Ravens Rookie Shares Source of Motivation

"Me seeing him go through all of that and fight through everything that he did, it just pushed me even harder than I can," Bilhal said, per the Ravens' website. "It's easy to get up at six o'clock and go work out and play football. That’s a game. My little brother was going through real adversity."

Additionally, Bilhal's mother, Amy Camara, is another huge source of inspiration for him. With the family struggling after Hamza's death, Bilhal moved out again at his older brother's suggestion to find a more stable situation for him. He ended up moving in with Jadee Jones, basketball coach at Apple Valley High School in Minnesota and brother of NBA players Tre and Tyus Jones, but there was never a time where he wasn't thinking about home.

"That was the toughest time for me, not being around my mom and her not having her son, or anyone, home," Bilhal said. "I'm a mama's boy, so you don't ever really want to be away that long.

"That's honestly why I keep working as hard as I do, because of that and wanting better for her. That keeps me going every day."

Even with all that on his plate, Bilhal still had to work incredibly hard to get to where he is now. He began his collegiate career at Iowa Central Community College, where he endured a grueling training program, before moving to Indiana State, where he took a knee to the throat and had to go on a liquid diet for a month.

Upon transferring to Western Michigan, though, he finally found some stability. He started all 13 games last season, breaking up nine passes and bringing in an interception. Head coach Lance Taylor called him a "naturally instinctive football player" while also praising his work at practice.

Now, Bilhal will have a chance to show what he can do at the NFL level. Even after accomplishing a lifelong dream, he won't ever forget what he's playing for.

"Playing football is when my expressions come out and I have this high energy motor about me that I know comes from my little brother," Bilhal said. "I'm ready to go at any time and I don't get tired quickly. Neither did my little brother. I definitely have his spirit through me every time I'm out on the field."