The North Carolina community is once again remembering one of its own. Nearly two years ago, former Clemson Tigers wide receiver Diondre Overton died at the age of 26. Now, his hometown is getting a permanent remembrance for the wide receiver.

To keep Overton’s legacy alive, his family helped install a permanent statue in Greensboro, North Carolina, the place he called home. Before making his name for Dabo Swinney’s team in college, Overton began his life at his hometown high school in Greensboro. At Walter Hines Page Senior High School, the wide receiver played basketball and football and was equally good in both. This is despite the fact that he didn’t play football until his junior year.

The statue is not the only thing the Overton family did to keep his memory alive. After his passing, his family established the Diondre Overton Foundation for local youth. The foundation aims to empower them and raise awareness to combat gun violence.

On September 7, 2024, a Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputy received a complaint about a noise disturbance at an Airbnb around 2:30 am. Upon reaching the Airbnb, Overton was found injured with a gunshot wound on the floor. The medics tried to save his life, but unfortunately, he died at the scene.

After an investigation, Jeremiah Diago, a native of Detroit, was arrested in October 2024 on suspicion of Overton’s murder. The authorities held him in the Oakland County Jail in Pontiac and presented him to the grand jury in December. The court charged Diago with first-degree murder, and the trial is still ongoing.

Diondre’s death affected not just his family but also the Clemson community. The former captain of the Tigers was honored not only by his former teammates but also by head coach Dabo Swinney. After his passing, Coach Swinney took a moment to stop at Overton’s captain’s plaque to pat it before the Tigers’ in-house game. He even addressed the press, still recovering from the shock of the news.

“He truly was just one of the sweetest spirits and kids that we’ve had come through here,” Swinney said Sept 7. “And again, truly a great teammate. My heart hurts, and my prayers are with his family.”

Diondre Overton’s college football journey

Diondre started his college career with the Clemson Tigers. During his time at Clemson, he won two national championships. His teammates gave him the nickname ‘Big Play Dre.’ He featured in 52 games, running for 777 yards and scoring 7 touchdowns. Overton was named captain in his senior year.

“Brotha, I miss you already, man,” Tee Higgins, Overton’s former Clemson teammate, posted on Instagram. “Also, I love you, 5L. I’m hurting bad bout this right now. Rest Easy, Big Play.”

Despite his explosive college career, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic ended his chances of an NFL career. He went undrafted, but still never gave up on football. He entered the European League of Football and played for the Vienna Vikings. The next pit stop in his journey was 2 seasons with the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL after getting drafted in the 16th round.