionally simply eager to make my household proud each single day.”

As of now, the Chicago Bears do not need a primary spherical draft decide and should not anticipated to commerce up for one. They’ve two second spherical picks, when the draft resumes Friday evening on ABC 7.