SoCalBronco
06-08-2006, 12:32 AM
Eslinger a perfect fit for Broncos
Rookie center won Outland Trophy and Rimington Award
STORY TOOLS
Email this story | Print By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
June 8, 2006
ENGLEWOOD - Mike Munchak has the coveted gold jacket in his closet, the one that comes with induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after his career as a Houston Oilers guard.
So it was significant as he watched Greg Eslinger stroll by at the NFL scouting combine inside Indianapolis' RCA Dome in February and said:
"That is a ready-to-go Denver Bronco."
Almost four months later, Eslinger is, indeed, a Denver Broncos player. In fact, he is likely the most decorated college player the Broncos have drafted since Floyd Little, a three-time consensus All-America running back at Syracuse University, in 1967.
"He's definitely our kind of guy," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.
While centers don't often see their names in the big letters on the NFL's marquee, Eslinger still compiled one of the most impressive lists of accolades of any player available in this year's draft.
He was selected to every All-America team this past season and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's best interior lineman and the Rimington Award as the best center. Eslinger, who started 50 consecutive games at the University of Minnesota, was the first true center to win the Outland since Dave Rimington himself in 1981 and '82.
"I've been extremely lucky," Eslinger said. "I always say football is like standing in the middle of a highway - you never know when you're going to get hit. Sooner or later, everyone goes down.
"I was just lucky enough to stay clear and be somewhere where I had a chance to play a lot."
At 6-foot-3 1/8 and 292 pounds, Eslinger wasn't quite as big as some of the other center prospects in the draft. And having played in the Gophers' zone rushing attack - a lineman often blocks an area rather than specific players - Eslinger was coming from a system that required the kind of movement skills many NFL teams don't seek in an age when defensive tackles routinely tip the scales at 340 pounds or more.
The Gophers often had their center "pull," a difficult proposition to snap the ball and be quick enough to get out of the traffic in the middle of the field to lead the running back into the hole.
It is why, even with Eslinger's list of achievements and work ethic - Minnesota offensive line coach Gordy Shaw was brought to tears when it was announced Eslinger had won the Outland - he was still only the fifth center selected in the draft this year.
And even with a skill set that fits snugly into what the Broncos do on offense, Denver still waited until the 198th pick overall to grab him.
"Sure, those accolades were great in college," Eslinger said. "But some teams in the NFL may not have liked my abilities so much for their type of offense. Some teams probably had me relatively high on the board and some teams might not have had me on the board at all.
"But I didn't put too much thought into it, period. Of course everybody wants to be a high pick, or drafted a little higher than they were. But I figured, 'Hey, whatever happens, happens, I just want my shot at the NFL.' I have that shot, so now you just focus on trying to fulfill your goals."
He also has a career road map to follow with the Broncos. The trailblazer was Tom Nalen, an accomplished, yet somewhat undersized, center (6-3, 286) when he entered the 1994 draft from Boston College.
The Broncos selected Nalen in the seventh round of Dan Reeves' last draft (218th overall) with the team. Nalen is entering his 13th season and has been chosen to five Pro Bowls in his career, the most of any offensive lineman in Broncos history.
The hard-nosed Nalen also has anchored the Broncos' lighter, movement-heavy line since he became the starter in 1995 and signed a three- year extension with the team in March that included a $3 million signing bonus.
"I've watched him a long time . . . great, great player, something special, I'm lucky to have a chance to work with him every day," Eslinger said. "He's really a complete package. He's mentally strong, he's a technician and a real powerful guy. I'm just trying to take what he does and try to incorporate it into what I do in as many ways as possible. I plan to ask him a whole array of questions."
Questions obviously surrounded Eslinger during his senior year of high school in Bismarck, N.D., when Minnesota was the only Division I-A school to offer him a scholarship. He repaid the Gophers, never missing a game at Minnesota and becoming only the third player in the program's history to win the Outland.
As a result, Eslinger said he has promised he will "never cheat myself" on a football field. No matter where that field might be.
