Here's Why CB Patrick Surtain II's Coaches are Raving About him Early in Broncos Camp
In this story:
One player that Denver Broncos fans are very excited about is second-year cornerback Patrick Surtain II. When the Broncos selected Surtain at pick No. 9 in the 2021 NFL draft, many analysts booed the move because it left two quarterbacks, for a QB-needy team ostensibly, on the board.
In retrospect, one year later, Broncos' GM George Paton appears wise for his decision to take Surtain instead of a Justin Fields or Mac Jones. Now, the Broncos get to have their cake (Surtain) and eat it, too, with Russell Wilson arriving via trade this past spring.
Surtain played at a Pro Bowl level as a rookie last year and expectations have been high that he can build on it. If the early returns at Broncos training camp are any indication, the former Alabama star could be on the brink of superstardom.
“Oh, it’s crazy. He’s just effortless," Broncos' defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said on Saturday. "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.”
Mile High Huddle's Luke Patterson covered Day 4 of Broncos Camp at UCHealth Training Center and was very impressed by what he saw from Surtain. Patterson wrote that it's not "a stretch" to project Surtain taking a place as one of the NFL's top corners in 2022.
The Los Angeles Rams currently boast the No. 1 cornerback in the NFL, at least, according to most analysts. Coach Evero, who coached Ramsey last year on the way to L.A.'s Super Bowl triumph, isn't too keen at playing the comparison game, but he did liken Surtain's work ethic to the perennial Pro Bowler.
“I don’t think Pat or myself are too worried about that," Evero said. "We’re just worried about him being his very best self. The great thing about Pat is that I don’t know if I’ve been around a corner—Jalen was a heck of a worker as well, but Pat is every bit as equal in terms of coming out and working every day and looking to get better.”
Surtain's head coach was excited to see Surtain's playmaking ability on display and the communication he and his fellow defensive backs showcased during 11-on-11 team drills.
“He had a solid day—that whole secondary back there," Nathaniel Hackett said on Saturday. "They are communicating really well, and they are making plays for him. Even when we were first talking in OTAs, it was great to see him from the standpoint of you could feel that confidence going through his body. Like this, it’s a little different. I’m understanding some more things now that we’re having a couple of days of practice in a row. That’s when you are going to see him becoming even more comfortable. I’m very excited for him."
Adding a bit more comfortability and confidence to Surtain's game entering Year 2 could be just the missing factors in the Pro Bowl equation. Another factor being this: successful teams usually produce successful players when it comes to end-of-season accolades.
“Yeah, I definitely feel more comfortable and more confident out there," Surtain said after Day 2 of training camp. "I’m getting prepared and getting my mind ready each and every day. I definitely feel more confident and comfortable.”
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
