By Declan Williams
After making the decision to fully pursue the NFL, things started moving fast. One of the biggest opportunities I was given was an invitation to the Shrine Bowl. I flew from Philadelphia to Dallas to participate, and it was an experience I will never forget.
Being at the Shrine Bowl meant being surrounded by some of the best college football players in the country. Everyone there was talented, disciplined, and chasing the same dream of making it to the NFL. The environment was competitive and intense because everyone knew this was an opportunity to prove themselves in front of scouts and coaches. It was an amazing experience, but it was also very stressful at times. Every practice felt like a job interview. Every rep mattered. There was pressure to perform, pressure to stand out, and pressure not to make mistakes.
Even though it was stressful, it pushed me to grow. Being around that level of talent showed me what the next level really looks like and what it takes to compete there. It also reminded me that I belong in that environment and that I have a real shot if I keep working.
After the Shrine Bowl, I flew back to Philadelphia, packed up all my things, and then drove six hours to move into my new apartment. I am now living in Youngstown, Ohio by myself while I train. The training facility I go to is in New Castle, Pennsylvania, so every day I am driving there to train and then coming back to my apartment. Living on my own in a new place while training for the biggest opportunity of my life has definitely been an adjustment.
One of the hardest parts of this process has been balancing school and training. I am still taking online classes while training full time, and it is not easy. Training sessions alone are about four hours long, and that does not even include recovery. After training, there is stretching, treatment, ice baths, and making sure my body is ready for the next day. By the time I finish everything, I still have assignments, discussions, and school work to complete.
Some days are long and exhausting, and it would be easy to fall behind in school or skip recovery, but I know both are important for my future. This process has taught me a lot about discipline and time management. Nobody is forcing me to wake up early, go train, recover, and then do school work. It is all on me now, and that responsibility has helped me grow a lot as a person.
This journey is exciting, but it is also challenging. There are a lot of long days, a lot of pressure, and a lot of time spent working when nobody is watching. But this is part of chasing a dream. Not everyone sees the early mornings, the long drives, the tough workouts, or the late nights doing homework after training. But that is the reality of this process.
I am learning that this journey is not just about football. It is about discipline, independence, sacrifice, and growth. I am not just training to become a better football player. I am learning how to become a better man.
And this is still just the beginning of the journey.
