The young man, who is now serving that sentence, is the best friend and next-door neighbor of U.S. Army All-American offensive lineman Marques Slocum. To most, this is a horrifying and graphic image. To Slocum and others who live in economically depressed areas like South Philadelphia (Pa.) this is just an ordinary day in the life.
Most football fans pay attention to the measurables; size, statistics, SAT scores, and GPA’s. Often left out of the picture is the day-to-day struggle for survival that some of these young men face on a everyday basis. Living in South Philly, Slocum is thankful that he wakes up every day. Marques sat down recently with Scout.com and he told us his story.
Street life is considered by most a taboo topic, saved for television or cinema. Stories like Slocum's - a true-life drama - are often swept under the carpet. Slocum is a 17-year old athlete who has battled the demons of gang-banging and drug dealing and has transformed himself into a 6-6 and 310-pound, D-1 football recruit with a possible professional career ahead of him.
But the odds were stacked against Marques ever since the cards were dealt. As a young teenager, Slocum grew up in a single parent household, living in a small house in the wrong part of town.
“My house is bad. When it rains, water comes in through every crack; my bed will be soaked,” Slocum said. “I’m a big guy and I have a small room; I can’t walk more then 3-steps to my left or my right. It could be worse. I could be outside living in a cardboard box. At least I have a roof over my head.”
Slocum’s mom works, takes classes, babysits, and does some hair styling on the side to make ends meet. Her main goal for the past twelve years has been to keep her son in private schools and away from the public school system.
“My mom always does for me before she does anything for herself,” Slocum said. “My mom walks around in torn up tennis shoes just to keep me in a Catholic school.”
Slocum would love to have the opportunity to live in a nicer house in a nicer neighborhood, complete with a roof that doesn't double as a sieve.
“My mom and her boyfriend are trying to get a loan to get us out of there,” Slocum said. “That’s what makes it tough, not to be out in the streets hustling. I could be out making money and helping out my family. I know my future is bright, and I’ll have an opportunity to help then.”
 When Slocum was a young teenager, he lived that hustling lifestyle until Will Cooper entered his life. Cooper was an assistant football coach at Neumann High School. Cooper took Slocum under his wing and tried to lead him down the right path.
“I was hanging out on the corner until 5 AM doing God knows what, Slocum said. “Coach Cooper realized I had potential to be somebody, so he pulled me away from the ghetto. He got me to focus on my ability, and for me to realize I should use my size and athleticism to my advantage, to get a college scholarship."
Every day is a constant struggle for Slocum, a struggle that most teenagers don’t face. He has the old heads (elder gang-members) telling him that he’ll never amount to anything, that he should just give into his environment and do what they do, walk around with big wads of cash, nice clothes, and fancy cars.
“It's easy to say no, but try wearing the same pair of pants for a month straight or watching your family struggle," said Slocum. "It’s hard. I just keep telling myself I can have better.”
Slocum is focused on getting to college and helping out his family as soon as possible, not only to prove that he can play and make it to the NFL, but to also earn his college education.
“I want to get there and hopefully get my degree in about three and a half years. If I can get to the NFL and then finish school, I will do that,” Slocum said. “I don’t want to spend my life working at Burger King.
“There are a lot of kids in this game who have rough lives. They are just trying to get past this stage in their lives. Some of these kids don’t realize how good they have it.”
Academics are another issue for Slocum, who transferred from Neumann to West Catholic prior to his senior season. Slocum felt that if he did not leave, he had no shot of making it to college.
“Neumann told me I had a 2.5 GPA," he said. "After talking to colleges we found out I had a 1.8 core GPA. I’m taking a PSAT class right now and I think I’ll make it.”
According to Marques, college is the only option. He will not go to prep school or junior college. That has forced him to buckle down and make sure that he stays focused on his lone goal.
“Every day I wake-up and say, ‘I want to do something with my life,'" said Slocum. "I have a gift and I realize I would be wasting it if I don’t take advantage of it.”
Slocum is thankful that he has made the right decisions thus far in his life. “I know I’d be in the streets right now, if not dead.”
Marques' father left very early in his life and has recently tried to return.
“I guess he finally thinks I’m going to make something out of my life,” Slocum said. “He has come back and tried to give me money and stuff but it meant nothing to me.”
One lesson Slocum learned from his father is not to let an opportunity slip away, as he was also a standout athlete from the area.
“He used to do drugs right in front of me," Marques said. "What kind of dad does that to his son? He was a real good basketball player and he blew it all away.”
Slocum is sure of one thing; his first paycheck - if he is lucky enough to make into the NFL - is already spoken for.
“I’m going to buy my mom a new house and a new car," he said. "My Mom will never have a leaky roof again.”
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