Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
Traveling 17 and a half hours across the ocean from Aachen, Germany to a small town in southeastern New Mexico presents a lot of challenges for a young student athlete.
For Aaron Donkor, he had nothing to lose and this was his chance to show that he could play football in America.
Granted with an opportunity to live his dream, Donkor attended New Mexico Military Institute from 2017 to 2018, where he starred as a defensive end under former head coach Joe Forchtner.
After a stellar sophomore season racking up 11.5 sacks and 27 tackles, Donkor got to elevate his career by taking his talents to Division I Arkansas State University.
In 2019 he appeared in six games where he made 25 total tackles while he tallied 1.5 tackles for loss.
Through all the trials and tribulation, Donkor has taken the next step in his football career.
On Wednesday, the Seattle Seahawks announced the signing of 14 players to their practice squad.
Donkor is one of the fortunate players to have made the list as a linebacker.
He now joins an exclusive list of former Bronco football players to enter the NFL like Zachary Bowman, Roger Staubach, Jordan Ta'amu and Kurt Taufa'asau.
"I maybe couldn't appreciate it as much when I was there but looking back it was the best thing that happened to me," Donkor said about attending NMMI. "I'm very grateful to NMMI for giving a kid out of Germany that first chance, and that's all you need sometimes."
The first year at NMMI was an adjustment process for Donkor as he played in eight games making four tackles, one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss.
He struggled with getting to the quarterback and finishing off the play with a sack.
After putting in the hard work with the coaching staff and trusting the process, he became a dominant pass rusher the following season.
Donkor had a season-best 10 tackles during a 42-35 victory over Air Force Prep on Sept. 15, 2018.
Just a week before that he recorded a game-high four sacks that resulted in a loss of 33 yards against Kilgore College.
The coaches weren't the only ones involved in helping Donkor excel, his teammates played an important role in helping transform him as well.
Donkor played alongside some talented defensive players like linebackers Enock Makonzo and Jaren Banks.
"I put my best foot forward and the coaches knew how to use me," Donkor said. "Not everything's going to happen right here, right now.
"When preparation meets opportunity you have to be ready to show everything that you work for."
Donkor helped lead Arkansas State to an 8-5 record and an appearance in the Camellia Bowl which it won 34-26 over Florida International.
He made an immediate impact for the Red Wolves, making six tackles in the season opener against SMU on Aug. 31, 2019.
Donkor's next notable appearance came during a 41-28 win over Southern Illinois where he had nine tackles and a tackle for loss.
"It was a nice experience to get my degree, and I always wanted to go to college. It wasn't always easy," he said.
The NFL's International Player Pathway Program, which gives international athletes a chance to play, better their skills and make an NFL roster, played a big role in helping Donkor get this next-level opportunity.
In December, Donkor and 10 other athletes were selected to participate in the program, which has helped players sign with 19 NFL teams.
With the start of the NFL season approaching quickly on Sept. 9, Donkor is just living in the moment and working on getting better each and every day at training camp in Renton, Wash.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to play linebacker right now," he said. "It really is a journey. I'm thankful to God that opportunity came."