Greenville alum gives back to community with sixth annual football camp
Article excerpt
John Franklin-Myers, a Greenville High School alumnus now playing professional football, hosted his sixth annual football camp this weekend, continuing a tradition of mentoring the next generation. The camp reflects Franklin-Myers's commitment to giving back to his community, even as he pursues his own career at the sport's highest level. He views the work as both personally fulfilling and a responsibility, a way to help young players develop their skills and ambitions. The two-day event brought together local youth eager to learn from someone who made it from their hometown to professional ranks.
John Franklin-Myers, a Greenville High School alum and a man who has reached the highest level of his career, is also finding fulfillment trying to help the next generation of football players reach their own heights with his annual football camp.
Franklin-Myers held his sixth football camp Friday and Saturday and still finds the joy of teaching the youth, but also feels it is a necessity when one has gone to the places he has in his career.
“The youth is where it starts and you understand that if you’re not giving back, you’re doing yourself a disservice and you’re doing the city a disservice,” Franklin-Myers said. “I want to bring back hope, I wan’t to bring back success and anything I can do to help, that is the least I can do.”
Franklin-Myers built himself up as a lineman for the Lions before taking his talent to Stephen F. Austin University and spending three years there as a defensive end.
Drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Franklin-Myers has since gone on to play for the New York Jets and had back-to-back career seasons with the Denver Broncos in 2024 and 2025, totaling 14.5 sacks, before signing with the Tennessee Titans in the offseason.
Franklin-Myers brings back all that experience and wisdom to the kids of Greenville and once again loved to see the enthusiasm they put into camp this year.
“I loved it,” Franklin-Myers said. “These guys did nothing but work, they did all the combine drills as well as the football drills and they loved it. To me thats the best part of it. You see that excitement, you see the smiles on their faces and that’s why I still do it.”
The two-day camp ended with Franklin-Myers surrounded by the next generation of Greenville stars, looking up to him with inspiration in there eyes, smiling for pictures and asking for autographs from the local legend.