On the doorstep of a dream

By JEFFREY ZUPANIC

The Review

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pierre Garcon's journey has been nothing short of circuitous.

The journey began at John Leonard High School in West Palm Beach, Fla. and eight years later has landed him on the brink of realizing a dream.

Garcon doesn't know exactly when he started thinking about playing in the NFL -- at least seriously -- but he took another step in the right direction this past weekend at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"I felt I had a small chance to play in the NFL, but it was a shot in the dark," said Garcon Friday in Indianapolis. "When I was in high school, I thought about it, everyone thinks about it down in Florida, but it wasn't serious thoughts."

Instead, Garcon was more focused on just getting on the football team. In high school, he was academically ineligible to play as a freshman or sophomore.

"I didn't have the best grades to play all four years, so I played my last two years," Garcon admitted. "I got to finally play as a junior and I had probably 100 yards and one touchdown."

Mount Union fans were used to seeing those types of numbers on a game-by-game basis from Garcon, but those were his totals for his entire junior season at John Leonard.

Garcon said he was confused as he prepared to enter his final year of high school because he didn't know where he was headed. He thought his meal ticket would come on the football field, but he found that wasn't the case unless he improved in the classroom.

"My sisters really convinced me to straighten up. I thought football would take me anywhere," said Garcon. "I knew that I didn't have the grades to go D-I and my sisters got on me so I decided to change that up really quickly."

Garcon's older sister, Maquissia, graduated from Florida International and was a Wendy's Heisman candidate for best high-school athlete.

"My sisters were a lot smarter than me," Garcon said. "My one (Maquissia) was in National Honor Society."

Garcon put away the video games and started hitting the books. When it came time for summer two-a-days (practices) he was ready to go. As a senior, Garcon played quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and defensive back for the Lancers. Despite having a stellar campaign, his college options were already doomed.

When ask if any Division I schools inquired about him, Garcon mentioned a handful including Syracuse, Florida Atlantic and Bethune-Cookman, but his grades were not good enough.

In fact, they were so inadequate that even junior colleges turned away from him.

"I was pretty far (away from being able to qualify academically to play in college), I don't remember how far exactly," Garcon said. "My GPA and my test scores didn't average out to Division I standards."

After a tumultuous high school career, Garcon found himself at Norwich -- an all male military school nestled in the green hills of central Vermont, about 30 minutes from the state capital of Montpelier.

Because Norwich is a Division III school that doesn't offer scholarships, Garcon did not have to meet any clearinghouse standards and was eligible to attend school and play football.

He put up pretty impressive numbers for the Cadets as a freshman to earn all-Empire 8 first-team honors. Garcon caught 44 passes for 1,017 yards.

However, Garcon was not happy, even with getting the shot to play college football.

"It was a military academy and I was a civilian," he said. "I decided that wasn't the right school for me."

As he pondered his future, Mount Union came to the forefront of his thoughts. After all, the Purple Raiders were on national television eight times and had won seven Division III national championships since 1993.

"I Googled it (Mount Union) a couple of times before I went there. I sent an e-mail (to head coach Larry Kehres) and told him I was interested in coming there," recalled Garcon. "The next day, they responded."

The move paid off as Garcon helped Mount Union win two national championships (2005 and 2006) and a national runner-up (2007) during his three-years. For his college career, Garcon finished with 246 catches for 4,200 yards and 60 touchdowns.

In the process, Garcon instantly became a house-hold name in Alliance and throughout the Ohio Athletic Conference and on the Division III map.

"I knew I had a shot (at the NFL) following my junior year," Garcon said. "I also knew it would depend on how well my senior year would go but I knew I would have a chance."

Garcon knew the first step would be to secure an invite to the combine, a place where hundreds of players get to showcase themselves for NFL scouts and personnel.

"I didn't imagine it. It was always a dream, now it's a reality. It was more like a fantasy, too (of being here)," said Garcon. "Being interviewed, being in front of the media and waiting to get drafted. I knew I had a small shot, but it happened. I was kind of lucky."

Garcon arrived in Indianapolis Thursday and started going through the rigorous four-day process that helps players impress as many NFL scouts as possible. Thus far, Garcon appears on his way to hearing his name called during the NFL Draft in April.

Several NFL scouts commented on how impressed they were with Garcon's demeanor and physical abilities. On Friday, Garcon met with the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers.

"He's very prolific," said Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson. "He's big, he's strong. He catches the ball very well. He's good after the catch. He's all the things people are looking for."

All five teams mentioned said they had Garcon on their draft board and that he could go as high as in the fifth-round or in the seventh-round as a low-end pick. Should any of those scenarios happen, it would mark the first time a Mount Union player has been selected.

"Just to be here, just to think someone in the NFL wants me to play on their team ... ," said Garcon before pausing.

He was unable to finish his thought. Garcon shook his head because he knows that he is one step closer to realizing a dream of his.

A dream that seemed so far away just a short period of time ago.