F1 racing helps slow things down for Graham
The past few days have been a blur for D.J. Graham.
But that’s what happens when you pull off one of the best interceptions in college football history.
Graham made headlines Saturday by hauling in a one-handed interception in the fourth quarter of Oklahoma’s game against Nebraska. The timely takeaway helped secure the Sooners’ 23-16 win, and it secured quite the spotlight for the sophomore cornerback in the process. Graham’s face has been everywhere. There are dozens of angles of the play that have gone viral on social media including one filmed by Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, who just so happened to be recording from the sideline when it all went down.
Then there are the shoutouts from numerous celebrities including Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who called the play a “Hellluva Pick” on Twitter.
Graham is even plastered on a line of clothing in partnership with Breaking Ts. A design of him making the interception is available on both a T-shirt and a hoodie ranging from $26-$55.
“I’m doing everything so fast, but at the same time, I’m seeing it in slow motion in a way.”
D.J. Graham
OU defensive back
“Seeing everybody else’s reaction, it was priceless,” Graham said. “And for everybody to say this might be the greatest pick of all time, it was astounding. I didn’t even think of it like that, which is crazy. It kind of took me away by storm but it’s all kind of sinking in now.
Graham has gained over 11,000 followers across Twitter and Instagram since making the legendary interception.
The rush of sudden fame would be enough to make most peoples’ heads spin, but nothing is too fast for the star Sooner.
While it’s common for some college football players to have a passion for other sports such as basketball or track & field, Graham has a love for sports car racing.
His favorite form of the sport is Formula One, which is the highest class of international auto racing for single-seat racing cars.
“I’ve been into cars my entire life,” Graham said. “But we would turn on F1, my dad would turn it on if there was nothing else to watch as a little kid... The cars, like, they’re the best, the tip-top, the best in the world... It’s one of my favorite things.”
Watching Formula One cars bolt down the track at speeds of up to 230 miles per hour has allowed everything else to slow down for Graham, and that was exactly the case on Saturday.
“It kind of feels like I see (plays) in slow motion,” Graham said. “I’m tracking the rotation of the ball so (I know) where I’m supposed to position my hands. But at the same time, it is happening so fast. I’m doing everything so fast, but at the same time, I’m seeing it in slow motion in a way.”
Graham began to heavily follow Formula One in 2018, which was just before the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive came out.
The series covers the Formula One World Championship and provides exclusive access to a sport that has plenty of intense moments both on and off the track.
“That’s one of the best Netflix series I’ve ever seen,” Graham said. “It really shows you how cutthroat that business is in Formula One. It’s crazy.”
Graham’s favorite racing driver, Lewis Hamilton, is right in the thick of it all.
Graham became a fan of the Mercedes driver when he found out he was, and still is, the only black driver to ever race in the series.
In addition to being one of the top drivers in the series, Hamilton is also a constant advocate of social justice. The British driver launched The Hamilton Commission in 2020, which works to increase the representation of black people in UK motorsport.
Hamilton’s activism resonated with Graham, who participated in marches for the Black Lives Matter movement during June of 2020.
“I just naturally gravitated toward (Hamilton),” Graham said. “Not only what he’s doing on the track, but what he’s doing off the track. It’s like Muhammad Ali stuff.”
Meanwhile, Graham is carving out a legacy of his own on the football field.
The former wide receiver is emerging as a standout player at the cornerback spot for OU, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t dabble in racing if given the chance.
“If somebody told me, ‘Hey, you wanna come race?’ There’s no way I could turn that down,” Graham said. “There’s no way I could not say, ‘OK, yeah, I’m coming.’ Like no way... But since that’s so unrealistic, yeah I’m a fan.”