As a child, Marian Catholic ’s Gavin Neil grew up watching Jadeveon Clowney highlights with his father, Jason.

Those highlights inspired him to become a defensive lineman when he first signed up for football around the age of 6.

A bigger kid from an early age, Neil played football and basketball, but his favorite athletes to watch included Clowney, Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp, Aaron Donald and Von Miller. Not too long after beginning youth football, however, Neil suffered his first concussion, which took him away from the gridiron, leading to more time on the basketball court.

“I played defensive tackle and a little bit of offensive guard when I was younger,” Neil said. “I’ve always wanted to play the defensive line position because I saw how everybody would erupt when t

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