Donyell Silverhatband '20 Recruiting Profile

My name is Donyell T. Silverhatband. I am currently a senior at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, NM. I am 6’5” and 315 lbs and the starting left tackle for the La Cueva Bears football team.

Football has always been a big part of my family and simply put, I love football! I started playing at a really young age, but because of my size, I always had to play up in age-group. I didn’t mind, because I was actually playing and not just watching it on TV.  As one of the big kids, I was always stuck on the line, playing D-line and O-line. But I learned to love being on the O-line; because its more challenging and fun. O-Line is a thinking position, where studying, breaking down the defense, and execute all go hand in hand. I get to move the defense to where I want them to go and there is nothing like that adrenaline rush when I’m on the field.

It goes without saying, that for me to participate in football, education is paramount. I plan to study mechanical engineering because I have always loved building and creating new things; whether it be building an airplane out of Legos scraps or working on projects with my father. I know it will be challenging, but what a gift, to be able to work toward my degree while playing the game I love.

Looking at me, you wouldn’t guess that I play the violin very well,  going on now 7 years.  At my size, most people ask “Why the violin? Why not the cello or bass?” When I first choose the violin, I simply thought it looked cool, but learned it sounded amazing. I certainly did not take my future size into consideration when choosing this instrument; however, I have absolutely no regrets. My favorite and first concerto I learned to play in its entirety is Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor by Jean Baptist Accolay.

Playing the violin has helped me tremendously in playing football. In music and in football, you have to think and work through difficult music pieces or situations and expect sudden change. There are no short cuts; you just have to grind through it. Talent gets you so far; but skill is what gets you further and skill you have to work hard to obtain.

One of the rewarding aspects of this lifestyle is seeing how far I've come and how I have transformed myself into a hardworking, coach-able, dedicated varsity athlete. The feedback I have received from football enthusiasts and professionals has been very positive and congratulatory. I want to continue to sharpen my skill set to become a better student athlete as I have been blessed with a firm foundation in faith, family, and football. I would very much like to opportunity to work and grow with your team.