But slowly, over the course of his four years, Danny Shelton came to find himself. He adopted a rescue dog. He connected with his Polynesian heritage. He became the first Washington player in more than 20 years to earn first-team Academic All-American honors. And he excelled on the field, finishing his senior season as one of the best defensive linemen in the country.
The 12th pick in this year's NFL Draft, Danny has used the maturation he found in college to quickly establish himself as a leader on the Browns. And while his first NFL season hasn't gone perfectly — this interview was recorded the day after last week's heartbreaking loss to the Ravens — Danny refuses to let negativity back into his life. The stakes are too high. "A great season," he says, "is right around the corner."