At the Conroe Noon Lions Club Pigskin Preview last week, Conroe head football coach Cedric Hardeman raved about Devondre McGee.
Hardeman noted the athleticism and physical gifts of the 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior cornerback.
“The kid can wake up and jump out of the gym,” he said.
But it was what McGee has had to overcome in the classroom that drew emotion from the typically stoic Hardeman.
“Devondre has a learning disability,” Hardeman said. “I remember when I got hired at Conroe going to Peet (junior high) to see a kid in the eighth grade.”
Hardeman’s interest was piqued. Here was a kid, McGee, who was always at practice but never in games due to poor academic performance.
But it wasn’t because of a lack of effort.
“My teammates were straight A’s and B’s,” McGee said. “I was one of those guys whose grades were lower but I always tried. There were just things I couldn’t quite catch on to as quick as everyone else. I needed more one-on-ones with teachers to build that knowledge.”
That’s where Hardeman came in, helping McGee get on the right track with his grades.
“We finally realized in ninth grade what it was, and he trusted us,” Hardeman said. “He trusted his process. That grew into his academics. It grew into his play on the field.”
Three years later, everything is coming together for McGee.
On the football field, McGee terrorizes opposing receivers and quarterbacks. Last season was his first as a starting cornerback after being moved from receiver his sophomore season.
McGee’s raw ability and ballhawking skills were enough to draw offers from Texas A&M, SMU and TCU this spring and summer. On Sunday, he verbally committed to the Horned Frogs following a visit to Fort Worth.
McGee appreciated the Christian nature of the university and the school’s commitment to helping him become his best academically.
“The coaches made me feel great,” McGee said. “They made it feel like home. We never talked about committing. They never forced me to commit. When I was up there, it was just fun.”
Off the field, McGee is a stronger student in the classroom these days. He still has some difficulty with reading and writing but, through his persistence and the support and dedication of his mother, coaches and girlfriend, he is thriving.
“It pays off if you keep your word to it and stay consistent,” McGee said. “I feel like you can accomplish anything if you stick to it and focus. Trust the process.”
McGee’s signature is his speed. He runs a 4.43 40-yard dash and was a big piece of Conroe’s record-breaking 4×1 and 4×2 relay teams in the spring.
“Whenever you pop on my film, it shows,” he said proudly.
But to label McGee as just an athlete would be a disservice.
McGee said he steps onto the field “100 percent confident and calm.” He prides himself on technique and intensive study of opponents and their schemes and tendencies. When he’s not on the field, he’s poring over film.
“Every play, every snap of the ball, I’m ready,” McGee said. “I’m telling myself one play at a time. I’m thinking to myself to have good technique, line up inside the receiver. Kick-step. Get low to tackle. And sprint to the ball.”
On the field, McGee understands wars can be won even if battles are lost.
“It’s the mindset,” he said. “I feel like if you come into every game with a good mindset, you can be unbeatable. If you get the ball caught on you or you get scored on, you can bounce back. You can get the next play. There are four quarters. There are opportunities to bounce back, so why get mad at a bad play?”
That combination of athleticism, intelligence and perspective elicits no wonder as to why McGee has the attention of Power Five programs despite only a season as a starting defensive back.
“The sky’s the limit for him,” Hardeman said.
Hardeman likes to talk about his program’s core values: A.C.T.S. Accountable, compete, trust, sacrifice.
McGee embodies it.
“He’s a kid that really has the trust and sacrifice in what we do,” Hardeman said. “He exemplifies it.”
At around seven years old, McGee had a dream to one day play college football. That appears to be on the horizon.
But before it comes time to suit up in the purple and white, he’s eager to make the most of one final go in the gold and white.
“I want to be a better teammate,” McGee said. “To be a leader and step up when the team needs it. When we’re at our lowest, I want to be that guy that brings everyone up and leads us through it together.”
