Gulfport alum Derick Hall drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2nd Round of the NFL Draft
Gulfport High School alum Derick Hall heard his named called in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft as the 37th overall selection of the Seattle Seahawks.
The scene was crazy at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport where Hall’s village of lifelong supporters turned up like they were already a part of the 12th Man!
Like something straight out of a movie, Hall watching himself get drafted on the big screen just moments after getting the call from Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll.
After patiently waiting for five hours yesterday, the good news came just minutes into the second round as the seventh edge rusher taken off the board.
Hall was every quarterback’s worst nightmare during his four years at Auburn, leading the Tigers as a First-Team All-SEC selection as a senior with seven sacks, 60 tackles, 12-and-a-half of those for loss, an interception, and two forced fumbles.
It all started right here in Gulfport for Hall, ending his Gulfport career on a 16-game district winning streak before signing with Auburn in December 2018.
Even then he was dreaming big, but he wasn’t dreaming big alone. (“Derick, you dream about this moment your entire life. How does that live up to the reality of what you’re experiencing?”) I didn’t think it would be this fascinating, to be quite honest. Like I said, man, it’s just hard to explain. It’s hard to put into words. The gratitude and joy that I’m feeling at this very moment, and again, the people behind you, man. That’s who made it happen, so I’m just blessed and thankful and I’m ready to get to Seattle.”
“Answer the phone, they said, is this Derick Hall? I said, yes, it is. And he said, it’s Coach Carroll from the Seattle Seahawks. First thing you’ve got to ship your trucks out here because we’re fixing to make you a Seahawk, and after that moment, it just broke loose for me because I knew how special it was, not so much for me, but for my Mom and all the hard work that she put in the younger careers of my life, and all the sacrifice and gratitude and just consistency that she’s been there for me, so like I said, I’m blessed to have my name called, but it’s about the people behind you.”
Derick’s mom, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, said, “I think the one thing that keeps coming back is thankful and grateful, like he’s just so deserving of everything that he gets at this moment, so I think that one emotion is just being thankful.”
Hall says he’s never been to Seattle, but he’s ready to get to work ASAP.
