Relentless Drive: How Sekou Kromah Leads by Example

When Sekou Kromah talks, he doesn't say much at first, but when he does, it's with a kind of easy humor and steady self-assurance that makes people listen. There's no pretense, no bravado. Just a calm presence from someone who's had to grow up fast and learned that conviction doesn't need to shout.

Kromah's road to college football was anything but straightforward. Born in the Bronx, he spent several years in Liberia with his grandmother before moving to New Jersey. "It was great," he says with a grin. "A lot of freedom. The only part I hated was school, 'cause they'd beat you if you got something wrong. But being there with family – that was great."

When he came back to the States, football wasn't even on his radar until high school. "I really started my senior year," he says. "I played everything – offensive line, tight end, long snapper. My coach said I didn't have that dog in me to play defense, so I had to show him." In just four games on the defensive line, Kromah racked up nine sacks. "That's when it started," he says, smiling. "After that, I was like, yeah – I can do this."

In being so fresh to the game, he didn't have any major offers, he went the junior college route, playing two years at Monroe College in New Rochelle before transferring. "The move was good," he says. "At the end of the day, we're just playing football. I came here with a mission and a goal: to go to the league and feed my family. Nothing was gonna distract me from that."

Family, for Kromah, is everything. "Without my family, I feel like I wouldn't be here," he says. He grew up the middle child with three sisters. One of which he tragically lost to cancer. His father isn't part of his life. "There were a lot of problems growing up," he says softly. "It was an African household, and he tried to raise us in fear instead of respect. That can't go." At 17, he told his father to leave – a defining moment that shaped his sense of purpose. "I've been the man of the house ever since," he says. "I take that seriously."

That same sense of responsibility follows him onto the field, where he's emerged as a steady leader on the defensive line. His teammates voted him to wear a single-digit jersey – one of the highest honors in the program. "It means a lot," he says. "It's easy to get it, but hard to live the 'single life'. I'm trying my hardest every day to be a better leader for the guys."

Kromah's leadership doesn't come from being the loudest voice in the room. It comes from consistency – from the way he practices, the way he prepares, and the way he carries himself when no one's watching. "I just try to be the same person every day," he says. "If you're having a bad day, I'll notice. If you need help, I'll be there. That's what a leader's supposed to do."

The D-line room, he says, is like a family of its own. "We're in a group chat, we hang out, we play games – it's always something," he says with a laugh. "We wrestle sometimes, but we make sure nobody gets hurt." That mix of intensity and playfulness defines him – someone who takes his goals seriously but never loses his sense of joy.

Off the field, Kromah leans on faith and gratitude to stay grounded. "Every morning I wake up and thank God," he says. "I've been through a lot, but I'm still here. That means something." It's that balance, the seriousness of his goals and the peace he finds in pursuing them, that sets him apart.

Now, with his team one win away from bowl eligibility, Kromah's motivation runs deeper than stats or accolades. "My dad told me that me and my siblings would be nothing," he says. "That's another driving factor for me. I don't see it as anger – I see it as fuel."

And when he says it, it's not bitter – it's calm. Certain. Like someone who's already begun proving the world wrong. "Being here every day keeps me going," he says. "Seeing the guys give their all makes me want to do the same. That's what it's about – showing up, giving everything, and making sure the people you love can be proud of you."

Temple University Athletics

Relentless Drive: How Sekou Kromah Leads by Example

Players Mentioned

Sekou Kromah

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