He’s No. 11 on the field and a projected first round NFL Draft pick. You know him as the player who pancakes every offensive lineman on his way to the quarterback, but the person behind the shoulder pads and cleats is one many don’t intimately know.

The little boy from Timpson, Texas would have never predicted his life would turn out this way. Junior defensive lineman Nic Scourton never questioned his love for football.

“Growing up, I always wanted to play football,” Scourton said. “But I [have] a summer birthday, so I was always really young, and I was overweight. So I didn’t get to play for real until the seventh, eighth grade, but I’ve always loved football. I started taking it seriously around COVID time, sophomore year, during that period. Junior year is when I really quit all my other sports and just played football.”

The journey to where he is now has not come without its challenges. Scourton’s dad took the risk of moving their family to College Station once out of prison, but during his fifth grade year his parents made the decision to split.

“My mom moved to Bryan, my dad stayed in College Station,” Scourton said. “I stayed with my dad for two years, and I went with my mom in the seventh grade. Things just weren’t going the right way over there, and I had a better opportunity to just be a kid and play football, get my grades up [and] just move in with my principal. I really [was] just locking in to football, school and my faith and things like that. It really is [what] got me to where I am.”

Scourton’s adoptive dad and principal of Bryan High School Lane Buban said the idea to have Scourton stay with them was initiated by his son, Andrew, who was adamant about helping in any way possible.

“I told him, I said ‘One night, and that’s it we got to figure something else out,’ Lane said. “And so that one night turned into three years … Initially I never knew that they were friends. They were friends through junior high, and I had no idea about that at all. Over the course of the time that they were together at the house, they basically became brothers, and that’s kind of how they see themselves. They’re brothers, and they take care of each other. They’re pretty thick.”

Cindy Buban, Scourton’s adoptive mother and Lane’s wife, was supportive of the proposition and wanted to ensure she helped to the best of her ability.

“I was very supportive of the whole thing, but I didn’t learn all the things about what was going on with Nic until later,” Cindy said. “It’s a sensitive subject, and I don’t want to get in the middle of somebody’s family situation. His mom was like, ‘I need help. Can you guys help me?’ and signed over his guardianship to us … Initially, it was just being a good friend to a friend of my son, and then it ended up being an extended thing, and he’s always been welcome at our house, and we’re happy to have him. He’s a great kid, and he became a part of our family.”

Although Scourton is a part of the Buban family, he is supported by both his biological parents and said his dad is like his best friend.

With his family’s love and guidance, Scourton was able to peacefully make the decision to transfer from Purdue to A&M, trusting it was a part of the path and plan for his life.

In preparation for game days, Scourton does his best to stay relaxed and get composed for the weekend ahead.

“I try to prepare a lot early on in the week and later in the week kind of mellow out,” Scourton said. “Like Thursday, I’m gonna go back and I’m gonna watch a game, and then I’ll just chill my parents and my brother and try to get my mind off it for a little bit so I don’t get too anxious and get too amped up because I still got two days left to play. The night before the game I like to hydrate a lot, get to bed early. I’m pretty regular. I pray a lot.”

Contrary to what many believe, Scourton is just like you and me. When he steps off the yard line, he too is just a 20-year-old who enjoys the simple things.

“A lot of people think that I’m some serious dude,” Scourton said. “I’m really a goofball. I just like to chill, play games, listen to music, watch anime. I really just be chilling. I ain’t overly interesting. I don’t know, I like to have fun, too.”

Scourton’s passion stems from his humility and desire to be there for those closest to him.

“I got a little brother who lives with me,” Scourton said. “I wake up every morning, I get out and get to practice, see my little brother sleeping, comfortable. He don’t got no problems, I can take care of him, I’ve taken care of my parents. Really that’s what makes me go so hard. That’s really why I just get up and do it. Obviously I love football, but that’s the cherry on top. When I’m having a bad day, I can just think about how many people I’m providing for and helping.”

The relationship between Cindy and Scourton is a special one.

“Nic is very charismatic and charming,” Cindy said. “He’s always been very warm and open, and he’s very honest. Like an hour every day after school, he would get a snack, and he would come in [my office] and just tell me all the things. He told somebody one time that I was like his therapist … I tried to really not ask him about football because everybody knows him for football. That’s not my relationship with him. I don’t love him because he’s a football player, I love him for who he is.”

Lane said one of his favorite aspects about having Scourton a part of their family is creating new experiences and traveling.

“We used to stay at a cabin in Boone, North Carolina,” Lane said. “The first trip that we took he wanted us to wake him up every time we went to a new state. So when we crossed into Louisiana, we woke him up and said ‘Hey here’s Louisiana, here’s Alabama, here’s Georgia, here’s Florida.’ Just getting the gift of being able to watch him experience all that was probably one of my best memories, and watching him experience things that he’d never had the opportunity to experience before. He’ll tell you, the best trip that we’ve taken was to Bend, Oregon or to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.”

Scourton sees his story and life as a chance to impact those younger than him. To the kids who feel like certain dreams might not be in the cards for them, Scourton is proof that you can do anything.

“I want to go play in the NFL, and I want to be really good. Really, just get everything I can, opportunities, not only for me, but for my family. To get into business, be really good at football, meet a lot of people, come back and make an impact on my communities. Just be that leader and try to create change for the kids in Bryan, kids in East Texas, like [that] they can do it, because I can.”

As for the Aggie-Longhorn showdown, Scourton’s mindset on the field remains the same: “Destroy the person in front of me, and have fun while doing it,” Scourton said.

This story was originally published on The Battalion on November 27, 2024.