Colorado native Sam Jones is living in a dream world after being drafted by Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Close your eyes for a moment — don’t actually close your eyes because you need to continue reading — and imagine this.

Envision, for a moment, growing up in Colorado, being a diehard Broncos fan throughout your childhood, being alive when John Elway and Pat Bowlen were holding up the Lombardi Trophy in back to back years and watching No. 7 transition from being one of the greatest quarterbacks on the field to one of the best general managers off the field through the first two decades of your life.

Many of you, in fact, can imagine this.

Now, imagine getting a call from the biggest sports legend in the land, that sports legend. His request: Play for his team.

That’s the dream for so many. That is, except for Colorado native Sam Jones as this scenario is his exact life.

“This is a childhood dream come true. This is incredible,” Jones said, nearly speechless, moments after finding out he’s the newest member of the Broncos. “I wish I had words to describe what I’m feeling right now.”

At ThunderRidge high school, just 14 miles away from the Denver Broncos headquarters, Jones established himself as a legitimate football player. As a four-star recruit, Jones packed his bags and headed to Arizona State where he became a full-time starting left guard his second year with the program, earning All-Pac-12 honors his final season as a junior.

Somewhere during his three years in sunny Arizona, he realized becoming an NFL player was in his sights.

“After I got down to college and started playing well it started becoming more of a possibility,” he said, reflecting on his past. “My parents and I kind of joked about it, like what if I ended up back in Denver one day. I was like, ‘Man, that would be too good to be true.’ But here we are. This is incredible.”

His decision to leave ASU a year early, partly due to his head coach Todd Graham being canned, was solidified when he saw the area code that was calling him on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s the best feeling I’ve had in my entire life,” the Highlands Ranch native said describing the moment he answered the phone with John Elway on the other end. “I really didn’t even believe it when it was happening and then I just still can’t believe it. I’m in shock I think.”

As the draft process unfolds, prospects are constantly asked what it would mean to be drafted be certain organizations. The answer given by many is they would be thrilled going anywhere. But now that he knows his destination, he admitted the Broncos were No. 1 on his wishlist.

“It means so much to me that I get to stay here and play for the Broncos—the team that I grew up rooting for and in the state that I love,” he said with emotions swirling in his voice. “It’s incredible.”

Although the walls inside the UCHealth Training Center will be new for Jones, the people inside won’t be new. At least some of them.

When he’s in Denver, Jones has been training at SixZeroStrength, owned by Matt McChesney, with many current Broncos players.

“That’s one of the craziest situations because I have been working out with all of them,” Jones said, still in disbelief. “I was actually joking with [OL] Connor [McGovern] the other day because I have long hair right now. He had long hair when he went in [to the NFL], and they made him cut it, and I was like, ‘Man, I don’t want to cut my hair.’ He said, ‘Don’t worry about it, I think only the Broncos do that.’ So I guess I’m going to have to say goodbye to the hair.”

With a haircut likely penciled in for August, Jones next matter of business will be to move out of his parent’s house. Or maybe not.

“I was actually just joking about that with my parents the other day. If I get drafted by the Broncos, I might be the only guy still living with his parents,” he said. “I know my mom would like it, but I think I might have to get my own place.”

The local kid from Highlands Ranch is home. And he’s here to stay.