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From the outset, Maris was drawn to football. An undersized five-foot-six at birth, he faced stigma throughout his youth but found solace in the sport. Rather than engage in cartoons or video games, he would watch football on television. Growing up in a competitive football region, he struggled for playing time but quickly showed off his remarkable speed, even earning small payouts from local races.
Maris excelled in track, setting records in the 100 and 200 meters. However, in high school, he remained undersized at just 5'8" and 130 pounds, limiting his role to kick returner and deep threat. With no Division I scholarship offers upon graduating in 2015, Maris took an unusual route—he opted to play at a junior college, College of the Canyons, in Southern California.