Raheem Floyd ran around the sidelines, wanting all the players and coaches to throw him a football.
At 7 years old, Floyd had no cares in the world. He enjoyed every second being around St. Louis (Mo.) St. John Vianney in 2018, watching his older brother, Fahreed Cheeks, win a state title.
Cheeks started in the junior college ranks, transferring to Tennessee-Martin and Texas Permian Basin. Although never playing at the FBS level, Cheeks' collegiate experience and football connections have offered guidance to his younger brother, a now three-star recruit in the 2027 class.
"Just running around as a little one to now being here, it's just a process, staying focused," Floyd said. "Especially having a shadow like that and then especially with who he played with, he played with NFL guys, Kyren Williams, so having him as a mentor, that was a big push in where I am today ... learning from what he did wrong and what he did right."
Nearly seven years later, Floyd is a ranked cornerback at East St. Louis (Ill.) High. While living in Illinois, Cheeks also wanted to play for the Flyers, but he and Floyd's mother wanted him at St. John Vianney.
"I was more ready for it," Floyd said. "He wanted to get thrown in the fire, but my mother wouldn't let him when he was younger. I feel more of a fit for the environment now, so her just throwing me in the fire and me just accomplishing what I'm accomplishing and pushing through and just fighting every day to get better is what I do."
Floyd's recruitment took off this offseason, receiving 13 offers after picking up a scholarship from nearby Missouri during an unofficial visit in January. Everything paid for Floyd, who won a state championship of his own this past year with East St. Louis.
"Now you see this kid, he's 6-foot-1 and a tremendous athlete," said Jerry Stanfield, the former St. John Vianney running backs coach. "So you always knew that, just from back then, this kid just loved the game of football."
Floyd, the No. 14 recruit in Illinois, starred with current Missouri freshman safety CJ Bass. While two years younger, Floyd saw Bass develop into a Rivals250 four-star in the Class of 2025.
"That was definitely my big brother," Floyd said. "He pushed me every day to get better better, ever since I was a freshman. ... Watching him work and seeing that four-star mentality is definitely a process to get there, but I'm willing to work for it, and hopefully, I can get four or five (stars)."
Since his career ended, Cheeks has returned home to help his brother through the next stage in his football journey. He studies his brother's film every day to identify flaws and strengths as Floyd approaches his junior season.
"I know his brother is a big mentor to him," said Stanfield, who is now the defensive coordinator at St. Louis (Mo.) University High. "His brother's like family to me, where I'm hoping to get him to come over to SLUH and coach with me this year."
"Definitely Coach Stanfield, the fact that he remembered that and stood up with me, making sure I'm good with training and things like that," Floyd added.
Prior to Missouri offering him earlier this offseason, Floyd had one scholarship in Kent State. The now three-star will be poised to make another leap in development during his junior campaign at powerhouse East St. Louis.
"It's truly a blessing getting an offer from arguably the best conference in college football as a sophomore," Floyd said in January. "But with that being said more work needs to be put in and more dreams to chase."
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