Howard offensive tackle Anim Dankwah was one of the top HBCU football players across the last two seasons, but his journey to success was different.

Hailing from Ghana, Dankwah moved to Canada in 2010 at around nine years old. By the time he got to high school, he had started playing football, and the sport took him from Ontario to California, back to Canada, and then to Taft School in Connecticut for his last year of high school — all thousands of miles from Ghana, where his most of his family resides. Ultimately, Dankwah's journey led him to the nation's capital to play for Howard University in "The Mecca."

"It was an incredible journey," said Dankwah. "I met a lot of people, went to a lot of different places. It was a very, very eye-opening experience."

Yet, for much of his journey, including most of his collegiate career, he's had to be an ocean away from his family. As Dankwah developed into one of the top HBCU offensive linemen in the country and a potential 2024 NFL draft prospect, he didn't have immediate, physical access to the ones closest to him. While he can (and does) speak to his family on the phone, so much time away weighs on the Bison player.

"Sometimes it can get you a little bit," said Dankwah. "You see some players finish the game meeting their family and stuff, getting greeted with hugs. Sometimes you want that, but you have to play the cards that you're dealt."

Dankwah has gotten accustomed to living by himself and being his own support. He's gotten used to the distance between him and his loved ones since it's been his reality since a young age. He knows his journey with football is precisely that — his journey.

"You can't try to compare yourself to other people. Sometimes God gives you a journey, and you gotta follow it," said Dankwah. "Everything's meant to be. Everything's meant to happen."

Luckily for Dankwah, he's found a home away from home in Washington, D.C. Dankwah's made a "football family" at Howard, with his teammates becoming his new brothers on and off the field.

"Being with these guys, it feels like family, it feels like home," said Dankwah. "Ever since I've been at Howard, I've felt like I belonged. I've felt like I fit in. This is where I was meant to be; it was meant to happen.

While Dankwah's family couldn't make the trip to Atlanta to watch his final college game in the 2023 Celebration Bowl, his football career is far from over. Multiple outlets have Dankwah as one of the top HBCU and FCS prospects for professional leagues, meaning more chances for his family to watch his career on the gridiron.

"I hopefully have a lot of football to play, so my family will have plenty of games to come watch," said Dankwah. "They've had my back since I was young, and I know they have my best interests at heart. I just gotta make them proud."