Wednesday 26 April 2017 13:09, UK
Britain's Jermaine Eluemunor is one of the feel-good stories of this year's NFL Draft.
His story is riddled with challenges, but ultimately it is one of passion, determination, and success.
Eluemunor, 22, grew up in Chalk Farm, London, with his three siblings. His father worked as a security guard in a department store while his mother worked in a nursing home. Like most kids in England, football was his first passion, though it soon became obvious playing it wasn't for him.
"I just wanted to hit someone," he said. "I would be dribbling the ball down the field and someone would try and take the ball away from me. I would hit them, shove them to the ground, and bang, red card."
He tried rugby and excelled as a forward, but it wasn't until October 2007 that he found his true calling.
Eluemunor said: "I was flicking through the TV channels and I came upon the Dolphins and the Giants playing at Wembley stadium. I loved the way they were hitting each other, the intensity."
He instantly began researching the NFL and became obsessed with online flash games like NFL Rush, including 'Rush to School', featuring Michael Strahan.
He began supporting the Philadelphia Eagles and idolised Donovan McNabb, wanting to emulate him as a quarterback. However, when he showed up to play for Finsbury Park-based London Blitz, it became apparent the offensive line was more his speed.
Making it to the NFL from the British American Football Association is a long shot. Examples like London's Efe Obada, who did not go to college, are few and far between. Eluemunor quickly recognised this and begged his parents to let him go to America.
Luckily for him, his aunt lived in New Jersey and was happy to put him up. Armed with nothing more than a suitcase of clothes, 14-year old Jermaine and his father set off for America.
Adjusting was hard. He said: "I went to school that first day and when everybody found out I was from London there was a huge circle around me.
"They made me say different words like purple, banana and peanut butter."
Acclimatising off the field wasn't his only worry. His high school coaches wouldn't let him start at first as they believed he didn't understand the game well enough.
After his first year in New Jersey, he and his father returned to England to visit the rest of the family and very nearly didn't return. His father was also struggling in America and told Jermaine they might have to move back, but Eluemunor begged his parents to reconsider.
On a promise of taking American football as far as he could, his parents decided he could stay with his aunt while his father moved back to London.
He said: "I guess they saw how sincere I was in my face and how hungry I was, how much I wanted it."
It would be two years until he next saw his parents but Eluemunor's passion, as well as a timely growth spurt - he grew to 6ft 4in - secured a starting role. He also joined the wrestling team and soon became one of the best wrestlers in the state.
He was offered NCAA wrestling scholarships but stuck to his guns of wanting to play football.
Without an offer, Eluemunor attended Lackawanna junior college where he was able to learn the game more while applying to bigger schools.
It took a year of playing, as well as over 300 emails, to get any interest from division one schools. When the coaches at Florida State started showing interest, others followed suit.
Soon Eluemunor had dozens of offers and was being courted by the biggest football colleges in America. He chose Texas A&M, where he again had a shock in store.
"At junior college, they told me who to hit and how to hit them. I didn't know anything about defences or blitz schemes, or just schemes in general.
"That was the hardest part because even now I'm still learning. There's so many things you have to know especially if you plan to play at a high level."
Now, after just one year of starting, he is rapidly rising on NFL teams draft boards and is on the verge of achieving his dream.
One coach at Texas A&M said: "He just flat out loves playing ball and I think that is what NFL scouts are looking for."
He still has a lot to learn but is excited about getting started and being able to inspire other international players.
He said he wants people to see that it doesn't matter what country you are from, if you really want to play American football you can.
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