Easton Royal learned at an early age how to calm his mother’s worries about playing football.

The Brother Martin standout watched highlight videos of former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch and observed how the five-time Pro Bowler with more than 10,000 career yards rushing used a powerful stiff-arm to keep defenders at bay.

So, when Demetrice Royal signed up her son to play for the Slidell Youth Football Association at age 6 despite her worries that he could get hurt, Easton copied some of what he saw in those videos — and he put his mother at ease with how well he also could stiff-arm defenders.

“He rarely got tackled,” said Demetrice Royal, whose son has become an increasingly sought-after recruit who ranks among the best prep football players in the country.

Now a 16-year-old junior

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