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Some Utah County folks might think Eli Herring's story is an urban legend. It seems everyone has heard the tale of the talented Springville High-turned-BYU football player who chose to become a teacher instead of pursuing a lucrative pro football career because he believes Sundays are sacred.
Unlike most urban legends, Herring's story is true.
In 1995, Herring -- despite being a highly-touted offensive tackle -- said 'no thanks' to the glamorous NFL. Even though he had made his decision known, the Oakland Raiders still chose to draft him in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL draft, securing Herring's playing rights in case he changed his mind. He was the 190th overall selection.
The Raiders soon learned they had wasted their pick. Herring wasn't going to Oakland; he had other plans.
After praying and studying the scriptures, the 6-foot-7, 330-pounder and his wife, Jennifer, decided Herring's long-held dream to play in the NFL wasn't the best option for their young LDS family.
Flattening opposing defensive linemen every Sunday hardly seemed like keeping the Sabbath holy.
So, Herring decided to become a teacher. The Springville grad ('87) now works at Orem's Mountain View High School as a math teacher and assistant football coach.
"Looking back," said the father of seven, "my feeling is that the Lord has honored [my decision] and blessed me. Life is good, and I'm grateful for the way things turned out."
"It's a nice honor, and I appreciate the recognition," Herring said.
Herring was honored for his four-sport success during high school and for the contributions he has made as a collegiate athlete and a high school coach since then.
"This is a good man being honored for his strength, his beliefs, the things he has accomplished throughout his life," said Nebo School District athletic director Everett Kelepolo. "I find him to be a man of solid conviction ... just full of integrity. When people bring up Eli's name, there's just a tremendous respect for him."
Adds former Springville High football coach Ray Newbury: "Money is not his god. He felt like it was important to take a stand to not play on Sundays."
In addition to football, Herring participated in basketball, wrestling and track at Springville High. As a junior in 1985, he helped the Red Devils to a 3-A state championship in football. As a senior, he was a team captain. He also excelled in his other sports.
"Physically, his talent was unlimited," Newbury said. "He was big, strong, and actually fast. He only wrestled one year for us and took second in state. ... You just don't go out and wrestle one year and take second in state. He had a lot of discipline. He'd stay until he got it right."
Even though Herring passed up his childhood dream job, the math teacher believes he found a pretty sweet gig.
"You spend the school year with a group of students, and over that year, you get to know them, and you grow to love them, and generally speaking, they come to know that the teacher cares about them," Herring said. "Often, it's a lot of fun."
He also relishes watching students learn, mature, and experience "aha moments" when grasping a concept for the first time.
Herring says his brush with the NFL isn't a big deal to his students or players.
"To be perfectly honest, that doesn't come up anymore," Herring said, noting that the boys he coaches on Mountain View's offensive line are too young to remember his playing days or the 1995 NFL draft.
However, every once in a while, a student approaches Herring after hearing his story in a seminary class or at church.
The teacher will confirm that, yes, he was once an NFL prospect, and no, he doesn't regret a thing.
