Shon Coleman to Announce the First Pick of the NFL Draft

[AUChizad]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/05/auburn-football-shon-coleman-cancer-nfl-draft

Auburn football player who beat cancer will announce first-round pick at NFL Draft

By LAKEN LITMAN    1 hour ago   

It’s a busy week for Shon Coleman.

Sunday, he graduated from Auburn with a degree in public administration, and Wednesday, he’ll fly to New York City with his mother to announce a first-round pick at Thursday’s NFL Draft, thanks to a special NFL partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

It’s not every year a future NFL prospect gets to announce a draft pick. But Coleman is different.

His inspirational story is well-told in the college football world. After being ranked the top prospect in Mississippi and No. 3 nationally at his position by Rivals.com in 2010, the five-star offensive tackle out of Olive Branch, Miss. was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Instead of heading to Auburn that fall like he planned, Coleman and his family moved to Memphis, Tenn. so he could receive care from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in March 2010. The disease went into remission in April, but recovery took time. He was able to enroll in classes in January 2011, and the university made special provisions so he could go back and forth between Auburn and Memphis — a five-hour drive — for treatment. He also saw a doctor in Auburn when he needed to.

Treatment, schoolwork, travel. It was all difficult.

“But obviously it was 100% worth it,” Shon’s mother, De Keishia Tunstall-Coleman, told For The Win.

Coleman was declared cancer-free in October 2012 and hasn’t felt any remnants of the illness since.

“It’s out of my mind,” he said. “I just go out there and compete. Sometimes I think about all I’ve been through last couple of years and it kind of satisfies me to think about where I am now.”

It took Coleman a solid year to get back in football shape. It had been three years since his senior year of high school before he finally took the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium. His first snap came late in the fourth quarter in Auburn’s second game of last season against Arkansas State.

Coleman, who served as probable top 5 draft pick Greg Robinson’s backup at left tackle last year, played in almost every game during Auburn’s magical national title game run in 2013. This fall he’ll compete to protect quarterback Nick Marshall’s blindside. He has three years of eligibility remaining after missing three seasons fighting cancer.

Playing for SEC and national championships and making it to the NFL someday have always been Coleman’s goals. Even when he was lying in a hospital bed with cancer.

“I always kept my head held high,” he said. “I had dreams since I was little to play in the SEC and be a great Division I football player, and I always stuck to it. I always said I would be back. I kept pursuing what I wanted to do.”

This is the second year St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has teamed up with the NFL to announce a draft pick, but it’s unique that this year’s honoree is a former patient who could have a professional football career of his own. In 2012, 13-year-old Markell Gregoire announced the 15th overall pick. Thursday, Coleman could very well introduce one of his former teammates in New York. Robinson is a popular top 5 choice among most draft boards, and Tigers defensive end Dee Ford could also be selected in the first round.

“I look at (this opportunity) as motivation,” Coleman said. “To see guys to up there chasing their dreams, it’s just a pretty big deal for me to see how everything goes with the draft and meet people and get some words of wisdom from people.

“It’ll help me a lot in the future.”

If Shon Coleman announces Greg Robinson as the first overall pick, then Dee Ford slips to the Saints (as projected), and then Chris Davis goes to the Saints in the 4th round (also as projected) I will lose my mind.

[Townhallsavoy]

That's awesome.   

[WiregrassTiger]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/05/auburn-football-shon-coleman-cancer-nfl-draftIf Shon Coleman announces Greg Robinson as the first overall pick, and then Dee Ford slips to the Saints, I will lose my mind.

Will you make the Oh face?

[Godfather]

Will you make the Oh face?

[Saniflush]

None of them are going to the Saints...They aren't cheaters.

[Buzz Killington]

It's just too bad the Ewok wasn't released from his contract before the 2014 season, or you could have the elusive multiple Oh face...

[AUChizad]

It's just too bad the Ewok wasn't released from his contract before the 2014 season, or you could have the elusive multiple Oh face...

Saints put all their eggs in the Ewok basket, whereas we have been a RB by committee team for a while. Would not be impossible for them to pick Mason up, although that's probably the least likely of all scenarios.

[Godfather]

Saints put all their eggs in the Ewok basket, whereas we have been a RB by committee team for a while. Would not be impossible for them to pick Mason up, although that's probably the least likely of all scenarios.

Mason ....Dolphins...BOOK IT!

 

[Saniflush]

Poor Tre.

[The Prowler]

A current Auburn & future NFL Olineman announcing former Auburn Olineman Greg Robinson as a 1st Round Pick in the Draft. If that happens, current recruits will see that, then...
















Oh btw, Coleman is announcing one pick in the 1st round of the Draft, not necessarily the 1st pick. Regardless of which pick Coleman will announce or who that may be, it's still awesome for Mr. Coleman and his family...as well as for Auburn.

[bottomfeeder]

"Because everybody has something, that they have to overcome."

vimeo.com/85775952

[Godfather]

Poor Tre.

True

[WiregrassTiger]

A current Auburn & future NFL Olineman announcing former Auburn Olineman Greg Robinson as a 1st Round Pick in the Draft. If that happens, current recruits will see that, then...
















Oh btw, Coleman is announcing one pick in the 1st round of the Draft, not necessarily the 1st pick. Regardless of which pick Coleman will announce or who that may be, it's still awesome for Mr. Coleman and his family...as well as for Auburn.

I dig your hair, man.

[bottomfeeder]

http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050514aah.html