Every athlete’s dream as a child is to play professional sports. But only a small percentage actually get to see it come to fruition. Indianapolis Colts third-round pick Julian Blackmon remembers those days way back when and finally gets the chance to live out his life-long dream.
As a fourth-grader, Blackmon had those grand ambitions of playing the NFL. Though he was likely one in a dozen with the same dream, that youngster wound up etching his destiny in stone—or rather typing it onto a piece of paper.
Who knew that the Utah product could see the future when he was so young?
The Colts took Blackmon with the 85th overall pick in the draft. Many believed the selection was early considering the safety is just four months into his recovery from ACL surgery. Even the Colts expected some scratched heads when they sent in the card.
“They told me, ‘Hey, don’t be surprised if we pick you earlier than what people expect,’” Blackmon said Friday night to reporters. “’We don’t care that you’re hurt.’ And here I am, a Colt.”
It isn’t clear when Blackmon will have the chance to prove his worth but if his mentality has stayed consistent since fourth grade, he should make quite an impact on Indy’s defense.
