Pat Surtain II embracing lofty individual and team expectations as he begins his NFL career

[Miles]

As the ninth-overall pick by the Broncos in the 2021 NFL Draft, Surtain is now subject to these lofty hopes and expectations, both at a personal and team level. They don't just come from external sources, though; Surtain also holds himself to those same pressures.


"I always set my expectations high," Surtain said. "It's nothing new to me. I'm just always going to perform at a high level, just keep my head held down and just work. Because I always got a strong work ethic, so I just don't let nothing faze me. At the end of the day, that's what's going to be with my work ethic and how I can contribute to the team."


Looking to the last time the Broncos drafted a cornerback in the first round, Surtain can see perhaps just how a rookie can make an immediate impact in the secondary. Albeit in a slightly different situation, Denver's 2014 first-round pick, Bradley Roby, joined an experienced secondary with Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. holding down the top two spots and still played a significant role from the get-go. The following year, Roby maintained his role in the "No-Fly Zone" as a dangerous member of the league-leading passing defense.


That said, the Broncos have even bigger hopes for Surtain, who was the 2020 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and is arguably the most polished cornerback in this draft class.


Over the past three years, General Manager George Paton had taken note of Surtain. Even when he was scouting other players, Paton would notice the young Alabama cornerback, who started 38 games over his three college seasons.


"You turn on the tape, and guys this big, that's what corners should look like," Paton said. "They should move like he does. He's long, he's athletic, he fits everything [Head Coach] Vic [Fangio] wants in a corner. He can play man, he can play zone, he can press. He tackles, he's physical. He was at Alabama for three years, started … 38 games — 36-2 while at Alabama. And [it's] funny, when you watch Patrick, you can get bored, because they never throw to him. He only had 48 targets this year. They only completed 21 passes. So you love the movement. For a guy this big, he's always in phase. He's hard to throw at for quarterbacks. So that's what really resonated."