Denver Native (Carol)
05-10-2010, 04:55 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=10113
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- On April 24, Ben Garland was sitting in his dorm at the Air Force Academy, having just passed inspection. He made sure his shirts were folded exactly 10 by 10, his bed was made perfectly with 45-degree angles, his room was spotless and he was wearing his uniform correctly.
Then his phone rang. It was Broncos defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely.
Less than a week later, Garland was on the practice field at Dove Valley, getting what amounted to one-on-one coaching from Nunnely as one of 19 players signed by the Broncos as college free agents.
"It didn't really feel real," Garland said of putting on an NFL jersey for the first time. "It's definitely a dream come true. This is a team I watched as a fan since I was in elementary school. It's definitely a great opportunity to have and a great experience."
The Broncos were more than happy to give him that opportunity after seeing what he could do at Air Force.
Garland, an element leader in Cadet Squadron 27 at the Academy, totaled 115 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks in 39 career games played -- including 34 starts -- for the Falcons.
As a senior, he earned second-team All-Mountain West Conference honors from the league's coaches.
"He's a kid that we think fits kind of what we're looking for," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "He's smart, he's tough, he's the kind of person we're looking for and we think that he has got some versatility, also. It makes sense for us to bring him in and take a look and see what happens."
What happens next is anything but set in stone, but one thing is for sure -- Garland won't be able to commit to the NFL full-time just yet.
After the rookie minicamp, Garland headed back to the Academy -- a transition that he admitted with a laugh was "really strange, going back to doing homework." The senior graduates at the end of this month, and he is required to serve two years of active duty. Though he isn't quite sure where he'll be stationed, at this point he is slotted to go to pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. After two years pass, he can apply for an early release and direct his focus toward the NFL.
"Right now my priorities are with the Air Force," Garland said. "I've got to serve my commitment, and I'll be glad to do that. But I'm going to try to work with the Air Force and work with this team to play as much as possible."
After he graduates, he is granted 60 days leave, so he believes he will be able to participate in most of the team's OTAs and potentially part of training camp before he heads back to his duties with the Air Force.
"If this is a down-the-road thing, then it's a down-the-road thing," McDaniels said. "But I would hate to miss the opportunity to get to know him and get the opportunity to evaluate him as a player up close and personal when we have the opportunity like we do right now."
Some might say that it's a tough situation to be in for the rookie, but Garland doesn't look at it that way.
"It's just a great opportunity," he said. "It's kind of an honor. I know I'm the guy who maybe paves the way so other guys can do it in the future."
Some other former cadets who have helped pave the way for Garland include Chad Hall, who recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, Chad Hennings, who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, Chris Gizzi, who spent two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Bryce Fisher, who has played for four NFL franchises since 1999 -- most recently the Tennessee Titans -- and Denny Poland, who spent time with the New England Patriots.
Each of those players called Garland to give him advice on how to make the transition from the Air Force to the NFL.
"They mostly just said do what you do at the Academy -- work hard, play hard, study hard, be disciplined in everything you do, just work as hard as you can and treat it almost as the military," he said. "Service before self, excellence in all that we do and just do it to the best of your ability."
Now, the 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive lineman who came to the Air Force Academy with no thoughts of the NFL is doing what he can to make the transition a reality.
Garland felt that in just one minicamp under the tutelage of Nunnely, he "made huge strides like I've never done before on my D-line techniques." McDaniels said the lineman's work ethic was off the charts, and the coaching staff was happy with what it saw from the undrafted rookie.
"There were times when he made other people look like they weren't going as hard because he was going that much harder," the head coach said.
But even while he is working toward playing for a team he has rooted for since he was a child, Garland hasn't given up on his other aspirations.
"I do still have the dream of being a pilot," he said. "I want to play in NFL as much as I can for as long as I can, and then try to fly for my country."
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- On April 24, Ben Garland was sitting in his dorm at the Air Force Academy, having just passed inspection. He made sure his shirts were folded exactly 10 by 10, his bed was made perfectly with 45-degree angles, his room was spotless and he was wearing his uniform correctly.
Then his phone rang. It was Broncos defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely.
Less than a week later, Garland was on the practice field at Dove Valley, getting what amounted to one-on-one coaching from Nunnely as one of 19 players signed by the Broncos as college free agents.
"It didn't really feel real," Garland said of putting on an NFL jersey for the first time. "It's definitely a dream come true. This is a team I watched as a fan since I was in elementary school. It's definitely a great opportunity to have and a great experience."
The Broncos were more than happy to give him that opportunity after seeing what he could do at Air Force.
Garland, an element leader in Cadet Squadron 27 at the Academy, totaled 115 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks in 39 career games played -- including 34 starts -- for the Falcons.
As a senior, he earned second-team All-Mountain West Conference honors from the league's coaches.
"He's a kid that we think fits kind of what we're looking for," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "He's smart, he's tough, he's the kind of person we're looking for and we think that he has got some versatility, also. It makes sense for us to bring him in and take a look and see what happens."
What happens next is anything but set in stone, but one thing is for sure -- Garland won't be able to commit to the NFL full-time just yet.
After the rookie minicamp, Garland headed back to the Academy -- a transition that he admitted with a laugh was "really strange, going back to doing homework." The senior graduates at the end of this month, and he is required to serve two years of active duty. Though he isn't quite sure where he'll be stationed, at this point he is slotted to go to pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. After two years pass, he can apply for an early release and direct his focus toward the NFL.
"Right now my priorities are with the Air Force," Garland said. "I've got to serve my commitment, and I'll be glad to do that. But I'm going to try to work with the Air Force and work with this team to play as much as possible."
After he graduates, he is granted 60 days leave, so he believes he will be able to participate in most of the team's OTAs and potentially part of training camp before he heads back to his duties with the Air Force.
"If this is a down-the-road thing, then it's a down-the-road thing," McDaniels said. "But I would hate to miss the opportunity to get to know him and get the opportunity to evaluate him as a player up close and personal when we have the opportunity like we do right now."
Some might say that it's a tough situation to be in for the rookie, but Garland doesn't look at it that way.
"It's just a great opportunity," he said. "It's kind of an honor. I know I'm the guy who maybe paves the way so other guys can do it in the future."
Some other former cadets who have helped pave the way for Garland include Chad Hall, who recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, Chad Hennings, who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, Chris Gizzi, who spent two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Bryce Fisher, who has played for four NFL franchises since 1999 -- most recently the Tennessee Titans -- and Denny Poland, who spent time with the New England Patriots.
Each of those players called Garland to give him advice on how to make the transition from the Air Force to the NFL.
"They mostly just said do what you do at the Academy -- work hard, play hard, study hard, be disciplined in everything you do, just work as hard as you can and treat it almost as the military," he said. "Service before self, excellence in all that we do and just do it to the best of your ability."
Now, the 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive lineman who came to the Air Force Academy with no thoughts of the NFL is doing what he can to make the transition a reality.
Garland felt that in just one minicamp under the tutelage of Nunnely, he "made huge strides like I've never done before on my D-line techniques." McDaniels said the lineman's work ethic was off the charts, and the coaching staff was happy with what it saw from the undrafted rookie.
"There were times when he made other people look like they weren't going as hard because he was going that much harder," the head coach said.
But even while he is working toward playing for a team he has rooted for since he was a child, Garland hasn't given up on his other aspirations.
"I do still have the dream of being a pilot," he said. "I want to play in NFL as much as I can for as long as I can, and then try to fly for my country."