ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — With the 20th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Broncos selected offensive tackle Garett Bolles, adding top-level talent to their corps of offensive linemen.
Bolles' path to the NFL is a remarkable one. As a teenager, Bolles struggled with an unstable home life and battled his own troubles. After his father kicked him out of their home, Bolles found a new home with his former lacrosse coach. Under his guidance, the left tackle gained a foundation to remake his life.
Bolles enrolled at Snow College and became a top junior-college prospect, drawing the attention from multiple top football programs. Bolles chose to stay in Utah to become a Ute and developed into an All-Pac 12 offensive lineman. With Bolles' help Utah had a top-30 rushing attack. His personal life also took a sharp turn. At Snow, Bolles met his wife; the two now have son together.
Bolles now joins the Broncos' competition at left tackle, which includes Menelik Watson, Donald Stephenson and Ty Sambrailo.
Prior to the draft, Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway said that drafting a tackle in the first round would not guarantee the starting spot. "If that's where we go he's going to come in and compete for a job," Elway said Monday. "Just like all of the rookies that will come in, they'll all come in and compete for a job."
