Brian Scott Rippee

The Clarion-Ledger

Ten years ago, a 6-year-old Kris Moncrief could be found in a Raleigh backyard playing football with his 14-year-old cousin Donte, along with other family members and neighborhood friends.

Despite his age, Kris was tackled. But he would also get back up each time.

“Always down and dirty,” Kris said. “It wasn’t, ‘Oh, he’s young.’ If you’re playing, you’re getting hit. There’s no doubt about that.”

As the years passed, Kris sat in the stands and watched his cousin excel on the football field known as The Jungle at Raleigh High. They worked out together, as Kris tried to keep up with Donte’s every move.

“When I worked out, he would work out. He always had that mentality like me, even though we were doubted when we were young, we would always push to the limit because we know what we could do,” Donte said. “He was so young, and he’d still try to do the things we did. He couldn’t do it sometimes, but he’d still attempt it and get mad if he couldn’t do it, and he’d stay out there and keep trying.”

Donte signed with Ole Miss as a four-star wide receiver prospectand after a decorated career in Oxford, Donte was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2014. Now a third-year pro, Donte is expected to start for the Colts this season. Kris was a witness to the first player from Raleigh to ever make it to the NFL.

“It was fun, man. It was just good to see one of my family members out there working,” Kris said. “I was inspired by him.”

The path had been paved; it wasn’t a pipe dream. He saw someone go from his town of 1,500 people to playing football at the highest level.

“It’s real for them. It’s tangible. A guy did make it. This guy lives next to you and he’s in the NFL,” Raleigh coach Jeff Stockstill said. “That desire and that passion runs a little deeper for him because of that. It’s opened up his eyes.”

It’s now Kris’ turn in The Jungle. The junior running back is coming off of a sophomore season when he ran for 1,683 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also had six receiving touchdowns. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he’s a power back that is difficult to bring down.

Stockstill says even as a junior, Kris is a leader of his team, though mostly by action.

“He speaks up when he needs to, but he primarily leads by example," Stockstill said. "He’s first in the weight room. He’s on the practice field early and he’s the first guy through a drill and everybody kind of follows him.

“His understanding of the game —, and this ties into Donte helping him — he’s a little more mature than most kids his age because he knows that there is something beyond this.”

That sense of maturity stems from the mixture of tough love and encouragement between Kris and Donte that began at a young age. They’re more than 700 miles apart now, but Donte makes sure that hasn’t changed.

They talk almost daily. Donte said he wakes up with a text message nearly every morning from Kris, asking how he can get better or what drills will improve his footwork and speed.

After games, Donte calls, asking not only how many yards Kris had, but also what else he could have left on the field with his teammates, culminated by the same reminder to stay hungry.

“It’s a blessing, man,” Kris said. “I know everybody doesn’t have someone like that to lift them up all the time.”

Donte was in these shoes on the same field and in the same town not too long ago, and he paved a road as well as a vision for Kris.

“I know how the world is now and how kids go on the wrong path and start smoking and join gangs. I know he’s not that type of kid,” Donte said. “I just stay on him about doing right, staying focused, stay the course. He’s a strong and humble leader, and he knows right from wrong.”

Kris enters the 2016 season without an offer from a four-year school. There’s a good chance that changes if he produces a season similar to 2015. Right now, however, as the leader on a team that won 10 games a year ago, and Kris’ aspirations involve his team and family.

“I want to win a championship with my team,” Kris said. “My family is out there watching me. They want me to succeed, and I just want to make them happy.”