Local 3-star football standout commits to North Texas

The football program at North Texas is off to a 3-0 start following a big win over SEC Arkansas. The Mean Green is getting recognition from across the country.

Arlington Lamar’s DeShawn Gaddie wanted to be a part of the fun.

Oh and grandma was on board too.

“At first I wasn’t sure, but as it went on they showed how much they cared and loved,” the 3-star senior defensive back said. “Not only was it loving and caring to me, but I brought my mom and grandma along on my visit and it was a huge impact on them. You make an impression on the grandma – come on now – it was meant to be.”

Gaddie holds 12 offers which include SMU, Texas State, San Diego State, Air Force, Wyoming and more.

He said in the end it came down to UNT and Tulane.

“UNT kept pushing and they showed me that they can compete with the best by beating Arkansas like that,” Gaddie said. “They’re building something great.

“That’s where I want to be. Coach Seth Littrell said ‘anything isn’t given but if you come to work you can definitely play early as a true freshman’ and that stood out a lot.”

Proximity played a factor too for the Gaddie family.

“I’m the only child and my mom has always been there for me,” Gaddie said. “I wanted to return the favor and be there for her. She doesn’t have to pay for college and now she can come watch her son play at the next level.”

The Vikings are coming off a 38-8 victory over Richland on Thursday night. They improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2015.

“DeShawn is a great athlete for us and we look forward to seeing him do great things at the next level,” coach Laban DeLay said. “When colleges look at DBs, they look for athleticism, length and the ability to cover space, and DeShawn has it all.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2018 at 1:28 PM.