DeWayne Autrey II: A Youth Mentor

DeWayne “Ballhawk” Autrey II is a veteran defensive back for the Salina Liberty of the Arena Football One league. Football isn’t what defines Autrey, though; his mentorship and work with the youth of America has an even more lasting impact than his stellar play on the field. 

A BOY IN THE FIELD

DeWayne Autrey II grew up in Fort Bend County, Texas. His football story starts as a young kid running around in a field with his older brother and some middle and high school kids. A football coach saw them running around in the field with no shirt, no shoes, and no socks. Just shorts. He rolled up in his gold Lexus and told the boys he wanted them to play football for him. 

They went back to their grandmother Thelma Brownlow’s small apartment in Lamar Park. Being diabetic, blind, and missing a leg, she was doing her best to raise the kids and couldn’t afford to put the boys into football. The coach offered to pay and the rest, as they say, is history. 

He was hooked from the first day. The team won almost all of their games over the next six years. He’d move to Houston, Texas, for his middle and high school years, where he played quarterback. He was the first freshman on his high school varsity team since 1975. 

While losing a game and needing help on the defensive side of the ball, they put DeWayne in at cornerback. He landed a hit on the #1 high school running back who was committed to the University of Texas, fell in love with the defensive side of the ball, and he never looked back. He used the game of football to channel the things he was going through in life and get the release he needed. 

FROM TRAGEDY TO PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER

He went under the radar coming out of high school football in Houston, Texas. Then came the day when he was hit by a car as a 17-year-old senior. DeWayne was on the side of the road changing a flat tire when he was hit by a car doing somewhere close to 70mph and drug away from the car. The driver didn’t even stop to help DeWayne. He was told he’d never walk again after breaking his knee, hip and pelvis. 

DeWayne made the decision to leave the hospital and undertake his own recovery. No doctor was going to tell him he’d never walk again. He embraced his faith in God. He began to go to the local 24-hour fitness and put his nose to the grindstone. He worked in the pool to get strength back in his legs. Within three weeks he was back at school. After considering a scholarship offer to Arizona State, Autrey decided to join his brother at Bethany College where he played his college ball for his freshman and sophomore seasons. 

Autrey redshirted his junior year to focus on his grades. That year, his mother, Kathrine Brownlow, was killed on Easter Sunday, and his first child was born within the span of a few weeks. DeWayne found himself working at FinishLine in the mall there in Salina. The Salina Bombers were founded in 2012, and their first season was in 2013. That’s when DeWayne was invited to try out for the team, over 200 players tried out and he became one of the first players they signed to their squad. 

He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in the CPIFL and led the team to a championship appearance. From there he went to the Dodge City Law. That’s where the nickname “Ballhawk” was given to Autrey who dominated in the secondary as the Law won back-to-back titles with Autrey on the field. 

2017 was a big wake-up call for DeWayne with the Sioux City Bandits. Learning how to play a backup role. Despite being a backup, he preserved and was third in the league in tackles while also dominating in the kick return game. He returned home to Texas to play for the Revolution and then Covid shut everything down. In 2021, he won the AAL championship with the Dallas Bulls before winning the 2022 championship back at home in the CIF with the Salina Liberty. 

He played with the Wichita Regulators last year and has now re-signed back home in Salina for the “Last Ride.” Twelve years after his first season in Arena football with the Salina Bombers, Autrey returns to Salina with the Liberty to put a cap on his career with hopes of an Arena Football One championship on the way out the door. He’s two interceptions away from 60 in his professional career, look for “Ballhawk” to try and get those early in the season. 

OFF THE FIELD - A YOUTH MENTOR

DeWayne remembers being a kid that didn’t have much. That’s what he loves about the arena football game. You can’t DM or go shake a Kansas City Chief player's hand after a game. You can do that in the arena. Autrey spends most of his time off the field focused on being a father to his children Camden Gustafson (12), Trey Autrey III (11), and Major Autrey (1). 

His biggest passion is mentoring youth. Autrey has worked with Nations Best Football (https://nationsbestfootball.com) as an Athlete Mentor since 2017, and the day I spoke with him, he was getting ready to hit the road with his Youth Colorado All-Stars to compete for a week. Autrey also serves as a combine scout for the U.S. Army Bowl. He’s doing a camp for a high school in the professional women’s league in Colorado in February. 

Dewayne is all about giving back to the youth and teaching them not only skills on the field but also about life off the field. He believes he has plenty left in the tank if he wants to play more, but he’s ready to shift his entire focus to God, his kids, and all the kids he can mentor after one “Last Ride.”