Forty miles east of downtown Los Angeles, deep in endless suburban sprawl, is a storage facility that at first glance looks entirely unremarkable. A motorized gate, tall metal fences and video surveillance cameras protect dozens of padlocked storage units.
You’d never guess that the NFL’s best rookie lived here for three years when he was in high school. You’d never guess that C.J. Stroud used to open the gate for customers who needed access after-hours. You’d never guess that some of college football’s best known coaches passed through the doors of the Strouds’ cramped two-bedroom apartment behind the property manager’s office.