Jaelen Strong will shake NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's hand whenever he is picked in the draft this week and a national audience will learn about one of the draft's top receivers.
What viewers won't see is his mother's name tattooed on the Arizona State star's back, his father's name tattooed above his heart, and the Philadelphia skyline tattooed on his biceps. Each one helps explain how he reached this point, but it's fitting that they'll be concealed. The Mount Airy native takes pride in his stoicism, and understanding Strong requires one to look beyond the surface.
As a 9-year-old, Strong taught his mother how to properly wash her hands and wear the hospital gown and cap at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital after his father, John Rankin, underwent a bone marrow transplant while suffering from leukemia.