It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday. Regular crowd shuffles in. There's an old man sitting next to me, but this ain't a Billy Joel song, this is downtown Philly, home to McGillin’s Olde Ale House where I wait to talk with one of Pennsylvania's best, Ahri Espeeyeeseetee, or AE, as his high school teammates call him. I arrived early and grabbed a small table in the back. I see AE walk through the door, quickly glancing down to check his watch. He's right on time. He scans the room and sees me motion him over. It takes a moment for his 6'6" 230 lb frame to navigate the crowded bar, stopping politely to snap a picture with a fan and once more to shake hands with a booster wearing a St. Joseph's Prep hat. Seated, we exchange pleasantries and he orders an Arnold Palmer. Only 19, AE has yet to experience the joy of a McGillin's 1860 IPA (I'm a sucker for IPAs). His drink arrives, and the bar erupts in cheers as a local team scores on half of the screens. I don't know who's playing. I'm here for one man, and he's right in front of me.
So, are you excited for the coming draft?
Excited? Man, I live for this. Literally. Football saved me from a dark place not long ago, and it's been my lifeblood ever since. I remember when Coach first brought me in, man, I was nervous, like, you know? Me? Some foreign kid that lived on the streets half his life and never been part of team before? How am I going to fit in here? So many emotions, man. It's like that. Only, this time, this time it's different. I know I'm the best. I belong here. I'm ready. The emotions are strong, but it's a different feeling. Just nervous excitement this time, nothing negative at all.
I pause to absorb his poignant response. His troubled childhood is well documented, having undergone numerous inquiries from state and federal authorities, following head coach Gabe Infante's full ride offer to St. Joseph's Preparatory School back in 2025. His measured pace tells me he rehearsed this bit, knowing we'd get to it at some point in our meeting. Appreciating his candor, I take the opportunity and walk through the open door.
How did guys respond to that, when you say you lived on the streets?
[Laughing] Man, it's never a problem. Most people see me, they see I'm okay, they ain't worried about me being crazy or nothing. I learned some things being homeless. I learned how and when to fight, I learned how to be smart with money. My parents were big on never stealing anything. But most of all I learned just how to be smart. How to keep myself safe, how to make quick decisions, learning from pain, man... it all transitions to the game of football and it shows on the field. I lay it down every week, and my teammates see that, my coaches see that. It makes it easy to be a leader, even though I was younger than most of those guys, because I had that life experience, you know? But I was still nervous, like, I think I just wanted their approval somehow. Like I still had to prove myself, so I did. What I've been through just made it easier to get me here.
You don't think it will be hard to adjust to the pro level, coming straight from high school?
I don't think it's going to be easy or hard. Just different. [He pauses to take a drink as the bar erupts again] Look man, it's like this. People are people. Coaches are coaches. And players are players. Everybody wants to be respected. You show respect, you show up on the field, guys are gonna start listening to you, because you got their respect. You got their trust. Football's all about trust, you gotta be brothers out on that field. Brothers trust each other, and brothers listen to and learn from each other. Like, I know most of these guys that are going into the DSFL are the best. It's the freaking DSFL man. And I'm gonna have to prove myself again. [Laughing] And again when I make it to the NSFL. But I've been doing that my whole life, so it ain't hard. It's just gonna be different. Different teams, same brotherhood man. And being a leader is the same, no matter the brotherhood.
You think you're ready for the NSFL? Has any team been in contact with you?
Absolutely! [Laughing] I mean, absolutely I'm ready for the big leagues! I can't say if any team has asked about me yet, they mostly talk to my agent steelsound. I know there's a team in the DSFL that was watching me catch balls the other night at the Prep. But man, I've just been working hard, getting ready for the combine and the Prospect Bowl, like, so excited man. I know I'm ready to compete, that's for sure.
A waitress stops by, seeing AE finishing his drink and asks if he would like another. He politely declines. She sees my empty glasses and asks if I'd like a fourth. I politely accept. The crowd at the bar is dwindling, their game having reached it's thrilling end. AE stands, somehow taller than when he entered. Or maybe it's just me. What once appeared to be a humble man navigating the McGillin's masses in an attempt to go, unsuccessfully, unnoticed was actually a wolf in disguise. Or lion. Or phoenix. Or whatever animal analogy you want to throw in here. Damn, these IPAs are good. I think back to when McGillin's first released these, back in 2010, the feeling of knocking back that first glass, the impression it left. Smooth. Refined. A leader from the get-go. Much like that first glass, AE left me wanting more. Lucky for me, I ordered that fourth glass. And lucky for teams in this years DSFL and NSFL drafts, they ordered a big tall one of one of the best receivers this state has ever seen. Cheers.
