Miles
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- Mar 18, 2019
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The Broncos continued their college scouting process on Tuesday, as they attended the University of Alabama's first pro day.
Broncos Director of College Scouting Brian Stark led the team's contingent in Tuscaloosa, where a number of top draft prospects worked out ahead of April's NFL Draft.
Patrick Surtain II, arguably the top cornerback in this year's draft, measured in at 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds. He ran an impressive 4.42-second 40-yard dash, and he posted a 39-inch vertical jump and 131-inch broad jump, which ranks in the 93rd percentile for cornerbacks. Surtain also posted 18 bench-press reps of 225 pounds.
The 2020 consensus first-team All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year was projected to the Broncos by plenty of draft experts ahead of free agency. Surtain, though, did not earn honors as the best defensive back in the country. The Jim Thorpe Award went instead to TCU safety Trevon Moehrig.
"I can only control the things that I can control," Surtain told NFL Network on Tuesday. "At the end of the day, whatever I do is what I do best. Awards and accomplishments, I felt like at the end of the day, as a team we won a national championship, [which is] even a bigger accomplishment. … Even though I didn't win it, I just kept working hard and kept putting my head down and not let any external things distract me."
He allowed just 21 completions for 273 yards this season and broke up nine passes. He made 38 consecutive starts and forced four fumbles for the Crimson Tide during his three-year career. Surtain's success likely came in part from his ability to practice against top receivers, including Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
"Iron sharpens iron," Surtain said. "Coming to Alabama, you expect that hard work, competing against each other every day. Me and 'Smitty' [Smith] had great battles each and every day at practice. At the end of the day, we got each other better. The position we're in now, we just look back at it like it was worth it."
The Broncos' need at cornerback may not be as pressing after signing Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller in free agency, but Surtain could remain an option with the ninth-overall pick.
"Surtain has an ideal blend of size, speed and ball skills," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah wrote of Surtain in his prospect rankings. "He's at his best in press coverage. He doesn't consistently re-route receivers, but he avoids false steps and has plenty of speed to stay on top versus the vertical passing game. He will struggle at times versus smaller/quicker pass catchers. Like most big corners, he lacks top-flight short-area quickness. He has good eyes from off coverage, though. He identifies route combinations and makes aggressive plays on the ball. He is tough to fill versus the run and he's a reliable tackler in the open field. Overall, Surtain is a very similar prospect to Marlon Humphrey when he was coming out of Alabama. I envision similar success for Surtain at the next level."
Jeremiah's latest rankings, which were posted in late February, list Surtain as the second-best cornerback and 14th-overall prospect.
Denver's evaluation may not have ended with Surtain, though.
Quarterback Mac Jones showed off his arm Tuesday during a throwing session, which included a number of accurate deep passes.
"I wanted to make the toughest throws that I could, and I tried to show a little bit of everything, even if I was a little bit uncomfortable with it, just to show that I'm going to come out here and compete," Jones told NFL Network. "… It was fun. I came out here and slung it around. Obviously I wish I had a bunch of throws back, but it is what it is and I'll watch the tape and of course I'm going to be a little frustrated about the ones I missed, but it is what it is."