A native of Reno, Nevada, he was a star athlete at Reno High School, competing in football, basketball, baseball, and track.
[2] He was described by the Deseret News in 1961 as "the hottest prospect in Utah football history.
"[3] At the end of his senior year, he was invited to play in the Shrine Game in San Francisco in December 1961 and the Hula Bowl in January 1962.
[4] He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round (22nd overall pick) of the 1962 NFL draft.
[5] He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1965, appearing in eight games for the team.