Meet the international players who faced unique hurdles on their way to the SEC

8:59 AM ET

“Just keep working and keep believing. Everyone can get there. It might take a little longer for some than others, but if you keep working, the rewards will come.” – Hjalte Froholdt, Arkansas offensive lineman

Football is popular across America. Kids grow up dreaming of one day getting to play under the lights. And if they’re good enough, the college coaches will discover them before they ever get to high school.

It’s not that easy for everybody, though. There are players in the SEC now who grew up in countries without Friday Night Lights or football camps. They had to work even harder, leave their families behind and, in some cases, travel across continents just to get noticed.

Arkansas offensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt grew up in a small town in Denmark and first came to the United States as an exchange student. Arkansas Communications

For the love of the game

Arkansas sophomore Hjalte Froholdt made the move from defensive line to offensive line in the offseason. He admits it’s been challenging, learning the plays and the different techniques, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. Not when he’s already played every position growing up.

Froholdt grew up in the little town of Svendborg, Denmark. Some people in Denmark haven’t even heard of it. And when he started playing football, there were four guys at practice. So when Froholdt tells you he’s played every position, he’s literally played every position.

He even remembers an interception he had while playing cornerback. Keep in mind that Arkansas lists him at 6-foot-4 and 309 pounds.

“The little club started growing and we started getting a lot more people there, but initially, it was just me and three other guys with our coach out there,” Froholdt said. “We just kept working because at that point, we didn’t play to get a scholarship. We didn’t play to make a fortune or to get better lives. We just played because we loved the game.

“And that’s what I’ve been feeding on from now moving forward. I’m just playing because I love the game. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it.”

Eventually, Froholdt went from playing for “that little club” to playing high school football in the U.S. His first stop was in Warren, Ohio, where he spent his sophomore year as an exchange student. That’s where then-Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema first noticed him. Then, as a senior, he moved to America permanently and played for IMG Academy in Florida.

Despite only playing one season at IMG, Froholdt received offers from schools across the country, …

continue reading in source espn.go.com