South Atlanta News

Elisha Jarrett looked on as her son's heart was breaking.

Lying flat on his back on the floor of a family member's home, tears trickled down the side of his somber eyes. Those eyes usually bright with fire were snuffed out.

She saw the tears silently drop to the floor.

It was the weekend of the 2015 NFL Draft. It was the final day of the event at that. And Grady Jarrett didn't belong to a team. His name hadn't been called. No organization had drafted him like they were supposed to.

As he lay on the floor contemplating his future, Jarrett didn't have an NFL home yet.

What's worse? He didn't really have much of a physical home left, either.

It had been less than 24 hours since a fire licked its way through the Jarrett family home. As tears escaped Jarrett's eyes, smoke still rose from the remains of a portion of his childhood home just a short drive away.

Jarrett's introduction to the league wasn't a weekend he or his family dreamed of. In all actuality, it began as the stuff of flamed nightmares.

Back in 2015, Grady Jarrett wasn't the household name he is now. He was an undersized defensive lineman from Clemson. He was productive at the college level, but would that productivity translate to the pros? This was the question surrounding Jarrett at the time.

Undersized and undervalued, Jarrett was a young man who went to the NFL Combine and only had one team –-the Cleveland Browns-- that wanted to meet with him.

"You had guys who had these long meeting sheets, like 20 or 30 teams, all these teams wanted to talk to them," Jarrett recalled 10 years later. "I didn't."

And yet, he still hoped. Outward expectations fueled that hope because all draft experts agreed: There was no way Jarrett would fall past the second round. He'd surely be drafted by the end of the second day.

And yet, he wasn't.

As picks came and went, frustration grew in his heart. With no call from a team, Jarrett began pacing.

When he did, something dark and ominous caught his eye. Elisha saw it too.

"We saw smoke, black smoke coming from upstairs," she said. "... One of the rooms upstairs was engulfed in flames."

Draft woes forgotten; The Jarretts sprang into survival mode. Friends and family who filled their house to watch day's events needed to evacuate quickly; sirens wailed in distance drawing closer each second; house emptied with mother & son last leave

It wasn't easy taking those final steps out though

Standing garage her home Elisha feet cemented ground couldn't happening thought

"Not today any day but today" she said audibly no one particular

Always protector; jarret came find her

"He literally picked me up took me back out" she recalled "... I'm literally now walking pacing property I'm like 'My house is on fire' At time I said 'I've been here 20 years it's where I raised my children My house is on fire' It just became so real"

Fire department doused flames broke news extent damage

"Half house completely destroyed" jarret said "And would've been whole house had not one single door closed because air flow according firemen scene"

Draped smoke-ridden clothes shock family placed lawn chairs property's gated entrance Who knows how long sat there watching as smoke continued clear silence ebbing flowing All Elisha remembers when finally looked time it was 4:30 morning They needed sleep They needed recover And matriarch Elisha needed light for son dark moment

He still yet be drafted

Waking up next morning Elisha put pen paper wrote note son As family turned TV back watch third day draft she slipped note into pocket

"I told him 'Don't read it yet'" she said

Note momentarily forgotten draft rolled on

When Falcons clock No 107 overall pick fourth round family held breath As time ticked by without call Justin Hardy's name eventually announced Falcons pick exhale left group heavy

It moment when jarret himself always put together always strong splintered

"At this point he crazy vulnerable because we around him" elisha said "He very private person especially when emotional But literally spread eagle laid middle floor tears rolling down eyes And course my heart breaking"

Feeling motherly instinct take over comfort son elisha leaned down jarrets level

In soft but strong voice made proclamation

"Listen we only need opportunity" elisha said jarret "First round third round fifth round seventh round no round We only need opportunity Let's not even think about rounds ... You have heart biggest lion You will okay"

Of course she small smile decade later "he wasnt trying hear that time"

Though wasnt wanting hear those words encouragement words helped heal resolve nonetheless Wiping away tears jarret picked himself off floor walked kitchen table

"He literally just drying eyes when phone rang" elisha said

Elisha knew right away this call family waiting She knew because knows son Has tell explained When anxious head about something rubs side head Always has

From early years toddler adolescent years state champion wrestler Conyers Georgia man father cornerstone organization jarret become its still tell

So hand went up head knew call then different type silence descended upon family

Night before sat shocked silence despair looking helplessly burning home front present silence took hold again as jarret reached phone This silence different than before This silence anticipation hope

Jarret hung up phone And silence stretched until jarret broke four words cemented next ten years

"We're going Atlanta," he said

Cheers gasps erupted around him

"The reality saying we're going Atlanta hadn't really sunk in," elisa moment "but few minutes later it's like 'Wait We're staying home'"

After assault congratulatory hugs Elisa finally made way over son Asked look note wrote when day began

On note she'd written phrase: "Pick 107 Falcons."

Jarret may ultimately selected Falcons next pick No137 start fifth round premise note remains same There's something be said about mother's intuition

With jarret officially Falcon weekend came close

Looking back weekend no one saw coming Weekend no one wanted either But weekend set restoration player family

There work done at home

“To totally get back? It took almost two years,” says Grady about aftermath fire “... A lot money rookie (deal) went restoring house”

And there work done field

“The first thing remember about our young draft pick d-lineman nobody had these expectations except himself” head coach Raheem Morris “is remember thinking ‘... I can only imagine what he's going become’”

A decade later name Grady means something Atlanta

Through ashes legend arose which why grady peace story painful start

“Looking back?” says “Shoot wouldn't change ten times over because God restored twenty times over”