Speaking on a teleconference after being selected with the Broncos’ sixth-round pick, former Arizona linebacker Spencer Larsen prefers to consider himself more experienced than other draftees, not older.
After playing as a freshman, Larsen served a two-year Mormon mission in Chile before returning to the Wildcats in 2005.
After returning from the mission, the 6-1, 242-pounder completely tore an ACL in just his second practice. He was back on the playing field in 4 1/2 months.
“I’m a very young 24; I feel very young,” said Larsen, who registered 131 tackles last fall as a senior , including a Pac-10 Conference-leading 87 solo stops. “A lot of the guys I was at the (NFL) combine with were 22 or 23 years old. Throughout the draft process, my age seemed more of a positive than a negative.”
Larsen said Broncos coach Mike Shanahan told him that he would work at middle linebacker but also could get a look at fullback. Larsen said he hasn’t played fullback since high school.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get on the field,” he said.
