Lions rookie cornerback Ennis Rakestraw keeps promise to his 4th grade teacher

The bloom fell off of Ennis Rakestraw's draft stock rose as the pre-draft process wore, likely rooted in the flimsy notion of a slow 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine (4.51 seconds). So he fell to the Detroit Lions in the second round (pick No. 61), and since he was the No. 2 cornerback on their board they happily took him.

Rakestraw was easy to see as a fit for the Lions all along during the pre-draft process, and his subsequent comments about being a "tone setter" and "I'll hit you like a linebacker" only proved it.

"I call myself the ‘Tone-setter.’ My defense used to call me the firecracker of the team, because yeah, I’m a corner, but I’ll come up and set that edge,” Rakestraw said. “I’ll hit you like a linebacker and I just let my presence be felt every play that I’m out there.”

Playing in the NFL is a life-long dream for most of the players who get drafted each year, with support from multiple people along the way. Rakestraw is no different, with some evidence he has now shared.

Ennis Rakestraw shares touching letter he wrote to his fourth grade teacher

On Sunday evening Rakestraw went to social media to share a letter he wrote to his fourth grade teacher, Mr. Gammon.

Here's part of what Rakestraw wrote back in fourth grade.

"Dear Mr. Gammon,

"You are the best teacher ever. You always had and have my back and you gave me confidence,"Rakestraw wrote back in the fourth grade. "When my little brother had a (seizure), you gave me food and snacks. ... I miss you and I hope you're alive because if I make to a professional football player, I will talk about you..."

In the same Twitter post, Rakestraw also shared a new picture with Mr. Gammon and a framed copy of the letter.