- NSFL and DSFL reporter, Albert Breererer
So, are you excited for the coming draft?
Excited? Man, I live for this. Literally. Football saved me from a dark place not long ago, and it's been my lifeblood ever since. I remember when Coach first brought me in, man, I was nervous, like, you know? Me? Some foreign kid that lived on the streets half his life and never been part of team before? How am I going to fit in here? So many emotions, man. It's like that. Only, this time, this time it's different. I know I'm the best. I belong here. I'm ready. The emotions are strong, but it's a different feeling. Just nervous excitement this time, nothing negative at all.
I pause to absorb his poignant response. His troubled childhood is well documented, having undergone numerous inquiries from state and federal authorities, following head coach Gabe Infante's full ride offer to St. Joseph's Preparatory School back in 2025. His measured pace tells me he rehearsed this bit, knowing we'd get to it at some point in our meeting. Appreciating his candor, I take the opportunity and walk through the open door.
How did guys respond to that, when you say you lived on the streets?
[Laughing] Man, it's never a problem. Most people see me, they see I'm okay, they ain't worried about me being crazy or nothing. I learned some things being homeless. I learned how and when to fight, I learned how to be smart with money. My parents were big on never stealing anything. But most of all I learned just how to be smart. How to keep myself safe, how to make quick decisions, learning from pain, man... it all transitions to the game of football and it shows on the field. I lay it down every week, and my teammates see that, my coaches see that. It makes it easy to be a leader, even though I was younger than most of those guys, because I had that life experience, you know? But I was still nervous, like, I think I just wanted their approval somehow. Like I still had to prove myself, so I did. What I've been through just made it easier to get me here.
You don't think it will be hard to adjust to the pro level, coming straight from high school?
I don't think it's going to be easy or hard. Just different. [He pauses to take a drink as the bar erupts again] Look man, it's like this. People are people. Coaches are coaches. And players are players. Everybody wants to be respected. You show respect, you show up on the field, guys are gonna start listening to you, because you got their respect. You got their trust. Football's all about trust, you gotta be brothers out on that field. Brothers trust each other, and brothers listen to and learn from each other. Like, I know most of these guys that are going into the DSFL are the best. It's the freaking DSFL man. And I'm gonna have to prove myself again. [Laughing] And again when I make it to the NSFL. But I've been doing that my whole life, so it ain't hard. It's just gonna be different. Different teams, same brotherhood man. And being a leader is the same, no matter the brotherhood.
You think you're ready for the NSFL? Has any team been in contact with you?
Absolutely! [Laughing] I mean, absolutely I'm ready for the big leagues! I can't say if any team has asked about me yet, they mostly talk to my agent steelsound. I know there's a team in the DSFL that was watching me catch balls the other night at the Prep. But man, I've just been working hard, getting ready for the combine and the Prospect Bowl, like, so excited man. I know I'm ready to compete, that's for sure.
A waitress stops by, seeing AE finishing his drink and asks if he would like another. He politely declines. She sees my empty glasses and asks if I'd like a fourth. I politely accept. The crowd at the bar is dwindling, their game having reached it's thrilling end. AE stands, somehow taller than when he entered. Or maybe it's just me. What once appeared to be a humble man navigating the McGillin's masses in an attempt to go, unsuccessfully, unnoticed was actually a wolf in disguise. Or lion. Or phoenix. Or whatever animal analogy you want to throw in here. Damn, these IPAs are good. I think back to when McGillin's first released these, back in 2010, the feeling of knocking back that first glass, the impression it left. Smooth. Refined. A leader from the get-go. Much like that first glass, AE left me wanting more. Lucky for me, I ordered that fourth glass. And lucky for teams in this years DSFL and NSFL drafts, they ordered a big tall one of one of the best receivers this state has ever seen. Cheers.
- NSFL and DSFL reporter, Albert Breererer
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