Humble player comes from famous roots

A Troy University cornerback received a lot more recognition than he planned after he posted a photo of himself on Instagram.

Tray Hall, a junior business major from Corona, California, is getting a lot of publicity after his uncle, Snoop Dogg, reposted a photo of Hall’s recent football achievements at Troy.

The famous rapper posted Hall’s photo to over 3 million followers a few weeks ago, with the caption, “Syfl legend.”

Hall started playing in SYFL, or Snoop’s Youth Football League, when he was 12 years old.

“My uncle has been like a role model to me,” Hall said. “He is one of the main reasons for my talent on the football field.”

Hall grew up in Carson, California, outside Los Angeles. He moved from the Los Angeles area when he was in middle school, to Corona, California, not too far from Snoop Dogg.

“Before high school, I stayed at my uncle’s house all the time,” Hall said. “Me and my cousins are really close, almost like brothers.”

The football star, who spent every other weekend and his summers at Snoop Dogg’s house, says he isn’t a stranger to the spotlight.

“I would go to the VH1 or MTV award shows with my uncle,” Hall said. “There was always paparazzi with him.

“It was a good experience for me to see how my uncle handles those types of situations.”

After receiving his associate degree from Riverside City College in Riverside, California, Hall made the decision to come to Troy and play cornerback.

Moving from the mountains in the West to the hills in the East, Hall said the thing he is most unfamiliar with is the “country slang.”

In the future, Hall is open to opportunities. He would like to either play for the Atlanta Falcons or pursue his degree in business and minor in communication, going into sports broadcasting in the future.

“It has always been my dream to be in the NFL,” Hall said. “I would like to play for the Atlanta Falcons because I like the color red and their uniforms look good on the field.”

“But I know the NFL is everybody’s dream, so I am open to pursue my degree in whatever job comes my way.”