If you know anything about Josh Norman's rise to prominence in the NFL, the All-Pro cornerback went from a walk-on at Coastal Carolina to one of the best players at his position today.
During his freshman season at Coastal Carolina, Norman played in 12 games with seven starts, collecting 35 tackles.
The hard work he displayed paid off, as he'd be given a scholarship prior to his sophomore season and then eventually go on to be a first-team All-Big South selection and a fifth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Over this past weekend, Norman returned to his old stomping grounds to see his jersey become the very first to be honored in program history.
"It's sweet. It's awesome to come back and be shown love," Norman said via MyrtleBeachOnline.com. "It's very respectful. I'm really taken back by it. I'm humbled by it. I thank everybody who had a hand in making it happen. It's pretty surreal. I'm looking forward to doing bigger and better things. Coastal Carolina is one of my homes. It's one of the places I've been. And coming back and seeing this happen is awesome."
Even though Norman has gone to become Coastal Carolina's most productive football product, the 28-year-old was shocked to see his No. 24 jersey honored.
"I didn't expect it. I didn't ask for it," Norman said. "Me being the first guy to go up there is pretty big, man. I've seen a lot. Been through a lot. To have that there speaks volumes. It really does. It shows how much they really do care. I'm sure other people will be there, but they can't say they've been the first. It's pretty cool."
