His signature move comes early in almost every run. The space shrinks. Tacklers lunge at him from all angles, speeds and directions. Demond Claiborne looks trapped. Then, in a flash, he snaps his body sideways with controlled violence. It’s the closest thing you’ll find to real-life teleportation.Youth coaches struggled to describe Claiborne’s move. A hop-step didn’t do justice to the dynamism. Pilfering the “Cha Cha Slide” from DJ Casper felt sacrilegious. Nothing came to mind. So, instead, they came up with a nickname for Claiborne.Every time he sprinkled his secret sauce, every time the sideline erupted in a frenzy, one coach would holler to another: “There he goes again. Lightning struck.”“That’s what everyone called him growing up, ‘Lightning,’” Maurice Newbill, a real estate agent who began mentoring Claiborne in middle school, said. “Because when he touched it, it was always electric.”Claiborne’s burst mesmerized the small rural town of Aylett, Va., northeast of Richmond. His agility captured the attention of college coaches. In the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, this same horsepower captivated the Minnesota Vikings, who plotted when and where to select him.The sixth-round pick now brings his electricity to Minnesota. His arrival highlights an example of nurturing that helps to explain how he crafted his signature in the first place.They met inside a classroom at Hamilton-Holmes Middle School, well before Newbill knew anything about Claiborne’s football abilities. Claiborne walked in with a hoodie pulled tight over his head. Newbill could barely make out Claiborne’s eyes.The school’s principal had designed this introduction as a different way for the school to reach kids who needed additional guidance. Some of the kids fell asleep in class. Others misbehaved. Many of them seemed distant or lost, navigating conflict at home that clouded their spirits.Newbill, who had attended the school and had a similar experience growing up in Aylett, signed up to help.“I saw a need,” Newbill said. “Some kids, when they’re at that stage of life, they need someone to be a big brother, a sounding board, somebody they could sit and talk to.”Claiborne cherished his relationship with his mother, who crisscrossed town working multiple jobs to support him and his four brothers. He embraced his fatherly role in the household, cooking and washing dishes, but he lacked a male figure he could trust and confide in.At first, Newbill’s attempts to build a bridge failed. Claiborne mumbled his responses to questions. He refrained from sharing his feelings, emotions and problems. Still, Newbill kept the faith. Twice a week, he returned to Hamilton-Holmes for additional sessions. Eventually, their shared love of football shattered Claiborne’s facade.Newbill played defensive back at the University of Richmond, which caught Claiborne’s attention. The boy asked questions. He listened with wide eyes, his smile beginning to curl. Over time, stories of games and plays and stadiums segued into bigger conversations and weightier subjects.