After starring at Lake Zurich and Wisconsin, Jack Sanborn is ready for the NFL
The dream was always there, but Jack Sanborn didn't start thinking it had any chance to become reality until his freshman year of high school at Lake Zurich.
"I remember playing for the freshman team and moving up to the sophomores," Sanborn said in an interview with The Daily Herald. "I didn't play on the varsity team at all, but when we went to the playoffs our varsity coach (David Proffitt) told me I was starting."
Sanborn's initial reaction was priceless.
"I was like, 'Why are you doing this?'" he said. "I didn't think I had any business being out there. I'm sure other people thought the same thing. (Proffitt) did, and I'm grateful for it."
Sanborn more than held his own after being thrown into the postseason fire as a freshman. He was an All-State linebacker at Lake Zurich his final two years and he led the Bears to a 13-1 record and trip to the Class 7A state championship game as a senior.
Moving on to play college football at Wisconsin, Sanborn thrived while stepping up in competition.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder cracked the starting lineup as a sophomore and led the Badgers with 80 tackles while intercepting 3 passes and recording 5.5 sacks.
Sanborn also led Wisconsin in tackles as a junior and was second last season during his final year in Madison.
"He has been something really special," head coach Paul Chryst told reporters before the Badgers beat Arizona State in the Las Vegas Bowl. "I think he's got a great awareness of everyone in the room. Kind of a humbleness. He's approachable. He's just been really so solid. Jack's not always wanting to be the voice but also knew that people wanted to hear his voice.
"It's consistency at a high level and the way that he prepped, the way that he played, the type of teammate that he is, it's all at a high level, and yet it doesn't feel like it's ever false. It doesn't feel like he's working at it. That's just who he is. And that's what I've appreciated just in watching him."
Earlier this month, Sanborn turned in a solid performance at the East-West Shrine Game, forcing a fumble and recovering one.
"I'm really happy with how I played," Sanborn said. "I was able to show what I'm able to do in a new scheme, playing with new people, playing against other great college athletes. I was able to show what I bring to the table."
Sanborn received an invite to next week's NFL Combine in Indianapolis, the last big event before the draft in late April.
With his ability to pile up tackles, blitz when needed and drop back into coverage, Sanborn could be selected as early as the third round.
"It's a little bit surreal," he said. "It's been a dream of mine since I was really young and that's what it was, just a dream. So to now be here, it's surreal. But at the same time, I know this is where I belong. It's almost businesslike, but I love what I'm doing.
"I know for sure I'm going to do everything in my power to have the best career I can possibly have."
When he is drafted, Sanborn's mother Malinda is first in line for a hug.
"She's the strongest person I know," Jack said.
After his father Paul died of a heart attack in 2005, Malinda was always there for Jack and his brothers Steven and Bryan, who also plays linebacker at Wisconsin.
Paul Sanborn played college football at Oregon, where he was an offensive lineman from 1980-82.
"We lost our father at a young age and (my mother) commuted (to Chicago) almost every single day, but she always kept her three boys a priority and taught us a lot of life lessons that we're going to carry with us the rest of lives," Jack said.
"She's been huge, and not only in terms of football and having success in football. I think I speak for my brothers saying she's the most important person to us and we love her."