NC State redshirt junior tight end Dante Daniels had made some life-altering moves.
Daniels didn’t have stability and comfort growing up in Windsor, Ontario. He was homeless around 7 years old and formally adopted when he was 16. He was given the opportunity to attend Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., where he had a new family of coaches and teammates. He also was able to meet Reagan Haneberg at Butler C.C, and that changed his life.
Daniels used his new-found resources and picked NC State over offers from Sam Houston State, Akron, Buffalo, Toledo, South Alabama, New Mexico State, Texas State, East Tennessee State, North Carolina A&T, Eastern Kentucky and Bethune-Cookman.
“My situation growing up, I didn't have much resources,” Daniels said. “I was adopted late and my foster family gave me a chance to play football in junior college. I went over there [to Butler C.C.], and you play stadiums that are smaller than high schools.”
Daniels said he originally preferred playing baseball as a pitcher, but then hurt his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his elbow. He did start playing football at 8-9 years old. Coming to the U.S. to play basketball has been relatively common the last 25 years, but coming to play college football is more rare.
“I thought growing up with my situation, I always said to myself, ‘Why me? Why me?’” Daniels said. “I think now I would tell them, like, ‘Hey, God chose you for a reason to be in the spot you are.’ I wish I got closer to God younger, but it still happened to be later in my life.”
Daniels arrived in Raleigh last January for a new beginning. Progress on the field has proved to be slow, but steady. The 6-foot-6, 272-pound blocking tight end played less than three snaps the first three games. He caught his first pass for nine yards in the 59-35 loss to Clemson, and then he was rewarded with a season-high 19 snaps against Northern Illinois last Saturday.
“I’ve never been a group of people so amazing, like the coaches and teammates,” Daniels said. “I’m always nervous getting into a new group of people. The team has brought me in, and treated me like I’ve been there for years.”
Off the field, Daniels had a new plan to unveil.
“I’ve been with her for 3 1/2 years now, she’s amazing, and I decided — she works at a hair salon right now — and I was like, lets go to [Sarah P. Duke Gardens] botanical garden in Duke,” Daniels said. “I got down on one knee and I was shaking as I put the ring on. It was nerve-wracking, but the best thing to happen to me. It was raining.”
NC State tight end Justin Joly and long snapper Aiden Arias helped take pictures of the proposal. NCSU coach Dave Doeren called him at 10:30 p.m. to congratulate him, which he appreciated.
Getting engaged and getting an increase in playing time in a win made for a great weekend.
“It’s been pretty big honestly,” Daniels said. “My girlfriend, my fiancé now, is a great woman. [She] helped me honestly through this whole process from JuCo to here. It’s been honestly amazing. This week has been a blessing.”
Daniels has been dealing with big changes for several months now.
“As a husband soon, and as a teammate, coming from JuCo you don’t have much,” Daniels said. “I’m more grateful coming here. Honestly, I was more complacent when I got here. My fiancé was telling me, ‘Hey, you have to get back on your edge, C’mon.’”
Attending NC State and having the various amenities of a Division I athlete has been special for Daniels.
“Every day I wake up, I thank God,” Daniels said. “I went with Clemson, since I was a little boy, I've jumped playing Clemson. I cried going on that field. Cried before going to Panther Stadium [vs. Tennessee in Charlotte, N.C.].
“Coming here, getting the food you get here, the perks you get here, like the hot tub, cold tub treatment, all that stuff is just out of this world.”
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