Broncos defensive lineman Ben Garland, who participated in the team’s training camp in 2010 before returning to the Air Force, has successfully applied to the Air Force’s Palace Chase program.
Defensive Line Coach Wayne Nunnely said he’s happy to have him back.
“His work ethic is outstanding,” Nunnely said. “And I told him this, if he is a representative of our Armed Forces, we are in great shape. Because he exemplifies all of the great qualities – the great work ethic, the great discipline, all those kinds of things that you want in people who are guarding our country. It’s those same attributes that you want in an athlete and he has all that. I don’t know in my 36 years of coaching if I’ve worked with anybody more disciplined, with such a great work ethic, than Ben.”
After two years of service, airmen that have the opportunity for a career that will benefit the Air Force in recruiting or public affairs can apply for the program, which grants them an early release.
“I think what a great opportunity as an Air Force Lieutenant – if I was able to play and make the team, every time I make a tackle they are going to say Ben Garland from the Air Force,” Garland said. “That public affairs exposure for the Air Force is going to give them more exposure than any bus sign or billboard. I think it’s really win-win for both.”
He saved all of his leave time during his two years of service so that he could participate in the Broncos’ voluntary workouts this spring and summer.
When he was last with the team, Garland finished the 2010 preseason tied for third among the team’s defensive linemen with 6 tackles and impressed the coaching staff with his dedication and work ethic.
At the Air Force Academy, Garland totaled 115 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks in 39 career games played — including 34 starts — for the Falcons.
During his time in the military, Garland focused on his duties as an airman, but with the help of other Air Force alums who reached the NFL, he knew what he had to do to keep his dream of playing in the NFL alive.
“That’s one of the great things about being in the Air Force,” he said. “It’s a brotherhood. I got a phone call from almost every one of (the Air Force alums that played in the NFL) trying to help me out and saying, ‘Hey, this is what you have to do. You have to make the Air Force your priority. You have to work hard and do what you can and then if you’re able to come out after making the Air Force your priority and play for a team, then go for it.’”
Now Garland is doing just that — going for it — after two years away from the game.
Nunnely said it will be a challenge for the defensive lineman to make the team, but that if anybody can tackle it, it’s Garland.
“He’ll compete,” Nunnely said. “With his work ethic, there’s no telling. The sky is the limit.”
-Stuart Zaas
Tags: Ben Garland
PUM PUM PUM B-R-O-N-C-O-S BRONCOS BRONCOS BRONCOS!!!
4 days 1 hour and 14 minutes till the draft!!
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_20452154/broncos-must-be-wary-drafting-defensive-tackle-first
Billy Winn in the 2nd!!!!
I think the world of this guy and was very happy when we obtained him a couple of years ago. He will make the team and WILL be one of our better lineman. He WILL get better and better the more he plays and he has a MOTOR that does not quit. He is a beast. IWILLX2
Whoever wrote that article needs to do some more research. 6 of the 7 guys he mentioned us taking will be long gone by the time we pick. He needs to be more realistic.
royalt19 it was written by Mike Klis. And if you read it he mentions the fact that one of them may fall to 25. Also who knows if they will actually be gone by then.
But the point of the article was that Denver should be wary of taking a DT in the first.
I think we have to take one in the 1st.
I have been hearing more about us possibly trading a 5th or 6th for Samuel so the need for a CB is most likely not there anymore.
Oh, and yeah I read it but think the guy was off on this subject.
I dont think we “have” to. Not with it being such a deep draft for DTs. I mean when 3-5 round DTs would be considered round 1 or 2 players any other year I think that shows how deep a draft for DTs it is.
I think he made a good point about being wary of round 1 DTs.
Also the trade for Samuel is dead right now but it may happen closer to or during the draft.
