Gentry High School senior Troy Griffin is already on his way to play college ball next fall, but he’s taking preparation for the next level, well, to a whole other level.
Griffin will be traveling to different showcases as he prepares for college ball after signing to play for Mississippi Delta Community College’s football team.
One such showcase is the Prospect Tour Showcase in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 23.
That will be followed by the Deion Sanders Camp in Boulder, Colorado, on May 30.
The current king of Gentry High studies major talent like NFL players Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.
On top of his athletic ambitions, he is an honor student, and he is a member of the Chick-fil-A Leaders Academy.
Football is not the only sport he played in high school; he played basketball, runs track and plays baseball.
He looks forward to joining the Trojans team in the fall, he said.
Griffin has been putting in major work since the end of his high school football season.
In his words, “I have unfinished business.”
He dealt with some injuries during this past school year that he takes very personally. Due to those injuries, he missed many games and opportunities, but he plans to make up for that in college.
He said he would like to say thanks to his coaching staff at Gentry High School.
More than anything, he wants the community to know “we are better together than apart.”
Griffin not only thinks about himself; he takes Indianola with him everywhere he goes.
Troy feels there’s more work to do and attending MDCC in the fall will be a way to give back to his community, something he places a high value on.
When asked why his community is so important to him, Griffin replied, “My community has supported me from day one. Youth coming behind me will need the same, if not more, support. I basically want to give back what has been given to me and that’s time, tough love, encouragement, and so much more.”
The chance to give back is the main reason Griffin joined the Chick-fil-A Leaders Academy; he understood the importance and need of helping (and giving to) children who are lacking, who have lost a major loved one, and who may not be able to live a full life because of disabilities and health issues, he said. After community comes sports. Getting D1 offers is a great expectation for Griffin.
In preparation for his success in sports, he is training with personal trainer Steve Lyons. He knows he has plenty of work to do to be successful in sports on the college level.
He is not thinking NFL right now; he is thinking what he can do at the moment to make his upcoming team better.
He said he is looking forward to everything that comes with being a college athlete.
When asked who motivates him and makes sure he continues to chase his dreams, with a smile he said, “I would like to thank my mother Benita Potts, my bonus dad Alfredo Potts (Chico), my grandfather Elijah Walker (pastor of Christian Fellowship) and my cousin Ayanna Lynn (community leader). They have been instrumental in molding me with great morals, an understanding of what community means, and high standards for myself.”
