On Sunday, June 28, the family of late Clemson wide receiver Diondre Overton officially unveiled a bronze statue in his honor.
Organized by the Hustle and Heart Foundation (established by his parents), the state reveal ceremony took place at Guil-Rand Memorial Park Cemetery in High Point, North Carolina.
Overton passed away on September 7, 2024, at the age of 26 years old. He was reportedly shot and killed while trying to break up a fight during a party in his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina. In October 2024, North Carolina police (Guilford County Sheriff’s Office) announced that 20-year-old Jeremiah Diago Blanks was arrested and charged with felony first degree murder in the death of Overton. The trial remains ongoing.
The statue of Overton serves as a lasting tribute and celebration of Overton’s life and legacy. From the Hustle and Heart Foundation on Instagram, about the statue unveiling:
“After months of planning and years of impact, tomorrow we gather to honor a legacy that continues to inspire generations. … This is more than a ceremony. This is a permanent tribute to a son, teammate, friend, mentor, and champion whose impact continues to live on through every life he touched.”
Overton played more than 1,000 career snaps at Clemson across the 2016-19 seasons, collecting 52 career receptions for 777 yards and seven touchdowns over 51 games with five starts. He went on to play professionally in the USFL, recording 42 catches for 533 yards and five touchdowns for the Philadelphia Stars over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
A two-time national champion and four-time ACC champion, Overton caught a touchdown pass in each of the first two games of Clemson’s 2018 national championship season, including Clemson’s penultimate score of its 28-26 win at Texas A&M. He recorded a career year as a senior in 2019, catching 22 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns. That year, he earned the Leather Helmet Award as the Most Valuable Player of the Clemson-Boston College game for a performance in which he posted 119 yards and three touchdowns on only three receptions.
Overton signed with the Tigers as a four-star prospect in the 2016 recruiting class out of Walter Hines Page High School. He earned his degree from Clemson in sports communication in the summer of 2019.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney got the news of Overton’s death before Clemson’s 2024 home opener against Appalachian State.
“It took the wind out of my body this morning,” Swinney said that day. “I had an opportunity to speak to his dad, and obviously, they are hurting. It is hard to process something like this and so senseless. A beautiful young life was cut short at 26.”
“Man, I loved Diondre Overton. He was great. He was one of the best teammates to come through here,” Swinney added. “I still remember him putting the leather helmet on after scoring three touchdowns against Boston College. He truly was one of the sweetest and most spirited kids that we had come through here. He was a true leader and a great teammate.”
