Over the last year Vontaze Burfict dropped from first-round prospect to undrafted and now ascended to starting outside linebacker for the Bengals. (US Presswire)

One week ago, only hours after starting outside linebacker Thomas Howard left the practice field with a torn ACL, rookie linebacker Vontaze Burfict received a phone call.

He needed to come back to the stadium. In 72 hours he was going to be starting against the Cleveland Browns and playing a position he's never lined up at once in his life. Only months after being dubbed one of the biggest busts in the NFL Draft, falling from first-round prospect to undrafted, Burfict would be the starting outside linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Only, along with his position coach Paul Guenther, Burfict didn't head to the practice field or film room that night.

They walked to the basketball gym.

There, Guenther set up chairs to represent players and began running through the calls, quizzing about his responsibilities.

Three days later, those chairs were 300-pound NFL linemen. Burfict acquitted himself well. On a day when few on the Bengals defense deserved a passing grade, Burfict was more than adequate. Forget first-round pick, seventh-round pick or undrafted, stepping between the lines represents the great equalizer and Burfict belonged. Even at a position as familiar to the Arizona State product as starting an NFL game.

“Never one snap (at outside linebacker),” Guenther said. “Never in his life. Went in an NFL game and played effectively. He didn’t blink. It's not too big for him.”

Burfict played 22 snaps as the starter in the base formation. When Cleveland moved to three wide, Vincent Rey came in to combat the pass. Expectations are Burfict will play more this week with added time to prepare and learn the position. He's switched from chairs in the gym to iPad assignment tests every night with his girlfriend. She spouts the play and he yells back his assignment.

It's working. His understanding, even in four days since the game, feels far ahead of the previous level. Without doubt, he's embraced the challenge.

“Certain formations you feel like you are by yourself instead of being in the middle of everything,” said Burfict, who finished with six tackles. “I kind of like it because I don’t have to deal with linemen as much and I’m pretty much just a force player. I enjoy it.”

He may enjoy it, but he couldn't have expected it. Entering camp his goal was to find a way to sneak on the 53-man roster, possibly by beating out three-year veteran Roddrick Muckelroy for the backup spot to Rey Maualuga in the middle. He accomplished that. Two weeks later, he's a starter.

“When I first came in I just wanted  to become a good teammate and learn the plays,” he said. “I was just trying to focus on taking the backup spot behind Rey and just learn from him this year and then hopefully next year I could be a starting linebacker. But my number was called, and I’ve got to be ready.”

Burfict's been ready to change his image at every opportunity since poor workouts and character concerns laced his plummet down draft boards. He views the latest promotion the same way.

“Just keep looking forward,” he said. “What happened in the past happened in the past. For me, what people portrayed me as at the draft, I totally wasn’t that guy. It’s not like I could go and confront media people and say ‘You guys have got the wrong person.’ Whatever they put out there, they put out there. And whatever team got me, they will see the real Vontaze. I’m just totally the opposite of that.”

Follow Paul Dehner Jr. for Bengals updates on Twitter at @CBSBengals.