Eric Stokes has enjoyed a decorated journey as a football player.  From Sharp Stadium in Covington to Sanford Stadium in Athens to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., Stokes has built a career that only the top one percent of athletes would ever dream of.

But Stokes’ latest achievement may be one of his most notable and fulfilling to date.

In front of over 1,000 fans, teachers and supporters, Stokes’ No. 5 football jersey was retired by the Eastside Eagles during halftime of Friday’s basketball contest between the Eagles and the Walnut Grove Warriors. It marked just the second time that Eastside has retired a jersey in its program history, with the first being fellow NFL veteran Sheldon Rankins back in 2017.

Stokes, who graduated from Eastside in 2017, said he had mixed emotions on the 45-minute drive from Atlanta to Covington. 

Nervousness, excitement and gratitude filled Stokes’ mind, all normal emotions for a distinction of this magnitude. However, he said he never envisioned this day even happening.

“I didn’t think any of this was gonna happen,” Stokes said. “I was just a little kid playing ball.”

After all of his emotions subsided, Stokes said he took pride in seeing the many familiar faces packing the gym to witness the latest chapter in his success story.

“It’s just great being around everybody that raised me to be the man that I am today,” Stokes said. “It’s just amazing.”

Many of Stokes’ support staff were in attendance. This included current Eastside athletic director Champ Young, who taught Stokes.

“It’s personal for me,” Young said of Stokes’ success. “He was a kid in my class. He’s a special kid, man. He always has been. Always will be.”

Despite not taking the field for the Eagles until his junior season, Stokes turned heads. In his two varsity seasons, Stokes had 16 solo tackles and 21 total tackles. He also had two interceptions his senior season.

But while his impact on defense was felt, it was his offensive prowess that many remember him for, including then-offensive coordinator now current head coach Jay Cawthon.

“When he was here he [mostly] played running back,” Cawthon said.

As a running back, Stokes averaged 52.3 yards per game and scored nine touchdowns, becoming a standout player for the Eagles.

His blistering speed caught the eye of several colleges across the state, including that of University of Georgia (UGA) head coach Kirby Smart. On national signing day in 2017, Stokes chose Georgia over other SEC schools like Ole Miss and Florida.

After developing in the UGA program, Stokes became a must-watch player for the Bulldogs. It all came together during the 2020 college football season, where he had 20 combined tackles in nine games played. He also added four interceptions, returning two of those for touchdowns.

Stokes’ play was enough to draw the eye of NFL scouts, who viewed him as a late first round pick. This led to his name being called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on April 29, 2021 when he was selected 29th overall by the Green Bay Packers.

Since that special day, Stokes has been a starting cornerback for the Packers, becoming an integral part of many playoff teams.

While Stokes has enjoyed success on the field, it is his work off the field that has helped build a legacy within the local community. 

For the past three years, Stokes has hosted an annual Back to School bookbag drive, donating bookbags and school supplies for families in need. In 2024, he gave away over 500 bookbags as well as three brand new laptops.

“This is where I was born and raised,” Stokes said at the bookbag drive. “Any little thing I can do for my city, I’ll try to do it.”

Stokes’ generosity and empathy off the field combined with his performance on the field is what ultimately made the jersey retirement ceremony all the more special for his support staff that knew him as a kid.

“Eric’s one of the most humble kids you’ll ever meet,” Cawthon said. “He is still the same old Eric that he was here in high school. We’re so proud of him and the man he’s become.”

The connection that Stokes has to his hometown community is why being a standout football star, an all-first team SEC player and a first round NFL draft pick pale in comparison to Friday’s jersey retirement.

“It’s definitely up there at the top of my career,” Stokes said about his jersey retirement. “Because at the end of the day that’s something that’s never gonna go away. Retiring a number is very big to me.”