The persuasive conviction of a high school coach and the willingness of a college recruiter to take a gamble on a 6’3″ 185 lb linebacker paid handsome dividends for this East Cleveland native. Limited by an injury to only three football games as a senior at Shaw High, after playing in just seven varsity contests as an underclassman, he nevertheless found himself the recipient of a scholarship to West Virginia University. Good deal all around. In his sophomore year at WVU, he was All-East for the first of two seasons, and as a junior was getting All-American mention. After finishing his college career in 1982 as WVU’s career leader in assisted tackles and tackles for a loss, he was selected to nine All-American teams and became the school’s first consensus All-American in 27 years. Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1983 draft (39th pick), he began an 11-year career which took him to Super Bowl appearances in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993, earned him selection to the 1990 and 1991 Pro Bowls and eventually to a place on the Bills’ Wall of Fame, the 20th player so honored. When he left the Bills in 1994, he took with him the honor of being Buffalo’s all-time leading tackler. He played for Atlanta in 1995 and Minnesota in 1996, then signed a contract with Buffalo in 1997 and retired—as a Bill. Darryl now makes his home in Orlando, Florida, where he runs a traffic control company.