Eben Britton is an Arizona Football Letterman who played four years with the Wildcats, from 2005-2008. After red shirting his freshman year, Eben went on to be one of the premier offensive linemen in the country, starting at tackle for three straight years at the U of A. He ended his career as a member of a 7-5 team that went on to win the 2008 Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl over a nationally ranked BYU team. After being on the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award watch lists, Britton finished as a first-team All-Pac-10 selection. Now, after foregoing his final year of eligibility, Eben has found himself a spot in the NFL. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the seventh pick of the second round this year in the NFL Draft.
Below are some questions that the A-Club asked Eben:
How was the time you spent at the University of Arizona?
It was a great time! If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. There are great people and a great atmosphere. I really enjoyed myself and got a great education while doing it.
How was it playing for Mike Stoops and particularly your most recent coach Bill Bedenbaugh?
Playing for coach Stoops was very rewarding. He is a very passionate guy and loves the game of football. He looks after all of the players and wants them to succeed. Coach Bedenbaugh was a great coach to play for. He was very tough on us out there, but he made us better football players for it. He was also there for us off the field. We could go talk to Coach Bedenbaugh about anything that was important to us, on or off the field, which is something you need to do to be a great coach.
What was it like hearing your name called in the NFL Draft?
It was a HUGE relief! It was really nice to put the whole draft process to rest and know where I was going to be headed for the next few years of my life. There was a lot of time waiting and wondering, so it was awesome to finally get some stability in that sense. Overall though, it was a dream come true!
How is it to have former Wildcat Mike Thomas be right there with you in Jacksonville?
Having Mike here is awesome. It is really helpful to have a great guy like Mike around you in any situation, but especially when we’re in a new surrounding. It has definitely made the transition to a new place a lot easier and given me some familiarity in an all together unfamiliar place. It’s nice to know we can be there for each other if we need to.
What was your favorite memory as Wildcat?
I will always remember the times just being with the guys and the relationships I made while playing at Arizona. I met some great people and had some awesome times with them. If I had to choose though, I would definitely say that the night we finally beat ASU was probably my favorite memory. Well, at least until the Las Vegas Bowl. Those two games were probably my most favorite memories from being a Wildcat.
How does it feel to be part of the alumni of the U of A?
Honestly, it’s pretty crazy to think about. The time went by so fast and I am really still just trying to get used to the idea of being part of our alumni. It is really great to know that there are some really great programs set up for us as Letterwinners and overall just a great bunch of guys to be around. It is a good feeling to know that there is still a strong community/family of people for me to be involved in even after I’m done.
What are your hopes for the future?
Most of all, I just want to be a successful NFL player. I want to leave a positive mark on the game and be able to be proud of my achievements as a player, on and off the field. I am hoping to be able to stay connected with the U of A and give back as much as possible. They gave me a lot in my four years and I am hoping I can do the same.
Eben has continued to be an active part of our Wildcat community, being a member of our A-Club. We wish Eben the best of luck and hope he has great success in his NFL career. We are excited to have him as a part of our alumni and look forward to his continued involvement in our community.
