NFL Draft prospect fires back at critics of his speech impediment

KC Concepcion, a former Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver, fired back at criticism over the way he speaks after he was mocked while talking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Concepcion admitted in a post on his Instagram Stories on Sunday night that he has battled a stuttering issue for much of his life.

“I just wanna say something. If you have a speech impediment, there is nothing wrong with us,” he said. “I have had this stutter since I can remember talking. This is a part of me. This is who I am. I cannot control this. I wanna be a role model for those who may be scared to speak up, who may be afraid and not confident in yourself. I stand with you.

“This weekend has taught me a lot about myself and people out there in this world. I appreciate everyone who supports me and has reached out to me after these interviews. Don’t let (an) outside person’s thoughts, opinions get in the way of you being great, of achieving something in life. I am blessed to be in this position that I am in, and I want to help give back to those who are scared to speak up, who aren’t as confident. I stand with you. I will always stand with you. We are different for a reason.

“God had blessed my life in a way I couldn’t even imagine in this past year. I love y’all and support y’all as we climb this mountain together.”

More than 80 million people around the world, including about 3 million Americans, deal with stuttering, according to The Stuttering Foundation. Athletes like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and George Springer have been open about stuttering issues in the past.

Concepcion hopes to hear his name called when the NFL Draft takes place in the spring. He was an All American for the first time after the 2025 season.

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The former Aggies star had 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns.

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