Bryant had a troubled upbringing, born to a 15-year-old mother who was arrested for dealing crack cocaine when he was age eight. He went on to live in eight different homes while at Lufkin High School. Bryant has two sons, Zayne, 7, and Dez, Jr., 4.
Bryant was sued in March 2011 for $861,350 for legal fees and the cost of jewelry, which he acquired on credit while a student athlete. The case was settled before court proceedings for between $400,000 and $500,000.
On July 16, 2012, Bryant was arrested on a class A misdemeanor domestic violence charge for allegedly striking his biological mother, Angela Bryant. In March 2013, Bryant spoke at an event for Dallas Men Against Abuse. At the event, he stated, "I’m done with domestic abuse."
On April 4, 2013, Bryant signed his second major endorsement deal with the Jordan brand. He made the announcement via his Twitter account.
On August 28, 2014, Dez launched his official brand and apparel line, ThrowUpTheX, his signature end zone celebration.
Bryant was born in Galveston County, Texas, but eventually moved to Lufkin, Texas, where he attended Lufkin High School. As a junior, he caught 48 passes for 1,025 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bryant, along with defensive lineman Jamarkus McFarland, led Lufkin to a 14–1 record, including an appearance in the 5A Division II state semifinals, where they lost 46–28 to Todd Dodge's Southlake Carroll. In his senior year, Bryant had 53 receptions for 1,207 yards with 21 touchdowns, and was an All-State selection. Lufkin finished the season 11–1, after losing 38–25 to Round Rock in the area round of the playoffs. After the season, Bryant participated in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl. He was also named an All-American by Parade and SuperPrep.
Bryant also competed in track and field, and was one of the state's top competitors in the triple jump (top-jump of 14.17 m). Also a standout hurdler, he had personal bests of 14.56 seconds in the 110-m hurdles and 40.70 seconds in the 300-m hurdles. He was also a member of the 4 × 100-m (42.62) and 4 × 200-m (1:28.35) relay squads.
Regarded as a four-star recruit by rivals.com, Bryant was listed as the no. 9 wide receiver prospect in the class of 2007, and the second from Texas behind only Terrence Toliver. Recruited by numerous major programs, including most Big 12 schools, Bryant took official visits to Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech, before committing to the Cowboys. He was just the fourth Parade All-American to sign with OSU since 1985.
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