By Bobby Narang
In a way, Jordan Glasgow’s future was all mapped out for him.
After all, when your two older brothers, Graham and Ryan, play standout roles at Marmion Academy in Aurora, then attend the University of Michigan as walk-on players, eventually earn scholarships, and become starters for the Maize and Blue and move on to play in the National Football League (NFL), the logical step is to follow in their footsteps.
And that’s what linebacker Jordan Glasgow did. He followed the same family blueprint when he was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round with the 213th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft Saturday.
Graham Glasgow, an offensive linemen, signed a four-year contract with the Denver Broncos for $44 Million March 18.
“Yeah, I mean my oldest brother kind of started it out and he’s was able to grind through it,” Jordan Glasgow said. “Both of my brothers kind of went through it at the same time being only a year apart.
“My parents and grandparents really set us up with that mentality. My parents worked very hard at their jobs to put us into a good situation to go to a good high school, to go to a great college, to be able to take a walk-on spot at the University of Michigan and being able to help us pay for tuition and not be afraid to go to that type of school, both athletically and academically, to be able to chase our dreams. They gave us the opportunity. Both my brothers have capitalized on it and I’ve capitalized on it. I hope to continue to take the opportunity that they gave me and run with it.”
Jordan Glasgow admitted he benefitted from watching his older brothers handle the draft process. He’s living with Ryan, a defensive tackle, for the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I’m seeing how (Ryan) handles things, how he handles his body, how he handles his day-to-day operations,” Glasgow said. “I’ve been able to learn a lot from him about what an NFL player and what a true professional really is.”
The six-foot, 221-pound Jordan Glasgow is a hybrid player, capable of helping the Colts at linebacker, safety, and special teams. Although his height and weight are not prototypical at those spots in the NFL, Glasgow is not afraid of the challenge of earning a roster spot for the Colts.
“Yeah, a lot of teams are looking to go with faster people that have a little more versatility in terms of coverage and in the run game,” Glasgow said. “The key is that just because you’re smaller doesn’t mean you can’t trade off in the run game and be able to handle the many things an offense can throw at you.
“I don’t know what the Colts necessarily think about me in terms of my ability as a three-down linebacker, but I feel like I have the ability to develop into a strong defensive player that can help them going forward.”
Glasgow added he believes his versatility is a plus and he’s focused on proving people wrong.
“Early on in my college career, I’m used to going through it. I mean I’m used to changing people’s minds about me,” Glasgow said. “If someone has a bad opinion about me, I look forward to changing that. I’m just going to try and do the best that I can moving forward.”