A Sudden Rise to Fame

"...Indeed, we need to keep watching this young player; he still has a lot to prove. But I must admit, I was blown away."

The next day, Blackledge appeared as a guest on an ESPN football show, eager to share his impressions from yesterday's game.

Although the NFL was in its offseason, the league remained busy. The draft had just concluded, and the free agency market was now in full swing.

Because of this, the attention of professionals had shifted from college players to contract renewals, trades, and signings in the league.

However, Blackledge couldn't contain himself and shared his excitement with the viewers. He soon realized he wasn't alone—

Despite being just an NCAA scrimmage, ESPN's live broadcast had drawn over 25 million viewers, easily outperforming the week's NBA playoff game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Brooklyn Nets. Once again, it highlighted football's dominance.

Blackledge described a specific moment from the game, and the studio was instantly abuzz with chatter.

"Right, number 23, right? He was outstanding. Really impressive."

"I have to say, Crimson Tide always seems to churn out excellent running backs, and it looks like Saban has done it again."

"That 55-second run at the end of the game was remarkable—quick stops, sharp turns, and a head-on collision. He showed technique, talent, and intelligence. It was truly memorable."

Praise kept flowing—

Who would have thought that a college player could dominate 60 seconds of discussion during a segment focused on the NFL free agency market? And once the talk started, it didn't stop.

As expected, college football in the offseason always drew massive attention.

Blackledge, spurred on by the enthusiasm, dropped some exclusive news.

"This young player is Chinese. He's 18 years old and only started practicing football three weeks ago. As of now, he's still a bit raw..."

He didn't even get to finish the sentence, or say the inevitable "but," before being interrupted by a wave of astonished reactions.

"Wait, wait, what? Chinese?"

"Whoa, whoa, pull the reins. What did you just say?"

"Three weeks ago? What do you mean he just started playing football three weeks ago?"

"Are you saying he's never played before? Surely, he's at least watched the sport?"

"No, I mean he'd never touched a football, let alone played or even watched it. He probably didn't even know the rules."

"Jesus Christ, is he from another planet?"

"Well, if he's Chinese, that makes more sense. Asia is more into basketball and soccer. They were probably all watching the Hawks-Nets game and have no clue this guy made his debut in the NCAA."

"What! A Chinese player?"

"For the life of me, I can't decide what's more shocking—that he's Chinese or that he just started playing football three weeks ago. My God, this is insane."

"And pairing that with his performance yesterday makes it even more unbelievable. Did Nick Saban rub Aladdin's lamp?"

In 2019, Chinese safety Taylor Rapp was drafted 61st overall by the Los Angeles Rams, becoming the highest-drafted Chinese player in NFL history. His selection sparked significant discussion, and it seemed to break the barrier between football and the Asian market.

But before Rapp, Asian players had already made their way to the NFL.

In 2010, Chinese player Ed Wang was drafted 140th overall in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills, making him the first NFL player with two Chinese parents. Unfortunately, his NFL career was brief—he played only six games as an offensive line substitute during his rookie season before being cut.

One of the most famous and arguably greatest Asian players in NFL history is New England Patriots legend Patrick Chung, a Jamaican-Chinese safety. Chung's grandfather was Chinese, and his grandmother was Jamaican, and his family name, Chung, is well-known in the football world.

Chung entered the league in 2009, won three Super Bowl rings, and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team—a dominant safety in his time.

Another notable Asian player is wide receiver Hines Ward, who was drafted in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998. Ward is regarded as one of the greatest offensive players in Steelers history and was named Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XL. His father was African-American, and his mother was Korean.

Going even further back, Roman Gabriel, whose father was Filipino and mother was Irish, was the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1962 NFL Draft. He was the first Asian-American quarterback drafted in the first round and was named NFL MVP in 1969.

Of course, there are more names.

By 2016, there had been a total of 11 Asian players in NFL history, each with their own story. Although Asian players have had a presence in football, they are still relatively few. Overall, football remains a foreign sport to many Asians, with low participation rates.

In this context, Lance made his debut, bursting onto the scene in spectacular fashion.

Originally, Blackledge had planned to be cautious and not put too much pressure on the young player. After all, it was just one scrimmage and one practice game. He didn't want to hype him up too much and risk setting him up for failure. But—

Three weeks of experience.

That single fact was enough. There was no need for modesty or nitpicking—everyone could feel the impact of that detail.

Even Blackledge himself couldn't help but puff out his chest a little.

"Compared to Derrick Henry, who led the Crimson Tide to greatness last season, this young player is a completely different style of runner. In my opinion, his closest comparison would be Patrick Peterson..."

"Exactly." Before Blackledge could even finish, someone chimed in.

"His acceleration and change of direction are impressive, but what stands out the most is his ability to read and react to defensive formations—just like Peterson."

"More than his individual skills, I'm most impressed by his composure under pressure. Considering he only started playing football three weeks ago, to debut like that at Bryant-Denny Stadium in front of a crowd of 100,000—it's unbelievable. We all know how intense that atmosphere can be."

One after another, ESPN's analysts showered Lance with praise, matching the Crimson White's enthusiastic coverage. Blackledge, the one who had introduced Lance, found himself left in the background.

A little lonely.

Finally, the attention returned to Blackledge. "What's this young man's name again?"

With a proud smile, Blackledge responded, "Lance. His name is Lance. Scouts, GMs, and coaches—you'd better take out your notebooks and remember that name. You won't want to miss him this upcoming season."