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Tragedy a recurring theme in Day 2 of NFL draft coverage

Before it was halfway complete, the second round already was a tear-jerker.
 
Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos was 2 when he lost his dad in a boating accident, during which the father saved Yetur from drowning.
Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos was 2 when he lost his dad in a boating accident, during which the father saved Yetur from drowning. [ CHARLIE NEIBERGALL | AP ]
Published April 25, 2020|Updated April 25, 2020

Stories of triumph over tragedy never lose their shelf life, perpetually playing on our heartstrings.

Through the early stage of Day 2 of the draft, they were ubiquitous in ESPN’s and ABC’s coverage.

No fewer than three of the first 14 second-round selections survived crippling family tragedy, and the networks made note of each.

Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (38th overall pick, Panthers) was a year old when his biological father died in a boating accident while rescuing Yetur from drowning. At 10, his older brother was fatally struck by lightning.

Colorado receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (42nd overall, Jaguars) watched his father get fatally hit by a truck. Auburn defensive end Marlon Davidson (47th, Falcons) lost his mother to a blood clot in 2015.

Later in the round, the networks pointed out the father of Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs (51st, Cowboys) died of congestive heart failure in 2008. Ten picks later, the Titans selected LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton, who lost his grandfather to the coronavirus earlier this month.

Keep the hankies handy. Another full round remains.