"I'm not quite sure of what they expect of me here," Eslinger said. "All you can do is do the work, learn as much as possible and do whatever you can to help in any way you can. That's my list at this point, and we'll go from there."
legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-2359
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_4759412,00.html
Rookie center won Outland Trophy and Rimington Award
STORY TOOLS
Email this story | Print By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
June 8, 2006
ENGLEWOOD - Mike Munchak has the coveted gold jacket in his closet, the one that comes with induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after his career as a Houston Oilers guard.
So it was significant as he watched Greg Eslinger stroll by at the NFL scouting combine inside Indianapolis' RCA Dome in February and said:
"That is a ready-to-go Denver Bronco."
Almost four months later, Eslinger is, indeed, a Denver Broncos player. In fact, he is likely the most decorated college player the Broncos have drafted since Floyd Little, a three-time consensus All-America running back at Syracuse University, in 1967.
"He's definitely our kind of guy," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.
While centers don't often see their names in the big letters on the NFL's marquee, Eslinger still compiled one of the most impressive lists of accolades of any player available in this year's draft.
He was selected to every All-America team this past season and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's best interior lineman and the Rimington Award as the best center. Eslinger, who started 50 consecutive games at the University of Minnesota, was the first true center to win the Outland since Dave Rimington himself in 1981 and '82.
"I've been extremely lucky," Eslinger said. "I always say football is like standing in the middle of a highway - you never know when you're going to get hit. Sooner or later, everyone goes down.
"I was just lucky enough to stay clear and be somewhere where I had a chance to play a lot."
At 6-foot-3 1/8 and 292 pounds, Eslinger wasn't quite as big as some of the other center prospects in the draft. And having played in the Gophers' zone rushing attack - a lineman often blocks an area rather than specific players - Eslinger was coming from a system that required the kind of movement skills many NFL teams don't seek in an age when defensive tackles routinely tip the scales at 340 pounds or more.
The Gophers often had their center "pull," a difficult proposition to snap the ball and be quick enough to get out of the traffic in the middle of the field to lead the running back into the hole.
It is why, even with Eslinger's list of achievements and work ethic - Minnesota offensive line coach Gordy Shaw was brought to tears when it was announced Eslinger had won the Outland - he was still only the fifth center selected in the draft this year.
And even with a skill set that fits snugly into what the Broncos do on offense, Denver still waited until the 198th pick overall to grab him.
"Sure, those accolades were great in college," Eslinger said. "But some teams in the NFL may not have liked my abilities so much for their type of offense. Some teams probably had me relatively high on the board and some teams might not have had me on the board at all.
"But I didn't put too much thought into it, period. Of course everybody wants to be a high pick, or drafted a little higher than they were. But I figured, 'Hey, whatever happens, happens, I just want my shot at the NFL.' I have that shot, so now you just focus on trying to fulfill your goals."
He also has a career road map to follow with the Broncos. The trailblazer was Tom Nalen, an accomplished, yet somewhat undersized, center (6-3, 286) when he entered the 1994 draft from Boston College.
The Broncos selected Nalen in the seventh round of Dan Reeves' last draft (218th overall) with the team. Nalen is entering his 13th season and has been chosen to five Pro Bowls in his career, the most of any offensive lineman in Broncos history.
The hard-nosed Nalen also has anchored the Broncos' lighter, movement-heavy line since he became the starter in 1995 and signed a three- year extension with the team in March that included a $3 million signing bonus.
"I've watched him a long time . . . great, great player, something special, I'm lucky to have a chance to work with him every day," Eslinger said. "He's really a complete package. He's mentally strong, he's a technician and a real powerful guy. I'm just trying to take what he does and try to incorporate it into what I do in as many ways as possible. I plan to ask him a whole array of questions."
Questions obviously surrounded Eslinger during his senior year of high school in Bismarck, N.D., when Minnesota was the only Division I-A school to offer him a scholarship. He repaid the Gophers, never missing a game at Minnesota and becoming only the third player in the program's history to win the Outland.
As a result, Eslinger said he has promised he will "never cheat myself" on a football field. No matter where that field might be.
"I'm not quite sure of what they expect of me here," Eslinger said. "All you can do is do the work, learn as much as possible and do whatever you can to help in any way you can. That's my list at this point, and we'll go from there."
legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-2359
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_4759412,00.html