"He's been a really pleasant surprise," Tucker explains. "Hearing his story and having him being a part of our Aggie family has been amazing.

"The years away, the experiences he's had, have given him a powerful voice within our program. He has a really good perspective on things and I think he appreciates every day that he's able to practice and play the game. I know he enjoyed the brotherhood, the camaraderie and the family being a part of what we're doing.

"He's done such a great job in such a short time from a leadership standpoint," continues the coach. "He's got such a strong, powerful, positive voice. Encouraging. Motivating. He means so much to us."

Drakeley's a busy man. The psychology major is carrying a full class schedule. For anyone, a football commitment can be all-consuming, with practice, chalk talks, travel. And for Drakeley, add to that appointments with doctors and trainers (thanks to his recent injuries), and casual observers might think he's overwhelmed, up against an impossible task.

"Adversity? What is hard?" Drakeley explores a question about how he juggles all his responsibilities. "What's hard is subjective for every single person. Each individual might be overcoming some sort of adversity. For me? This is all very exciting, rewarding."

Remember, not even two years ago, the El Dorado Hills native was leading his squad on patrols in the war-torn regions of the Middle East. So, taking down oncoming ball-carriers — in the spectrum of overcoming adversity — pales in comparison to taking cover from sniper fire.