A dozen or so years ago, Ajayi was the new kid in the huddle. He was small and occasionally moody. His surname was unfamiliar in the north Texas suburbs. He spoke with a British accent. Young Jay talked as much about soccer and Arsenal F.C. as he did about this new game he seemed to enjoy. Both employed footwork and thought. Both had strong cultural footholds.
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For his part, the young rusher thanked his friends for the nudge, Hill said. It was all he needed, as it turned out, and it made a few of them think about another time Ajayi needed a boost from his inner circle — a little push to jostle the greatness out of him.
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