▁college ▁career ▁Griff in ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁T roy , ▁Alabama . ▁His ▁father ▁Will ie ▁Griff in ▁was ▁a ▁past or ▁of ▁the ▁L ily ▁White ▁Pent ec ost al ▁Church ▁in ▁Bru nd idge , ▁Alabama , ▁and ▁Corn el ius ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁Will ie ▁and ▁Mar tha ▁Griff in ' s ▁seven ▁children . ▁Will ie ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁car ▁accident ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Griff in ▁graduated ▁from ▁Pi ke ▁County ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁in ▁Bru nd idge , ▁Alabama . ▁He ▁first ▁played ▁college ▁football ▁as ▁a ▁def ensive ▁tack le ▁for ▁Pear l ▁River ▁Community ▁College ▁in ▁Mississippi . ▁Although ▁he ▁committed ▁to ▁A ub urn , ▁Griff in ▁decided ▁to ▁sign ▁with ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁after ▁A ub urn ▁coach es ▁wanted ▁him ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁tight ▁end . ▁In ▁the ▁Alabama ▁C rim son ▁T ide , ▁he ▁started ▁ 2 3 ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁games ▁in ▁its ▁ ▁team ▁( including ▁bow ls ). ▁As ▁a ▁senior ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Super ▁S le eper ▁Team ▁and ▁All - S out he astern ▁Conference ▁first ▁team . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁Griff in ▁was ▁selected ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Gi ants . ▁" H is ▁work outs ▁were ▁un bel iev able . ▁We