The sounds at legendary Bryant Stadium in Lakeland are unmistakable.

The firing cannons.  The marching band.  The cheerleaders.  The roar of the crowd.  They bring football to life.

Junior defensive end Demetric McNair doesn't hear the game.  He feels the game.

McNair was born completely deaf.

"I can hear vibrations from sounds when teams scream really loud," said McNair, whose grandma, mother and sister are also deaf.  "When there’s a lot of loud noise I can hear the vibrations from that, but that’s it."

With the help of his interpreter Colleen Searson, at practice and games, McNair is held to the typical high standard of any Lakeland player. 

"They expect the same things from me as other players on the team," said McNair.

"All the kids treat him just like he’s anybody else," said defensive line coach C.J. Johnson.  "You can’t even tell.   If there wasn’t an interpreter he would blend right in."

"We’re proud of him because he gives ya 110% and goes wide open," said Lakeland head coach Bill Castle.  "He picks up easy. The players just seem to communicate with each other when we signal in our defense and we haven’t had a problem a bit."

Since sign language and football don't necessarily mix, McNair and Searson develop their own sign language terms.  With the ability to read lips McNair's teammates and line coach help him communicate in the middle of a game.  

"I just communicate with him because I know what he’s saying by the motions of his mouth," said junior defensive tackle Marshon Brinson.

"It’s something special to come around him and see them help," said Johnson, who knows sign language because he has an autistic brother.  "It’s really brought the team together, especially the defensive line. He’s one of the favorites."

"The kids really try," said Searson. "They are always asking to learn new signs and it helps. I think iIt helps him to play better."

Being deaf is not a weakness for Demetric.  He may not hear anything, but he is still making noise on the field.

"Speed kills and he has speed, something that everyone don’t have," said Brinson.  "He is good at what he does."

"He is, as you can see, lightning fast," said Johnson.  "Lightning fast and his nickname is Bulldog beacause he never stops."

"That’s what bleeds over into our kids to pull for him," said Castle.  "He’s earned everything he’s getting."

McNair couldn't love his team more:

"I play hard. I play for my family. It is my family. I don’t give up. I keep trying. I love to play football. I give it my best. I work hard and I play for my team. That’s all I can do.

An outlook on football, and life, that speaks volumes.