Derick Hall leaned forward and buried his head in his hands while holding his iPhone up to his ear. On the other end of the call was Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.

It was early on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft, and Hall’s wait was over. He was overcome with emotion as the Seahawks informed him that the franchise was selecting him with the sixth pick of the second round, as he was chosen with the 37th overall pick in this year’s draft.

Read more about Derick Hall’s journey to the NFL: Episode 1: Derick Hall’s unlikely journey from premature birth to the pride of Gulfport, Mississippi

Episode 2: Derick Hall’s Auburn career underscored by resolve amid uncertainty

Episode 3: Derick Hall pushes self closer to improbable NFL dream

As Hall hung up at the end of the conversation, he sat back up, took a deep breath and clapped as his family and friends erupted in celebration. Then he let the tears flow as reality set in: The pride of Gulfport, Miss., was heading to the Pacific Northwest to make his lifelong dream a reality.

“God blessed him to be able to do what he does and what he loves, but just to be able to make a difference in his life and, you know — who gets to do that?” Hall’s mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, said. “For my son to be in that top percent, that he will get to live out his dreams, I’m just excited. I’m overjoyed. I’m so grateful. It’s just — it’s amazing.”

The final episode of AL.com’s four-part Emmy-winning “Road to the Pros” documentary series follows Hall on draft day, as he completed his path from Gulfport to the NFL. Hall was the first Auburn player selected in this year’s draft and was one of five Tigers to hear their name called during the three-day event.

For Hall, a team captain as a senior and a two-time All-SEC selection, it was just the latest milestone of an improbable journey that began 22 years ago, when he was born four months premature and spent the first five months of his life in an incubator at Gulfport Memorial Hospital.

“You see these stories where, you know, athletes have to overcome a lot from their childhood, and to see them get to this point is just remarkable,” said Anthony Hobgood, the senior director of performance at EXOS, where Hall trained during the months leading up to the draft.

Hall’s journey isn’t over; in some regards, it’s just beginning. What it took — and who it took — for him to get to this point is not lost on him, though.

He wanted to spend the draft in his hometown of Gulfport so he could be surrounded by his family, his friends and those who helped him through the years as he chased a dream that seemed like a farfetched fantasy all those years ago at Gulfport Memorial.

“It takes a village to raise a child,” Hall said. “I feel like that’s true.”

Watch Derick Hall’s entire ‘Road to the Pros’ journey here:

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Laura Goldman is a senior video producer for Alabama Media Group. Follow her on Twitter @GOODasGOLDman.