Vanderbilt defensive end Darren Agu has aspirations of playing in the NFL one day, but his goals don't end there.

The Vanderbilt sophomore wants to be a part of something bigger than himself; proving that players from outside the United States can play on the big stage, too.

“I feel like I like to play with a chip on my shoulder because I’m from the UK," the sophomore says.

The 6-foot-6 defensive end didn't start playing football until he was 16-years old but has already seen a change in his home country's emphasis on the sport he loves.

"When I started playing, it wasn’t really famous, it wasn’t popular but as guys like me and a couple other guys started going overseas and started playing at these colleges, the interest started rising," Agu said. "The (NFL) academy started getting serious and started playing opposition from outside of the UK and the sport started growing in popularity."

The Vanderbilt defensive lineman acknowledges that the growth of the sport likely won't be a quick process but seems to think it's worth investing in.

“Universities back home are taking it serious now and starting to invest more and have games every week and just grow slowly. It may not be like it is in the US but it is growing slowly, we’ve got some hidden gems," Agu added.

Agu himself is one of those gems, 16-year old Agu tapping into that was initially the result of an invitation.

“I started playing soccer back home until the age 16, one of my friends told me I should try and go into the rec football practice session, it was called London Blitz.”

Those sessions eventually turned into a tryout and an opportunity at the NFL Academy for the young prospect.

“I just started getting practice sessions and I started liking it, then they opened up the NFL academy back home and he told me I should reach out to them, so I did and I did a combine for them, put up good numbers, got into the academy, started practicing, started getting better," the now Vanderbilt sophomore says.

Agu's progress at the NFL Academy was plateaued due to Covid, that led the England native to a new opportunity. One in a place that he'd always had his eyes on.

“COVID came up so then the Academy got suspended, after it got suspended I started reaching out to high school coaches in the US. I found coach (Joseph) Sturdivant at Rabun Gap and decided to go there," Agu said.

"I used to pray before bed every day like ‘I want to make it to out the US’ but I was like ‘whatever happens, happens,'" the now Vanderbilt sophomore added.

Agu's tenure at Rabun Gap-Nachoee High School was a long awaited goal but also turned out to be just the beginning of his football journey. It was there that Agu figured out that there might be a future for him in this game. That didn't come without a reality check, though.

“That first snap I was like ‘damn these guys are way more physical than the dudes back home,’ I had a little wake up. From that moment it felt kind of the same, I didn’t feel a difference (from how it was back home), the game slowed down for me.”

It was a few weeks later when things really started to set in for Agu.

“I probably knew I was probably gonna be good at football when we played a rival school back home at Raburn Gap called Christ school. When I had a good game against them, I knew I could play," Agu said.

That thought was backed up with Agu's first division one offer, which came from Akron. The "O's" as Agu calls them started to rack up from there.

A recruitment that included offers from Alabama, Tennessee as well as a commitment and decommitment from Notre Dame ended with Agu ultimately choosing Vanderbilt, a commitment that said plenty about the state of Vanderbilt's program at the time.

“Coach Haye was recruiting me heavy and showing more interest than the dudes at ND, hitting me up every day and checking up on me. The relationship building really got my attention," Agu said.

Vanderbilt's international presence also appealed to the former Notre Dame commit.

“I feel like I can relate because Issa is from Germany, he grew up in a similar neighborhood as me, Linus too, he’s from Germany, he was getting homesick with me at the same time in high school, we went to the same high school. We just relate," the sophomore defensive end added.

Winning Agu's recruitment felt significant for Vanderbilt, but what it hopes is more significant is Agu's career as a Commodore.

As a freshman, the London, England, native recorded one sack as well as 14 total tackles. Agu feels as if he has plenty of room for growth, though.

“I feel like last year I could’ve made more plays but missed out on them," Agu said. “I feel like I’ve definitely improved physically and gained more knowledge of rushing the passer and stuff, I can think through stuff more, analyze the o-lineman and read keys more. I feel like the game is slower now and I’ve gained more football IQ.”

Agu was forced to get a slow start to his sophomore season due to a dislocated elbow that he suffered in fall camp, something that he never wants to happen again.

“The first game it didn’t really hit, but the second game I was like ‘I hate sitting out,’ It started getting to my head.”

The sophomore returned to action in Saturday's loss to Wake Forest and was Vanderbilt's second highest graded defensive player on Pro Football Focus. Agu feels he has more in the tank than just that, though.

“I feel like I can make that jump, I feel like it’s a matter of just growing physically, again the attributes that I need to rush speed and power," Agu said. "I feel like I’ve got a lot to learn. The thing about me is that I’ve got a high ceiling, I know I’ve got a lot ahead of me to learn. I feel like once I lock in everything I’ll be good."

Agu feels as if that high ceiling can take him to the NFL one day, telling a younger version of the Vanderbilt defensive end that a goal like that is within reach would

“When I was back home in the UK I never thought I’d be in the US playing this sport," Agu reflected.

It would've been hard to imagine a few years ago but now it's all in front of Agu. Not just a starting role at an SEC program or a potential path to professional stardom. This isn't just about Agu, it's bigger than just him. It's about proving something; that star football players don't all have to come from the same places.