Titus Young From Behind Bars

Honestly I haven't thought about former Boise State wide receiver Titus Young in a long time, until today. Titus is still in jail in Los Angeles but even from jail he is still eying the NFL.

Titus Young has been writing a diary in jail, a diary he wants to become a book about mental illness. Young sent excerpts from his dairy to the Los Angeles Times rather than sitting down for an interview with the paper.

Titus Young was a standout receiver for Boise State who overcame his lack of size by using his extraordinary speed and quickness to beat defenders and score touchdowns. While he was suspended three times by Coach Peterson during his time at BSU, he was a second round NFL draft pick by the Detroit Lions where he scored six touchdowns and had 607 receiving yards his rookie season.

Young admits at a young age he began hearing voices of those who were coming to kill him. These voices threatened him to commit crimes or else. What started as breaking and entering, stealing and more grew to exceed over 25 criminal charges.

Once arrested, Young was provided medicine which has helped him control the voices he hears. Now, Titus feels confident God put him in jail so he can talk more about mental illness and how it impacts humans of all sizes, shapes and nationalities. Beyond that, Young still believes he has a chance for a career in the NFL.

Whether or not Titus has a future NFL career is highly debated. Many athletes have been able to complete time in jail to return, with success, to the field. Yet, while Young feels like he has his voices and anger under control, many feel that the amount of concussions Young's had has led to his current issues and fear that he's too much of an uncertainty.

As an example of Young's 180 degree personality, he was once classified as the most dangerous inmate at the correction facility in Los Angeles but also as a teddy bear by an employee of a rehabilitation center.

Among life's ironies is the fact that in 2010 Titus Young made a last second diving catch of a Kellen Moore pass at the Nevada three yard line. The catch appeared to save the Broncos unbeaten season and would certainly mean a New Years Bowl appearance. Instead of the catch going down as the greatest moment in Boise State history, a missed field goal on the next play led to BSU's defeat and absolutely no recollection of Young's heroic effort in Reno. Unfortunately a pattern of being forgotten has followed the trouble and talented Titus Young. I hope he's 100% correct when he says "I have it all under control now".