Yeah probably. I used to be weary of the trade but now that I hear it would only take a 5 or 6 I am all for it….Can you say “Best CB Tandom In The League”
I dont mind giving up a 5th or 6th for him. A 3rd IMO was to high. Porter Bailey and Samuel as the top 3 then Harris Squid and Vaugh backing them up. Very dangerous CB corp IMO and we can get a early round CB next year like David Amerson lol
Sound GREAT!! Now FO get it done!!!
sounds*
There are no Su’s in this draft…we should draft the best player available at 25 and pick up DT’s later.
Mike I still think we should trade down to get more picks another 2nd round and a few other picks. Theres are a lot of DTs in this draft we can get Ta’amu Thompson Winn Wolfe Martin Forston and possibly Reyes in the 2nd to 5th rounds plus a good group of other players by trading back.
I wouldnt mind trading lower into the 1st then trading down again.
A good 4-5 more picks by doing that gives us a better chance to pull in a great draft class.
Mike Klis
Also In Denver Broncos
Here are the six players the Broncos should bring into the draft, hoping one of them is there at No. 25: DT Michael Brockers; CB Dre Kirkpatrick; S Mark Barron; CB Stephon Gilmore; DT Dontari Poe; DT Fletcher Cox. And if none of the 6 are there? Trade back and pick up an extra pick or two.
3 minutes ago
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Mike Klis
Also In Denver Broncos
This assumes LB Luke Kuechly is long gone. Two Alabama LBers, Courtney Upshaw and Dont’a Hightower, don’t fit the Broncos’ 4-3. They’re too big.
i’m pretty dang sure those 6 will not be there. thats alot of wishful thinking. i think the guy we will get because he’s there is worthy. hes worth pick #25 but if even he’s not there, maybe we trade down. of course ab would not agree…
LBF you are right I do not agree. You know my views on Worthy as I know yours lol.
Mike Klis
Also In Denver Broncos
I’ve seen some mocks where Broncos take a WR at No. 25. Baylor’s Kendall Wright, and Ga. Tech’s Stephen Hill. I LOVE South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffrery but not sure where Broncos are with his makeup. Receiver makes some sense cuz Broncos’ No. 1, Demaryius Thomas, has so far been brittle. A beast when healthy, but not healthy enough.
Im not a big fan of Jeffery but I wouldnt mind Hill. I still think we should just trade down.
well cox we may see there. and i do not like upshaw myself. we do not need a 3-4 olb. i would think hightower would fit tho, not sure why he’s too big is even mentioned. what does that even mean? ilb’s are supposed to be big, especially 4-3 mlb’s. and he’s fast on top of that. i just dont agree with that at all. we should definately grab him if he’s there.
was klis the one who said they were too big?
well, I agree with ab. Worthy is not Worthy of 25. more like 125.
LBF yes he was.
I like Upshaw as a DE. Which he is actually listed as.
I think Brockers and Poe have a better chance of falling to 25.
Gilmore KP and Barron I dont think will be there.
Hill i like at WR but not Jeffery or Wright.
I also like Chandler Jones and Kendall Reyes at 25. Doug Martin also.
I still hope we trade down. I see Still and/or Worthy falling into early to mid 2nd which i wouldnt mind taken them there just not at 25.
You don’t see many clubs taking a rb in the first but with an abundance of good dts maybe Doug Martin at 25 makes sense.
im ok with all of that except poe being there. he will be gone WAY before 25. i give that zero chance. oh and i do like jefferey, but wright i’m not so sure of. jones, martin and reyes all good w me at 25. if we traded down and still got worthy i would be estatic.
I am hoping Jones is there at 57.
I would like Reyes, Jones, Martin, Hill, Poe, Hightower, or Kirkapatrick at 25.
I could only imagine what Manning could do if we had two BIG and FAST WRs (Hill and Thomas) stretching the entire field. Decker and Caldwell as well as our TEs will be feasting over the middle.
