Temple University Athletics
The Master of Transition
8.13.19 | Football
Interesting Fact #1: Temple has had at least one defensive back make the NFL in each of the last four years – Tavon Young (Ravens, 2016), Nate Hairston (Colts, 2017), Sean Chandler (Giants, 2018), Rock Ya-Sin (Colts, 2019).
Interesting Fact #2: The 2015 Temple Owls wide receivers room produced 11 players who signed NFL contracts – Robby Anderson, Ventell Bryant, Romond Deloatch, Matt Eaton, Marshall Ellick, Nate Hairston, Adonis Jennings, Keith Kirkwood, Brandon Shippen, Cortrelle Simpson, and Derrek Thomas.
If there is one person who should know that, it's Nate Hairston. He is the only one who lands on both lists.
"I didn't even know that," said Hairston recently when told the news. "That's crazy. That's insane."
The Frederick, Md., native, who came to Temple in 2012 as a freshman wide receiver, made the switch to cornerback in the 2015 spring. Then Temple head coach Matt Rhule recognized the glut of talent he had at receiver and saw the potential in Hairston to play cornerback at the next level and encouraged him to make the change.
"I'm glad I did it," said Hairston, who was initially reluctant to make the transition. "I thank God about it all the time. Just as a young kid, not really knowing. I wanted to play receiver and catch the ball, catch touchdowns. I moved over to defensive back and it was an adjustment period. I got with Coach Fran [Brown] and he talked to me and stayed in my ear often and I grew to love the position. I thank God every day that I did it."
In 2017, Hairston was a fifth round pick by the Indianapolis Colts. While Rhule identified the potential, it is Fran Brown who Hairston credits for getting him ready for the NFL.
"You've got me, Rock, Sean Chandler, and Tavon. I really think it's a testament to Coach Fran. He stays on us hard and you see it pay off because he sent so many guys to the league."
Hairston was one of the former players thrilled that Brown returned to Temple this year.
"It feels like home again with him back at Temple," he said. "I'm still in contact with Coach Fran. He's like a big brother to me, I talk to him all the time. He tells me how the guys are doing."
Despite a hectic schedule as a professional athlete, Hairston always has one eye on the team from North Broad.
"If we are traveling on Saturday and we get [to the hotel] and Temple is on, I make everyone stop and watch the game."
Hairston has company when he stops to watch the Owls as he is joined by two Temple players on the current Colts' roster – fellow cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and quarterback P.J. Walker.
Walker joined the Colts at the same time as Hairston and helped him transition to the NFL.
"It was cool," he said about having someone to share the experience with. "When you get off the plane there are a bunch of guys with bags and nobody knows each other. But I was playing with P.J. for four years. I was actually his roommate too so we were really close. It was easy to go through something as hard as adjusting to the NFL with someone who you've known for a long time."
Having three players from Temple on one NFL team is a unique experience but Hairston sees similarities in the culture that both football teams have.
"Work ethic…that's all we knew at Temple," Hairston insisted. "The blue collar mentality; they coached us exactly the way we needed to be coached. The Colts draft guys who want to work hard. It worked perfect that I ended up here."
"I've only played for the Colts so I can only speak for this organization. I remember when I got here some rookies who came from other schools were a little more spoiled than me and they had a hard time adjusting to being a Colt. While I came in and fit right in. That's how I was used to playing, that's how I was used to practicing, that's how I was used to working at Temple."
That transition was easier than the one from offense to defense.
"Things are going good, it's fun," he said about his NFL career thus far. He's played in 27 games with 11 starts and has accumulated 65 tackles and one interception. "It's exactly what I thought it would be."
Interesting Fact #2: The 2015 Temple Owls wide receivers room produced 11 players who signed NFL contracts – Robby Anderson, Ventell Bryant, Romond Deloatch, Matt Eaton, Marshall Ellick, Nate Hairston, Adonis Jennings, Keith Kirkwood, Brandon Shippen, Cortrelle Simpson, and Derrek Thomas.
If there is one person who should know that, it's Nate Hairston. He is the only one who lands on both lists.
"I didn't even know that," said Hairston recently when told the news. "That's crazy. That's insane."
The Frederick, Md., native, who came to Temple in 2012 as a freshman wide receiver, made the switch to cornerback in the 2015 spring. Then Temple head coach Matt Rhule recognized the glut of talent he had at receiver and saw the potential in Hairston to play cornerback at the next level and encouraged him to make the change.
"I'm glad I did it," said Hairston, who was initially reluctant to make the transition. "I thank God about it all the time. Just as a young kid, not really knowing. I wanted to play receiver and catch the ball, catch touchdowns. I moved over to defensive back and it was an adjustment period. I got with Coach Fran [Brown] and he talked to me and stayed in my ear often and I grew to love the position. I thank God every day that I did it."
In 2017, Hairston was a fifth round pick by the Indianapolis Colts. While Rhule identified the potential, it is Fran Brown who Hairston credits for getting him ready for the NFL.
"You've got me, Rock, Sean Chandler, and Tavon. I really think it's a testament to Coach Fran. He stays on us hard and you see it pay off because he sent so many guys to the league."
Hairston was one of the former players thrilled that Brown returned to Temple this year.
"It feels like home again with him back at Temple," he said. "I'm still in contact with Coach Fran. He's like a big brother to me, I talk to him all the time. He tells me how the guys are doing."
Despite a hectic schedule as a professional athlete, Hairston always has one eye on the team from North Broad.
"If we are traveling on Saturday and we get [to the hotel] and Temple is on, I make everyone stop and watch the game."
Hairston has company when he stops to watch the Owls as he is joined by two Temple players on the current Colts' roster – fellow cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and quarterback P.J. Walker.
Walker joined the Colts at the same time as Hairston and helped him transition to the NFL.
"It was cool," he said about having someone to share the experience with. "When you get off the plane there are a bunch of guys with bags and nobody knows each other. But I was playing with P.J. for four years. I was actually his roommate too so we were really close. It was easy to go through something as hard as adjusting to the NFL with someone who you've known for a long time."
Having three players from Temple on one NFL team is a unique experience but Hairston sees similarities in the culture that both football teams have.
"Work ethic…that's all we knew at Temple," Hairston insisted. "The blue collar mentality; they coached us exactly the way we needed to be coached. The Colts draft guys who want to work hard. It worked perfect that I ended up here."
"I've only played for the Colts so I can only speak for this organization. I remember when I got here some rookies who came from other schools were a little more spoiled than me and they had a hard time adjusting to being a Colt. While I came in and fit right in. That's how I was used to playing, that's how I was used to practicing, that's how I was used to working at Temple."
That transition was easier than the one from offense to defense.
"Things are going good, it's fun," he said about his NFL career thus far. He's played in 27 games with 11 starts and has accumulated 65 tackles and one interception. "It's exactly what I thought it would be."
Players Mentioned
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WR
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DB
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TE/DL
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WR
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WR
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DB
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WR
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WR
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WR
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WR
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DB
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CB
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DB
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