The Chilton Auburn Club named Joshua Holsey the recipient of the 51st Annual Unsung Hero Award during a ceremony at the Jemison Municipal Complex on April 27.

“He’s just an Auburn man with an Auburn spirit,” Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said. “He’s exactly what you want in a son-in-law and a man.”

Holsey played defensive back for the Auburn football program and recently wrapped up his senior season.

He played in 44 games in an Auburn uniform, which included bouncing back from a pair of serious knee injuries.

Holsey acknowledged the fact that it was not an easy journey, and at one point he even thought about stepping away from football.

“No matter how dark the world may seem, there is always light at the end of the tunnel,” Holsey said.

As the banquet was taking place, the first round of the NFL Draft was also underway. Holsey will have his phone by his side anxiously awaiting a possible call from the NFL, as the rounds continue throughout the weekend.

“There’s a lot of great people at Auburn and I’ve had a lot of great teammates,” Holsey said. “It’s a great honor for me to be a part of this club. The names on that list are just phenomenal.”

After receiving the award, Holsey could not help but get a little choked up at the beginning of his speech, as he looked out into the crowd and saw his family sitting together on the front row.

“This capped off my years at Auburn, and it’s probably going to be the thing that I remember most,” Holsey said.

Jacobs served as the banquet’s guest speaker and covered several topics, such as plans for facility expansion and the current state of the program.

“It’s wonderful to see what these folks do to enrich the lives of these students here in their county, by giving them a chance to go to Auburn with a scholarship,” Jacobs said. “What they’re doing is amazing.”

The athletic program is currently in its longest stretch in school history without major violations.

“We have a culture that is not acceptable,” Jacobs said.