Prep talk: Salesian honors San Francisco 49ers defensive back Deommodore Lenoir

Salesian High School held its 15th Salesian Gala on Saturday night, with defensive back Deommodore Lenoir from the San Francisco 49ers and a Salesian graduate being honored.

Deommodore Lenoir of Salesian in 2016. Now he's NFL defensive back for 49ers.(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Lenoir used Salesian as a key path to playing college football at Oregon and then the NFL. He received a $92 million contract extension in 2024.

Growing up in South Los Angeles taught me a lot," he said in 2016. It taught me to stay focused in order to be able to go where I want to go, and that's to the NFL. You have to stay in the classroom and do what you're told to do."

He's come back to Salesian to offer a message of hope and hard work.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.