Former American Heritage star RB remains in critical condition

Bryant, 21, and Maurice Grover, 25, both of Delray Beach, were found in a black, four-door Chrysler near the Forest Hill Boulevard exit on southbound Interstate 95 around 4:45 a.m., police said. They were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center with gunshot wounds.

Bryant, the driver of the car, was in critical condition Saturday evening. Grover had minor injuries, according to police.

Investigators said there is no information about a shooter. Southbound lanes between Southern Boulevard and Forest Hill Boulevard on I-95 were closed for three hours as police gathered evidence at the scene, where the front, driver and passenger windows of the car were all smashed.

As Bryant remained in the intensive care unit at St. Mary's, there was confusion over social media whether or not the Delray Beach native was alive.

His high school tweeted out a collage of photos saying their former star had passed. The tweet has since been deleted. Soon after, the University of Alabama Birmingham, where Bryant was supposed to start playing in fall, sent out written statements from head football coach Bill Clark as well as UAB president Ray Watts expressing their condolences to the family as well as admiration for the talents of the young man.

But at 4:15 p.m., West Palm Beach Police, the hospital and multiple family members confirmed Bryant was still alive and in critical condition.

In his junior year at the Delray Beach school in 2011, Bryant helped the Stallions claim the state title with 243 yards and three touchdowns on a season-high 38 carries. That year, he ran for 2,180 yards and 35 touchdowns.

As a senior, Bryant ran for 1,447 yards and 17 touchdowns, was a five-star recruit by most recruiting sites, an Army Player of the Year candidate and Army All-America player. Though the Stallions lost to Fort Lauderdale University High in the regional finals, he ended the year on a higher note, committing to Notre Dame in December 2012, sending his rising star even higher.

“My best memory of Greg was occasionally he would walk to the practice field singing, ‘I love practice,’” said Josh Ward, a linebacker at Akron who played with Bryant in high school. “He told me that instead of chasing my dreams that I should catch them. He’s a great person. … Fun to be around. One of the first people I looked up to on and off the field.”

But at Notre Dame, Bryant struggled. His coach, Brian Kelly, suspended him in 2015 because he did not "meet expectations" and he was ruled academically ineligible, according to ESPN. Bryant transferred to ASA Miami a junior college in South Florida soon after. In November 2015, he signed with University of Alabama-Birmingham, a school that had dropped football in 2014, but reinstated it for 2016.

According to a recent interview with Bleacher Report, Bryant said he was excited for his new start.

"I've had a ton of people ask me why UAB," Bryant told Bleacher Report. "They really don't know my background and what they're doing for me. Once I went on a visit and met them in person, I knew I was safe. I knew I was in a safe environment. They're basically giving me a second chance."

After word of the shooting spread Saturday morning, former teammates, friends and coaches took to social media hoping for the best:

- Former Notre Dame running backs coach Tony Alford wrote, "Prayers our to Greg Bryant and his family!! Critical condition from incident early Saturday morning. #KeepFighting"

- Mike Hall, a former player for American Heritage and current outside linebacker for Mississippi College said, "Everyone please pray for Greg Bryant! One of the most talented and hardest working kids I have been blessed to play with #PrayForGreg"

- Detroit Lions running back and former Notre Dame player Thor Riddick said, "Prayers up to Greg Bryant!! Keep fighting man! This is crazy! It's a cold world out here man…"

In a tweet from April 18, Bryant said: "Accomplished way too much to stop here. Got so much more to accomplish."