MOBILE, Ala. — To understand where South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw came from, the floor needs to be turned over to him.
Sitting in front of reporters here last week at the Senior Bowl, Kinlaw knew there would be questions about his difficult childhood in Washington, D.C.
The words poured out of the 22-year-old with equal parts passion and maturity.
“Pretty much homeless, living in basements, we went without electricity, no water, things like that,” he said. “We had to use the neighbor’s hose to fill up (containers) with water. We would take them back in the house.