Dozens of texts flood Montee Ball’s phone each day.The latest is a simple reminder from a teammate to make certain the rookie is reading his playbook.But it’s so compelling to Ball that he relays a message to his mother, Melissa, which still gives her a chuckle.“Mom! Peyton Manning just texted me!”And it probably won’t be the last time either.It’s part of the lore that has come with Ball’s NFL reality.“Looking from the inside-out and being a part of all this has been a blessing,” said Ball’s father, Montee Sr.There is a portrait of his son from his middle school days in Wentzville. A friend wears a Marshall Faulk Rams jersey, while Montee dons a No. 30 Terrell Davis Denver Broncos jersey.Recently during training camp he got to meet Davis, who was flattered by Ball’s admiration of him.Now Ball is vying for that very man’s former job, hoping to become the Mile High City’s next legendary running back.“It’s still a dream, and we haven’t woken up yet,” said Montee Sr, a lifelong Denver fan. “It’s going to be Broncos times 10 now.”Manning isn’t the only celebrity texting the 22-year-old. He routinely corresponds with John Elway, his new boss. He exchanged numbers with Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson as a Heisman finalist.But all of these brushes with stardom haven’t taken the childish gleam out of Ball’s eyes.Admittedly, he says it’s taken a while to get used to having his boyhood idols as bosses and teammates since he was selected as the 58th pick in the second round of the NFL Draft in April.“I was definitely star struck,” acknowledged Ball. “Being in the same huddle with Peyton Manning is just surreal. I grew up playing with him on video games.”Perhaps his most valuable insight over the past year has come from an NFL Hall of Famer.“Jim Brown gave him a lot of good advice about what to expect leading up to the draft,” said Montee Sr. “When that man speaks, everybody listens.”A dream that first seemed realistic after his junior season of high school is finally coming to fruition.“I always had hopes and dreams of playing in the NFL,” said Ball. “Once the Division I offers started pouring in after my junior year, I realized I could maybe do something really big with this.”His break at Wisconsin came during his sophomore season, when starting back John Clay struggled to overcome injuries.“Sometimes your opportunity comes when someone goes down in front of you, and that’s what happened,” Ball explained. “Once I got that starting job, I made sure I kept it.”Ball put himself on the map with a breakout performance against Iowa in which he scored a game-winning touchdown. Later that season he assumed increased responsibility, rushing for 132 yards in the first of three Rose Bowl appearances for the Badgers.“I wasn’t as productive in my early years as I should have been,” Ball admitted. “Once I understood I needed to work a lot harder, my career really took off.”Over the following two seasons Ball shattered numerous school records and became the NCAA’s all-time career touchdown leader with 83.“It’s been very enjoyable, and it has been a bit of a whirlwind,” said Melissa.His parents made the move to Wisconsin with him four years ago, making a commitment to attend each game.“We made a pact as a family,” recalled Melissa. “We promised him if he earned a scholarship to play college football, we’d go and support him. And we wanted to keep our promise.”A year ago, though, it was uncertain whether Ball would adequately recover from an on-campus assault that interrupted his preseason workouts and subsequently appeared to have caused a stuttering start to the season for the same player who had racked up a University of Wisconsin school record 39 touchdowns the previous season.People began to question whether Ball had made the right decision to pass on entering the draft after his junior campaign.“I really didn’t feel mentally prepared yet for the NFL,” explained Ball. “Physically, yes, but it’s a mind game too. So, I took that entire year to prepare myself for that next level. I think that really matured me.”His draft stock would depend on how well he finished the season on a team that struggled to win close games. And for opposing defenses, there was no question on whom they should key.“When you’re a good player, teams are going to scheme against you, and try to shut you down,” said Ball. “I knew what defenses would try to do, and I just made sure I was prepared.”A strong showing at the NFL combine provided a promising outlook for Ball heading into draft day.He was aware of a handful of interested teams, expecting to be called early in the second round. But his patience grew thin and worry set in as several teams opted for other players and Ball was left on the board with the third round nearing.Then it happened. The most important phone call of his life.The area code said it all.“When my phone lit up and said Denver, Colorado, I just went nuts,” recalled Ball.He knew exactly who was on opposite end.John Elway informed a giddy Ball that Denver would be drafting him with its next pick.“I was very emotional, because I grew up a Broncos fan, and now I’m going to be playing for them,” said Ball. “It’s crazy.”Although there are critics concerning his ability to sustain a lengthy career in the pros, Ball is being considered a prime candidate for the Bronco’s starting job. Free agency has opened the field, and he is expected to trade hand-offs with veteran Ronnie Hillman.In the meantime, Ball is settling into his sometimes unfathomable role of NFL player.“Now it’s time to stop being star stuck and get to work,” asserted Ball, who says Manning has been instrumental in helping him with his NFL transition.

Timberland graduate Montee Ball carries the ball during his NFL debut against the San Francisco 49ers.

Denver Broncos Team Photography.