SEATTLE -- The name "Tacoma" scribbled on a white towel sits inside Desmond Trufant's locker at the Atlanta Falcons' facility.
There’s nothing extraordinary-looking about the memento, but it carries great significance to the Pro Bowl cornerback. It's a reminder of his Washington state roots, and it’s a symbol of overcoming a perception -- a perception that the small-town athletes couldn’t keep pace with the big-city prospects located 30 miles north in Seattle.
"So much talent has come out of Tacoma," Trufant said. "Right now, in the (NFL), there’s myself and Xavier Cooper (Browns).