Marcus Rios, CB
The Denver Broncos signed cornerback Marcus Rios after the 2017 NFL Draft and he brought along with him pretty low expectations from the fan’s perspective.
Rios wasn’t even a full-time starter at UCLA, but perhaps he should have been.
The Broncos were impressed with what they saw from Rios in training camp and the 2017 preseason, so they signed him to their practice squad and eventually promoted him to the active roster on December 1st.
Rios wasted no time getting himself onto the field, replacing fellow rookie and third-round draft pick Brendan Langley in the Broncos’ lineup and playing 47 defensive snaps and 105 special teams snaps.
Rios is looking to follow a similar career path to that of Chris Harris Jr., and he’s even wearing the same number Harris did when he was a rookie (38).
The Broncos have an opening at the cornerback position on the opposite side of the field as Bradley Roby, and with Harris Jr. manning the slot position, perhaps Rios can seize that role. Absolutely no one is talking about this guy except Broncos coaches, which is the clearest indicator of his standing with this team.
He’s got a golden opportunity in 2018.