Diamond Sports Group - American Youth Football Tournaments

Pennsylvania fifth grader Tawfiq Byard is used to making plays on the defensive side of the ball, racking up 15 interceptions as a safety for his York Bear recreation league team this past season. So it was business as usual for Byard after collecting two more picks in the Diamond Spring All-American Game over the Memorial Day weekend.

Byard, was named Defensive MVP of the fifth-grade game thanks to his pair of INT’s.  To think, car trouble nearly dampened his family’s holiday vacation but an assist from a fellow team mom helped the Pennsylvania natives salvage the rest of trip, and experience their first Diamond Sports All-American game.

“This was our first Diamond event. The coaches didn’t know my son from anything, but they welcomed him with open arms.  He got a chance to meet people from all over and make some new friends,” Tawfiq’s mother Andrea Hawkins added.  “I think the biggest thing for him was getting away from playing against guys in his hometown and testing himself against people from other areas.”

Following his impressive performance in the Diamond All-American game, Tawfiq is excited about working towards a new football season with the Bears. For now, he will stick to his usual safety position, hardly a surprise considering the Byard’s family pedigree at the position. He has an older brother, Kevin Byard, who was selected in the third round of this year’s NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans and recorded 19 interceptions during his four-year career at Middle Tennessee State.  

Despite earning MVP honors, Byard was originally slated to play quarterback which makes the award even more special. Perhaps his biggest moment during the game wasn’t either of the interceptions, but a tackle during the contest against the opposing team’s bruising running back.

“I like playing safety,” Byard said. “I think I did good on the defensive side of the ball in the game. It was just fun getting to know everyone from different places and going through the plays. But at the end of the day, I knew I had to do me,” he added with a laugh.

When asked his prospects of playing again next year Byard replied with a resounding, “Yes, sir”.