NFL Draft Pick Thanked for 'Risking Everything' To Save Girl from Potential Rape
University of Arkansas linebacker Dre Greenlaw did a lot of good things on the football field to get selected with the 148th pick in the 2019 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
But it’s something that Greenlaw did off the field that has made an even bigger impact, particularly on one family.
Gerry Dales, the father of a young woman who entered Arkansas at the same time as Greenlaw, let the world know via Twitter how Greenlaw saved his daughter from being sexually assaulted at a party.
“Dre Greenlaw was drafted in the 5th round by the SF 49ers. I want to tell you a little story about him,” Dales said.
Dre Greenlaw was drafted in the 5th round by the SF 49ers. I want to tell you a little story about him.
— Gerry (@GerryDales) April 27, 2019
“My daughter went to a college party when she was freshman,” he tweeted. “She knew very few people at the party, and also didn’t have a ton of experience drinking. Someone slipped something into her drink when she wasn’t paying attention.
“Dre was also a freshman. And he knew my daughter from high school. And he did *not* know the guy who was all over her.
“And when that guy tried to steer my daughter out the front door, he stopped the guy and said ‘she’s not going anywhere.'”
And when that guy tried to steer my daughter out the front door, he stopped the guy and said “she’s not going anywhere.”
— Gerry (@GerryDales) April 27, 2019
Greenlaw, who attended Fayetteville High School, was a standout on the Arkansas football team as a freshman.
“He was a starter on the Razorbacks,” Dales tweeted. “His place was not secure. He was underage and at a kegger. He wasn’t drinking, but if there was a fight he was risking getting thrown off the team. In some ways, he was risking everything.
“And he risked it for my daughter. The guy backed down, and no one saw him again. No one at the party seemed to know who he was, and my daughter and her friends never saw him again.
“I didn’t ever tell this story, because maybe someone would say ‘oh, he shouldn’t have been at that party.’ Maybe not. But he had my daughter’s back, and for that I will always owe him.”
Greenlaw said Monday he heard about Dales’ tweets and then got a call from Dales’ daughter, whom he described as a high school friend.
“I was just looking out for her,” he tweeted.
Ok everybody was tweeting about this story and didn’t want to respond because I wasn’t sure what they were talking about and the girl called me and I instantly remembered she was my high school friend and I was just looking out for her
— Dr. Dre (@DreGreenlaw) April 30, 2019
Greenlaw was a four-year starter for the Razorbacks. He missed time in the 2018 season with a high ankle sprain but still posted 80 tackles, 6.5 for loss, two sacks and two interceptions, according to NFL.com.
We didn’t forget about Dre.
Welcome to the squad, @DreGreenlaw. #49ersDraft pic.twitter.com/TaCIJqkhlV
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) April 27, 2019
No matter what happens in Greenlaw’s professional career, he’ll have at least one die-hard fan back in Arkansas.
“So, do me a favor,” Dales tweeted. “Root for Dre. He’s a good kid with a good heart.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
