4 Denver Broncos players exceeding expectations early in training camp
Denver Broncos player no. 4: Pat Surtain II, CB
If you’re looking for the one player that has really exceeded all expectations so far in Denver Broncos training camp, it’s got to be Pat Surtain II.
Even with a brand-new superstar quarterback in place, Surtain is stealing all headlines at Broncos camp. As a matter of fact, he’s got people wondering whether he might be the best overall player on the team.
Ejiro Evero was asked how easy does Pat Surtain make it look out there...
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) July 31, 2022
"Oh, it’s crazy. He’s just effortless. He’s such a smooth athlete. I think that’s one of the qualities of really good players—you just make it look easy. He’s definitely in that line.”
When the Denver Broncos drafted Pat Surtain out of Alabama, I think a lot of people were shocked if not upset about it.
The Broncos had the chance to take Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, projected by many as a top three player in the class, and they passed.
They took Surtain and general manager George Paton took a lot of flak for saying that it’s almost harder to find a “franchise corner” these days than it is to find a franchise QB, even though he wasn’t confusing the importance of one over the other.
I think through the first four days of camp, Surtain is proving that Paton is actually correct in many respects. Players like Pat Surtain don’t grow on trees and anyone who tells you differently is lying to your face.
Surtain is a superstar in the making, disrupting every passing play at training camp it feels like.
He’s even got offensive coordinator Justin Outten asking for a little reprieve.
Justin Outten goes over to Pat Surtain every day and says “can you let us complete a pass today, just once”
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) July 30, 2022
All kidding aside, the Broncos can barely seem to get anything past Surtain. Even some of the best thrown balls by Russell Wilson have hit the ground early on in training camp because of Surtain’s ability to play the ball in the air.
We saw flashes of his dominance as a rookie and we’re seeing growth from that in 2022.
The “shutdown corner” is not exactly extinct in the NFL but it’s not nearly as commonplace as it was 5-10 years ago.
Surtain might just be the closest thing the Denver Broncos have since Champ Bailey.