Once, a rat scurried across the baseboard of his bedroom wall. There were 16 homes in 13 years, give or take. There was plenty of time for Myspace, but not for football practice. There was a belly that affirmed a weakness for soul food, spaghetti and potato salad. There was no college scholarship after high school, and there were no takers in the NFL draft.



Now, with 10.5 sacks at midseason, there is talk of the NFL sack record. There was a defensive player of the month award. Late on a Sunday afternoon, the text icon on his phone reads 99+. His Instagram page is loaded with congratulatory messages, including some from NFL players he’s never met like Chandler Jones of the Cardinals and Josh Allen of the Jaguars. There are private autograph signings.



Back then, there was no way any of this was imaginable. Even now, six years into his professional football career, it’s difficult to make sense of how he went from there to here.



Unless, that is, you...