There’s a good chance that a lot of NFL fans will view Dre Greenlaw as a hero next season. That’s because he was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the draft on Saturday.
But there’s one person who already considers the 21-year-old heroic for what he did off the field for one of his former classmates.
Before being drafted, Greenlaw was a linebacker at the University of Arkansas, and a father named Gerry Dales said he helped his daughter at a party when someone tried to drug her.
“Dre Greenlaw was drafted in the 5th round by the SF 49ers. I want to tell you a little story about him,” tweeted Dales on Saturday.
“My daughter went to a college party when she was a freshman. She knew very few people at the party and also didn’t have a ton of experience drinking. Someone slipped something into her drink when she wasn’t paying attention.”
Dales then explained that Greenlaw knew his daughter from high school and had no idea who the guy “all over her” was.
“And when that guy tried to steer my daughter out the front door, he stopped the guy and said ‘she’s not going anywhere,'” he detailed.
The thankful father stated he never told the story, because there was alcohol at the party, Greenlaw was underage and he could’ve gotten in trouble — especially if a fight broke out.
Dales said the San Francisco 49er truly risked it all for his daughter, and he couldn’t be more appreciative about it.
“I didn’t ever tell this story, because maybe someone would say ‘oh, he shouldn’t have been at that party,'” wrote Dales. “Maybe not. But he had my daughter’s back, and for that I will always owe him. So, do me a favor. Root for Dre. He’s a good kid with a good heart.”
Many responded to the dad’s story and praised Greenlaw for his courageous act. Eventually, Greenlaw himself replied and gave some insight on what happened that night at the party.
“I don’t know the guy but she was asking for my help and I could tell something was wrong. She was always nice to me in school,” he tweeted on Monday.
“Me and ur daughter was great friends at FHS, sorry how it all turned out but I made sure she got back to her friends and that she was ok,” he added. “I remember her calling me the next day and she was telling me how she was in the hospital. She’s my dawg of course I’d look out for her.”