Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Derick Hall, drafted in the second round (No. 37 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Auburn University, has spoken publicly about his extraordinary early life challenges and the role of faith in his path to the NFL.^[1][2]

Hall was born four months premature at 23 weeks gestation, without a heartbeat and suffering a brain bleed, giving him a reported 1% chance of survival according to family accounts.^[3][4] His mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, described the initial days as filled with uncertainty but guided by faith: "I just trusted that God would work everything out."^[3]

Hall's lungs remain underdeveloped, functioning at the capacity of a premature infant, limiting his childhood activities to short bursts of play followed by extended rest periods between ages 4 and 13.^[3][4] Despite this, he began playing flag football at age 4 to build strength, transitioning to tackle football with his mother's cautious approval amid regular neurologist visits.^[3]

A standout at Gulfport High School in Gulfport, Mississippi, Hall earned his first college scholarship offer in eighth grade and developed into a four-star recruit.^[1][5] At Auburn (2020-2022), he appeared in 39 games, recording 144 tackles, 19.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss, earning first-team All-SEC honors in 2022 as a captain.^[5][6]

In college, Hall experienced a health scare requiring hospitalization after struggling to breathe, but continued his career.^[3] Now in his second NFL season with the Seahawks (4 sacks as a rookie in 2023; 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble through 14 games in 2024), Hall attributes his resilience to faith instilled by his family.^[1][2][7]

"You can’t tell me that a child with a one percent chance to live... ends up [in the NFL] without the Lord being in their lives," Hall said.^[3] The Seahawks, at 8-6 atop the NFC West standings entering Week 16, rely on a balanced defense where Hall contributes as a rotational edge rusher.^[7][8]

Sources

1. NFL.com, "2023 NFL Draft Tracker", April 28, 2023, https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/rounds/2
2. Seahawks.com, "Derick Hall - Roster", accessed December 2024, https://www.seahawks.com/team/players-roster/derick-hall/
3. Fox News Digital, "Seahawks LB Derick Hall details survival from 1% chance at life...", December 17, 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/seahawks-lb-derick-hall-details-survival-1-chance-life-super-bowl-hero
4. ESPN.com, "Derick Hall Player Profile", accessed December 2024, https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4429391/derick-hall
5. Sports-Reference.com, "Derick Hall College Stats", accessed December 2024, https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/derick-hall-1.html