If you experience Will Parks’ inspiring personality, toothy smile and love for his craft, it’s hard to imagine that where the Broncos safety came from is an entirely different ballgame.

North Philadelphia isn’t a fertile ground for breeding success. Instead, it’s a natural home for drug dealing, gangs and violence. It’s a lot easier for young black men to join the street life than it is to get to college.

Parks made sure he was an exception to the rule.

“When my dad put that football in my hand, it was just like, ‘This is your tool. This is your way out. This is a way to make a better life for yourself,’ ” Parks said.

He remembers the freezing winters in an apartment with no heat. He was one of the rare kids in the area who grew up with a supportive mother and father, but that didn’t make it easy. People don’t grow up in North Philly without picking up the toughness that the city demands.

His parents did provide him with a set a role models who didn’t allow him to succumb to being a statistic. People in his neighborhood quickly saw his potential, invested in him and pointed him toward school and the gym.

That’s what made April 30 so special for Parks.

When he heard his name called as the 219th pick in the NFL draft by the Broncos, in the sixth round, his emotions took over. All his hard work seemed to pay off.

Success was never just an option for Parks. Defying the odds was the only way he could make it. He’s not stopping now.

“I don’t want it. I need it,” Parks said. “This is the only thing I have in life for me. I’d probably be at home flipping McDonald’s burgers if I didn’t have this opportunity right now.”

In 2012, Parks was a part of the second-to-last graduating class at Germantown High School, one of a growing list of Philadelphia public schools closing because of students choosing safer schools. Soon, he’ll be the first male college graduate in his family.

The outpouring of texts and Twitter mentions from people in his hometown thanking him for the motivation has left him speechless. He told them they motivate him even more. He’s a trailblazer and didn’t even know it.

If Will Parks, from North Philly, can make it to the NFL, maybe one more high school kid will choose chasing his football dreams over selling drugs.

Parks’ background and passion translate in his play. The football staff at Arizona knew him as a workout warrior with superb football intelligence.

The 6-foot-1, 194-pounder’s strength on the field is his versatility. He was primarily a slot cornerback in 2014 but switched to a safety-linebacker hybrid in 2015, when he was the Wildcats’ leading tackler.

He and new roommate Justin Simmons, a third-round pick and fellow safety, have an opportunity to provide depth behind Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward in a star-studded secondary. Both have a good chance of making the team after the departures of David Bruton and Omar Bolden in free agency.

“We don’t go toward the box safety that much where you can only play inside,” defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. “The way we pick safeties, basically (the Broncos go with) guys that are versatile.”

The buzz word all offseason for the Broncos has been versatility. Parks has the speed (4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash at his pro day) and the strength (22 repetitions of 225 pounds in the bench press) to play anywhere in the secondary.

Parks played on all the special-teams units in college. He will have to impress there again to make an impact on a deep Broncos roster. He looked up to former NFL stars Sean Taylor and Ed Reed growing up but said Broncos safety Ward has caught his eyes recently.

Now, if Parks makes the team, Parks will play with Ward.

Cameron Wolfe: cwolfe@denverpost.com or @CameronWolfe

Parks file

A closer look at Broncos safety Will Parks:

Size: 6-foot-1, 194 pounds

College: Arizona

Hometown: Philadelphia

Honors: All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2015; was on Jim Thorpe and Chuck Bednarik awards watch lists.