Anton Bruckner
 | |
| No. 95 – Minnesota Grey Ducks | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 12, 2022 (aged 38) Silver City, Alaska, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 243 lb (110 kg) |
| Username: | Gragg9 |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Haines Junction High School |
| College: | Williamson University |
| DSFL Draft: | 2042 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 |
| Career history | |
| Roster status: | Retired |
Anton Bruckner (born August 12, 2022) was an American football cornerback for the Minnesota Grey Ducks. He played college football for Williamson University (WU).
Early years
Anton Bruckner was born to an immigrant family in Silver City, Alaska. The city had a population 4 at the time (including Anton), though is currently down to 0. Living with only his mother, father, and younger brother led to him being naturally antisocial. The small ‘town’ experience afforded him plenty of space to run in though, so he grew up with plenty of activity. Most of his time was spent homeschooling or assisting his family in the silver mine (they never did find any silver). Eventually though it was time for Bruckner to be around other kids, so he made the daily journey of a 4 mile trek to the nearest town for high school.
There, at Haines Junction High School, is where Bruckner began his football career with the Haines Junction Phantoms. His coach made the natural choice of putting him in at running back due to his speed and how much running he did at home. For the first several years Anton had mediocre success due to his tendency to run right into a defender or two, usually laying them out, instead of taking clear running lanes. During this time he cultivated other talents like music, which would eventually get him scholarships to several schools. To everyone near him it seemed like he was destined for a career in music, far from the football field where he ended up. Bruckner’s career direction drastically changed when his coach, frustrated by his insistence on cooking up pancakes instead of running for touchdowns, changed him to O-line as punishment. Little did he know that was exactly what Anton needed to elevate to the next level. His last season in Haines Junction he broke state records and began to view football as more than just an after-school hobby.
College career
After living his whole life in Silver City, Anton Bruckner accepted a scholarship at WU and moved to the big city. That big city was Williamson, North Carolina, population 17,000. While a great school for his music degree, WU is not and never will be known for its football program. That didn’t stop Anton from putting in the work on and off the field. Over time music became more of a past life and football began to be the future for Bruckner. His work was evident on the field but the small school and lack of significant opponents caused him to fly under the radar. Despite little initial attention from scouts Anton declared for the DSFL draft in his last year at WU. Accomplishments on the field at WU were limited to school records and 'local legend' status as his team was never considered for any bowl games nor participated in significant championships.
