ARP, Texas (KLTV) – Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarvion Overshown returned home for the official groundbreaking of a new community splash pad, a project he called years in the making.
“It’s been a long time coming, but, with the donations from the community, we made it,” Overshown said Thursday. “I’m excited to see the growth of this.”
The NFL player said the East Texas town helped shape the 25-year-old into who he is today.
“This is home,” Overshown said. “I don’t take where I come from for granted, or will I ever lose my roots. They allowed me to grow into the man I am here.
“Most of my family is from this area, so coming back and just shining my light back on the community that allowed me to spread my wings and fly, that’s only right,” he said.
Overshown said he hopes his success inspires others, noting he doesn’t want to be the last person from Arp to reach the NFL or succeed elsewhere.
“I tell people all the time, there’s no reason why I should be the last one from Arp, Texas, to to make it make it to the NFL,” he said. “Not even the NFL. To just make it somewhere where they able to come back and provide for the community.”
Born in Tyler, Overshown graduated from Arp High School, where he played football before accepting an athletic scholarship to the University of Texas, where he was named the Alamo Bowl defensive MVP in 2020 and first-team All-Big 12 in 2022.
After he declared for the 2023 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the third round.
Looking ahead, Overshown said his vision for Arp is bigger than just the splash pad.
“I want this place to become the heart of East Texas,” Overshown said. “No matter where I’m at in East Texas, I can come to Arp, feel like home, feel like family.”
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