That being said, I feel we still need a top notch MLB. We have one of the best running divisions right now. It could certainly help. Still high on Hightower, hoping Irving blossoms into a great ILB.
buck, like usual, a month before the draft, he is definitely going to be there at 57. But people have too much time on their hands and figure out that he might be worth a 15-20 pick. So if we get him, it will most likely have to be at 25, if he is even there
what dont you like about worthy bno14? ab didnt convince me, maybe you know something cuz i just dont know why he isnt worth that pick. solid dt, very quick, will mature. i’m def outnumbered though so i must not be seeing something.
man, everywhere i look i see us having a “HUGE NEED” at WR. we have a clear #1 wr in Opthomas Prime, who could be among Megatron and Fitz in the elite receivers very soon, we have Decker, who is going to be a very good player, we have the Slot Machine for the Slot with Caldwell giving him rests. We have Caldwell for a very good 4th WR, and we have Jason Hill and Matthew Willis fighting for the 5th receiver spot. Both might make the cut. We are set at WR
i agree. no wr before the 4th round. we are good there. dt hasnt shown to be durable, so that may be some of the reason for the wr need talk.
LBF, he has a VERY bad motor. He was taken out of plays very often. He doesn’t always give 100%. he gives up. he lacks a good pass rush when he actually tries.
Buck i highly doubt Jones is there at 57. Some have him as high as 15. If he doesnt go in the first he will be one of the first 10 gone in the 2nd. Curry IMO will more likely be there at 57.
LBF Its just how Worthy does against elite college linemen. He doesnt perform well. like i said in that game against Wisconsin he was rarely double teamed and got dominated by the Oline there 1 on 1. Very noticeable when you watch the film of that game. Like i said i dont like him in round 1 but early to mid 2nd i dont mind him.
Also about Poe he rose because of the combine but has fallen back down due to the lack of performance during games. Hes a bigger project player than Brockers it.
DTs durability is the big concern which makes the need for a WR among many.
with Poe falling, it seems more and more likely that we will get a great DT in the 2nd. I am now starting to think that Reyes might be available.
i do see some maturity issues, but i think being in the nfl will stop alot of the effort problems. mayock has him as the 2nd best dt in the draft, so i’m not completely alone in liking him.
Im 99% set that Brock is our 2nd round choice.
If Jones is gone at57, then Wolfe or Mike Martin would be fine with me
Martin at 25 is starting to grow on me. I’m thinking Hightower is out of our picture now, and i think it will be definitely be Kirkpatrick if he makes it to 25. If he doesn’t, i think it will be Jones at 25 if HE falls there. if not him, it will be Martin, im sure. I highly doubt that he will be gone by 25.
LBF I would love to know where you got that about Worthy being Mayocks #2 DT.
I have watched NFLN basically all day everyday and not once have I seen Mayock put Worthy above the #5 DT on his board.
Buck I can see us waiting on Wolfe till the 4th. He isnt high on many boards right now. Many project him a 5th rounder highest ive seen is a late 3rd.
If we get Reyes or Jones in the 1st, and Wolfe in like the third, I will be ecstatic.
mayocks top 5 dt’s (tuesdays path to the draft i think)
1 fletcher cox
2 jerel worthy
3 michael brockers
4 dontari poe
T-5 kendall reyes
T-6 devon still
pretty sure it was tuesday they talked about it. maybe wed
LBF yea I dont know about that cause like i said highest ive seen Worthy for his position rankings was 4 that was back around the combine and now hes staying at 5. According to what he was saying on Fridays total access.
Cox was 1 followed by Brockers Poe Reyes Worthy. And that was Friday.
well just saw it twice. on a website and def on tuesdays (4-17) path to the draft. got it recorded and paused on my screen right now. also have the list another tab opened on my ipad. dont know how to post links tho. ranked #2 by mike mayock on both
LBF my apologies. I just saw on the bottom line that Mayock does in fact have Worthy ranked #2.
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2012/4/3/2922706/cowboys-2012-nfl-draft-mike-mayock-updates-top-5-players-per-position
ok wife posted the link. scroll down look at the rank as of 4-1. i guess i can take a pic of my tv screen and post it too!
LBF that link is a little inaccurate as it was from 3 weeks ago and much has changed. But like I said I did just see it on NFLN bottom line so my apologies for that. Also most links I can find are from a couple weeks ago or longer.