When the Buccaneers took Tampa native Vernon Hargreaves, III in the first round of the NFL draft, he wasn’t the only one excited for the big homecoming.

  • Wharton High School Coach David Mitchell coached Hargreaves
  • Mitchell says what separated Hargreaves from other was work ethic
  • Mitchell calls Hargreaves "the role model every student-athlete needs"

“I was very happy for him,” said David Mitchell, who coached Hargreaves at Paul R. Wharton High School in Tampa. “I said a little prayer for him, and now the journey is just beginning. It’s time to go to work.”

Mitchell says  Hargreaves’ work ethic is what separated the cornerback from everyone else. That, and raw talent - Hargreaves was able to play both sides of the ball in high school before attending the University of Florida.

Hargreaves was the talk of his old stomping grounds a day after the draft. His math teacher remembers the 2013 graduate as a standout in the classroom, too.

“He was an excellent student, very respectful. Always on point with his work," said teacher John Viola. "I could tell if he did that in the football field like he did in the classroom, he would be a champion. And obviously that panned out."

It’s no secret Hargreaves loves his hometown. He even wore custom shoes with a City of Tampa mural on the side during the NFL combine.

But now that Hargreaves has made it to the big time, will he return to Wharton, the school that gave him his football start?

If last Wednesday was any indicator, the answer to that question is "yes.'

“Believe it or not, we had practice, and his mom walks up. And then he walks up. It was one of those shockers,” said Mitchell.

A day before the draft, Mitchell said, Hargreaves stood on the sidelines at his old high school talking shop with his old coach.

“He’s so humble. Nobody saw him. He snuck in and snuck out,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell hopes it’s a sign of things to come. He says Hargreaves is the role model every student-athlete needs.

“The door is open for him to come back and talk to the students," said Mitchell. "As for me, I’m a season ticket holder. I’m going to be at all the games anyway.”