ORLANDO, FLA -- Less than one percent of high school football players make it to the NFL. 

Yet somehow a few years ago, Tre Nixon hearing his name called in the NFL Draft seemed like a sure thing. 

“He’s a vertical threat," Nixon says how scouts would describe his play. "He’s a dude that’s going to give you his all and have your teammates back. At the end of the day he’s going to make big plays, create momentum.”

A four-star receiver out of Viera, Nixon's transfer from Ole Miss to UCF in 2018 came with a ton of buzz. 

The hype was worthy. 

In two years, Nixon hauled in 89 receptions for 1,392 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was an emerging star on arguably the best offense in college football. 

After the departure of Gabe Davis, Nixon stepped into the spotlight in 2020. Eyed as the next program's next top target and a mid-round draft prospect, this was his chance to showcase his skill to its fullest. 

In the first 27 minutes of the season, both a dream and nightmare scenario played out. Tre had gassed Georgia Tech for 94 yards on four receptions and a pair of touchdowns. The second, a diving circus catch, would be his last for the immediate future. 

“I just came down and something didn’t feel right. Instantly new in that moment something is wrong. Instantly just finished in my head could this be it?”

Tre suffered a broken clavicle. 

“I’ll never forget that ambulance ride. I’m riding with my two trainers. I called my mom and the moment I heard her voice, immediately hit tears.”

He sat out for the next two months returning for the final three games of the season. He hauled in 15 catches for 166 yards. His draft stock significantly dipped. Playing through the pain is something he's accustomed to. 

“She will always be the rock of my life." 

She is grandmother, Kathy Meranda aka Mamoo. The matriarch of the family, Kathy, alongside Tre's mother Jean, was his biggest fan. Her spirit and fight until she passed from ovarian cancer in June 2013 inspire Tre to this day. 

“Seeing someone so close to you, how much joy she brought to the family to see someone like that in pain in the hospital bed, it changes you."

It's a catalyst for the chip that continues to grow on his shoulder throughout the draft process. 

“I didn’t come all this way. I didn’t go through the clavicle injury. I didn’t go through losing mamoo to just stop out of nowhere. Why let something like a little road block set you back?”

Tre's draft preparation has turned heads. Following several weeks of training in Arizona, he wowed scouts at UCF's Pro Day. The receiver put up 18 reps of 225 lbs on bench press. His 4.43 40-yard dash and showing in receiver drills caught the attention of several NFL teams. 

Most outlets have Tre as a late-round day three prospect. Teams know the talent, blazing speed and big play ability. Whoever drafts Nixon will learn he's a man who's walked through the fire. 

“Everyone has their own challenges and problems and I feel like that’s what makes them who they are. When I look back at the trials and tribulations I went through, that’s who molded me to this day.”

Tre plans to relax with his mother and older brother, Devin, this weekend. He says he plans to Facetime his dad whenever he gets the call.