Denver Broncos Training Camp 2014: Cody Latimer The Most Interesting Player?

Oct 12, 2013; East Lansing, MI, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Cody Latimer (3) warms up prior to a game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Indiana Hoosiers at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos training camp is drawing near, and it’s a great time to be a football fan because optimism is brimming. The pads will come on, and it will officially be football season again.

As the Broncos open up camp, I want to start taking a look at some players that I’m particularly interested in monitoring. One guy who has been getting plenty of attention but I don’t think nearly enough is second round pick Cody Latimer, the Broncos’ newest toy on offense out of Indiana.

Coming from Indiana is reason enough that Latimer might have been underrated, but the tape shows otherwise. Even with inconsistency and injury issues at the QB position, Latimer was able to produce at a high level. He caught 51 passes and six touchdowns as a sophomore, and then came out and had 72 catches for 1,096 yards and nine touchdown grabs.

Because of the Broncos’ depth at receiver, and the added receiving value at tight end with Julius Thomas and Jacob Tamme, Latimer’s potential contributions have been diminished a bit at least in the public eye, it seems. Not many fans expect the rookie out of Indiana to be forced into action, but to be used sparingly or in case of injury. I think the Broncos have other ideas.

I think Cody Latimer is going to be their secret weapon, and it won’t take long for him to be unleashed. This is a big, fast, physical, natural athlete who snatches the ball away from his body and gets upfield in a hurry. At training camp, that physicality is going to get him noticed, especially going against the Broncos’ second unit defensively, even though that unit is not necessarily full of slouches by any means.

Latimer is physically able to overpower defensive players, which I think will gain him a lot of hype at camp, making him one of the most interesting players to monitor. This is a guy with pretty moderate/lukewarm expectations for this season, not because of his ability but because of the current state of Denver’s roster. I think they can afford to bring him along slowly if they so desire, but that may not be deemed necessary. The Broncos could choose to put Latimer in the lineup more often than not in hopes of getting him reps and learning on the fly.

I’m very intrigued by this young rookie and I think he’s going to make a lot of waves at the start of camp.