Like many athletes when they go off to college, Arlington Hambright didn’t have a fixed position. He was just happy to take that next step. The Michigan-native was grateful for an opportunity from Garden City, a JUCO program in Kansas. It wasn’t easy. The eventual 7th round pick of the Chicago Bears had to fight his way through dozens of other players and some rough practices to earn his way onto the team. It didn’t take coaches long though to realize he was destined for bigger things.
He was big, athletic, and he had a purpose. The only thing left to figure out was what position he should play. According to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic, Hambright was asked what he wanted to do most during his first year with the program. As is so often the case, his answer proved to be the wrong one.
When Hambright got to Garden City, he said he could play tight end, defensive line or offensive line. Sims told him, “Close your eyes, what position do you dream about playing?” The answer? D-line.
After one season, though, Sims and the coaches asked Hambright a new question.
“Do you want to be a millionaire one day?” Sims asked him.
Hambright laughed. “Yeah, of course.”
“Move to the offensive line,” Sims said. “That’s where your money’s at.”
Arlington Hambright making the switch yielded big results
One should give those coaches a ton of credit. They realized what needed to be done in order to maximize what they had. Hambright made the switch to offensive line in 2016 and Garden City won their first-ever JUCO national championship. That success is what led him to receive an offer to play for Oklahoma State in 2018. From there he transferred to Colorado where he put enough good tape out there for the Bears to call his name last April. Now he has a contract worth over $2.5 million. So his coaches back at Garden City kept their word.
Of course Hambright isn’t dumb. He knows the real hard work begins now. Being a 7th round pick guarantees nothing in the NFL. All he’s been given is an opportunity with a slightly better contract than an undrafted free agent. If he wants to stay in Chicago and not have a career that lasts maybe three years at best, he’s going to have to prove he belongs.
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