DENVER — The Broncos newest quarterback, Brock Osweiler, was drafted in the second round Friday night.
He participated in a conference call with the media after Denver selected him. Here’s what he had to say:
On being a Bronco
“I’m just absolutely completely ecstatic to be a Denver Bronco. It’s a dream come true. I absolutely can’t wait to get to Denver, and can’t wait to get to work and give everything I have to that organization.”
On playing behind QB Peyton Manning
“I could not be any more excited to be going to Denver to learn from Peyton Manning. A lot of quarterbacks might be upset about having to sit behind somebody, whereas I look at it as a tremendous opportunity to learn from one of the best, if not the best, quarterback to ever play the game.”
On if he ever got to know Jack Elway, John Elway’s son
“You know, that’s a good one. Jack is one of my best friends. We lived one floor away from each other back in the dorms at Arizona State. Jack and myself have become great friends over the past three years. Like I said I feel this is a perfect fit, and I can’t wait to get to Denver.”
On if he has heard from Jack Elway since he was selected
“You know, my phone has been blowing up in the last five minutes. I’m not sure who’s been sending a text or trying to call, but I’m sure I’ll hear from him.”
On his decision to play football over basketball in college
“Basketball was always a big priority in my life growing up. I really enjoyed playing the game. I was fortunate enough early in my career in high school to be offered a scholarship by Gonzaga. It just seemed like a perfect basketball fit for myself. I committed to them after my freshman season. I rode that pretty much through the end of my junior year in high school. Really when it came down to it, when it came close to signing day, I just loved the game of football too much and I wasn’t ready to give it up. I happened to look at some football schools and I ended up choosing Arizona State. I feed my passion for the game every day and work to get better as a quarterback and that’s what I did at Arizona State.”
On how pleased he is to turn pro early and not return to Arizona State
“I could not be any happier with my decision. Absolutely no regret on entering the draft. I feel that this is a perfect fit. I cannot wait to get up there and learn from the great coaching staff and learn from John [Elway] and Peyton as well.”
On where he thinks his game is at right now and what he can learn from QB Peyton Manning
“I think one thing, and I’m going to learn really quickly, I think one thing [QB] Peyton [Manning] does maybe better than any quarterback in the game is prepare mentally for the football game. I can’t wait to get into the meeting room and pick his brain as much as I can, and sit back and enjoy how much he enjoys to prepare for a game each weekend and in the offseason as well.”
On pointers from John Elway when he worked out with the Broncos
“John kind of sat back and he let [Quarterbacks] Coach [Adam] Gase and [Offensive Coordinator Mike] McCoy run the workout. He didn’t necessarily give me anything exact to work on, but like I said, I can’t wait to get to Denver and pick his brain as much as possible, and try to learn as much as I possibly can.”
On whether he views his height as an advantage or disadvantage
“I think the height is a positive. I really don’t see too many negatives that come with it because of the athleticism that I have. Without a doubt my field vision is a huge asset because of my height. A lot of shorter quarterbacks have to slide in the pocket to find windows, while I can just look over the line sometimes. I think my height is a huge advantage in playing quarterback and I really don’t see any negatives that come with it.”
On if there is a better scenario than the one he is in
“I really don’t think so, but whether I’m the guy after Peyton or not, there are a bunch of great quarterbacks in Denver right now. My job is to just go in and learn as much as I possibly can from Peyton, and I truly feel there’s no better quarterback in the game right now to be able to learn from and be around. Like I said, I’m ecstatic about the opportunity to go to Denver and learn from the game’s best.”
On if he will be ready to play as a rookie if called upon
“I’ll be ready to roll. As a quarterback, whether you’re the first string, second string, third string, no matter where you’re at on the roster, your job is to get yourself prepared to be one play away, to be able to step in and carry the team, to put them in the end zone and ultimately win football games. Regardless of whatever the situation is this year, I’ll be ready when my name gets called.”
