Stephen Garcia had a wild college career (South Carolina) in which he flashed immense potential while also dealing with repeated off-the-field issues. The NFL never panned out for Garcia and he went on to experience an adventurous couple years of bouncing around between the CFL and AFL. The aftermath left Garcia tossing the football in a box and picking up a briefcase to work at a law firm.

“What the hell,” said Garcia questioning his decision to step away from his childhood dream of playing in the NFL. “I don’t want to work at a law firm. I want to work on a (NFL) team.”

Between working at the law firm and training other quarterbacks at both the high school and collegiate levels. Garcia proceeded to realize that the desire remained deeply rooted in his DNA to continue toward playing quarterback in the NFL. Looking back at his days with the Gamecocks, Garcia passed for over 7,500 yards (7,597) and threw 47 touchdown passes. During that time frame he was respectfully considered one of the better NFL Draft Prospects at his position as his game continued to grow at South Carolina.

What led to his demise?

He was dismissed from South Carolina in 2011 when the team was ranked No. 15 in the country after testing positive for both marijuana and alcohol. At the time Garcia was a fifth-year senior with NFL aspirations. The dismissal left Garcia on the outside looking in at his pro career.

“I kind of hope teams have gotten over that,” said Garica. “I know I have”

Garcia is now a father of two and doesn’t need an alarm clock to rise and shine at the crack of dawn, he has his 10-month old daughter to do that for him. Leaving his college antics behind him he is now focused more than ever on bridging and repairing the gap between how he was perceived in college to how he should be judge today.

“I really wish I could be in a camp,” Garcia says and adds, “I have all the troubled past behind me and just looking to a new chapter in my life.”

The new chapter begins with Garica getting his foot in the door with an opportunity to establish himself over the course of the next several months when NFL rosters are changing more than the diapers on his 10-month old baby girl. The NFL is filled with guys with second, third and even fourth chances, but Garcia has yet to nix the perception of frat kid gone wild.

Absent of any off the field issues. Garica on athletic ability alone as an NFL Draft Prospect in 2012 was a quarterback with good touch on his passes with great mobility and pocket presence. He possesses NFL size (6-foot-2, 227 pounds) and without any off the field issues likely would have been drafted and at the very least invited to an NFL camp. The battle to regain his above average form at quarterback and reputation has led Garica to dedicate himself to the craft that he lost track of during his college days. He was a top SEC quarterback playing under head coach Steve Spurrier with as much potential as any of the other 11 signal-callers drafted (2012).

What really ignited his fire?

“I’ve been training Nelson Agholor (USC receiver) who was a Tampa guy who played at Berkeley Prep and went on to play at Southern Cal,” said Garcia. “He asked me to go out and throw with Chip Kelly (Philadelphia Eagles head coach) and their offensive coordinator (Pat Shumur) as well. Got to see them and talk with them. Ran some quarterback drills with them. They said Stephen you need to be on an NFL roster.

“Gets the engines going,” said Garcia.

Hearing a compliment like that by one of the better offensive minds in professional football (Kelly) who is recognized by some as an NFL quarterback guru provides some insight to the potential still remaining in Garcia. He is a possible free agent addition to the 90-man rosters soon to be built by 32 NFL clubs in the next few months.

Once Garcia dusted off the football and released it from his wrist it refueled his desire to give it another go after almost giving up the dream of playing in the NFL. The need for talented quarterbacks in the NFL is still in great demand and always will be.

He recently worked out at the University of Florida’s Pro Day and that allowed him another chance to talk with both NFL coaches and scouts watching the pre-draft event. Garcia also had to abide to the schools dress code policy during the Pro Day that required him to wear Gators’ gear.

“It was a fun experience,” said Garcia. “Wanted to show mainly I can still spin it. Felt pretty good and I got to some good NFL feedback.”

Garcia may have been forgotten, but is steadily making his way back to the good graces of the NFL.