Broncos’ Surtain already has veteran traits
ENGLEWOOD — When Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell began preparing for the draft last winter, he was given what he believes was the first directive of its kind in his 31-year pro football coaching career.
Watch Alabama cornerback Pat Surtain II’S game video, but don’t attend his Pro Day.
Call around to ask about his character, but don’t talk to him.
And help lead the discussion about how he fits the Broncos’ defense, but don’t let those opinions leave the building.
“We just had too much good intel about the situation that we wanted to leave all our options open and not let people know what we’re doing,” Donatell said.
What the intel and follow-up evaluations told the Broncos: Surtain was the best defensive player in the draft, and wanting to avoid a team leap-frogging them to take him in the top eight picks, general manager George Paton tried to ensure a Surtain-to-Broncos scent wasn’t sniffed out.
An emphasis on quarterbacks (picks 1-3) and receivers (picks 5-6) and Carolina’s still-curious decision to select South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn eighth overall
allowed Paton to stay put and add Surtain as an immediate contributor and future cornerstone of the secondary.
Surtain will debut in Sunday’s opener at the New York Giants.
Fair or not, Surtain will be compared to Chicago quarterback Justin Fields. Observers never thought Fields would fall to the Broncos’ spot, but the lack of a consensus positive opinion among the Broncos about the Ohio State product led all roads to Surtain. If he wasn’t on the board, Paton likely would have traded down.
If the preseason is an indication, the Broncos might have secured a decade-long, shut-down cornerback who glides around the field, can instantly flip his hips in coverage and explodes out of his breaks to jump routes.
“When the ball gets thrown his way, he intercepts it and makes it look effortless,” an NFL executive said earlier this week.
Said Paton: “He’s an incredible chess piece for (coach) Vic (Fangio) to have and it gives us a lot of flexibility as a defense.”
Always in command
The son of former NFL cornerback Patrick Surtain (37 interceptions in 163 games), Surtain II was rated a five-star high school recruit by Rivals and ranked eighth nationally overall as the nation’s top cornerback. He made recruiting visits to Miami, LSU, Clemson and Alabama.
So good, so early, Surtain started 12 of 15 games as a true freshman.
Before Phil Longo called plays at North Carolina for Broncos second-round running back Javonte Williams, he was Mississippi’s offensive coordinator in 2018.
During a phone interview this summer, Longo recalled his notes about Surtain ahead of the Ole Miss-alabama game.
“Very rangy, did a good job at the strike point and did a really good job when the ball came his way,” Longo said. “He made a lot of plays on contested catches even when they shouldn’t have been (contested). If you beat him and had a step or two on him, the pass had to be perfect because if it slowed the receiver down at all, he was going to close the gap and be there at the point of attack.”
In Surtain’s third college game, he had one tackle in the Tide’s 62-7 win over the Rebels.
In 41 games (38 starts) over three years, Surtain had only four interceptions (27 pass break-ups), a product of the respect SEC teams showed him. But that didn’t complicate the evaluation of him by NFL teams.
“You can still look at his plays and he’s covering guys well even though the ball isn’t thrown his way,” the NFL executive said. “You could see his fluidity, his ability to move and his speed and explosion.”
Said Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker: “He was always in control and in command. He was never stressed or strained on the field. Even in 1-on-1, deep passes 50 yards down the field, he looked calm.”
Surtain was on Paton’s radar well before he was hired in January to replace John Elway. Although there was no person-toperson contact with Surtain, the Broncos did the same kind of extensive homework.
“Scouts had been (to Alabama) for a few years and said, ‘(Surtain) is so solid. Highest character. Hardest worker,’” Donatell said. “It sends (positive) signals to (NFL) coordinators and position coaches and general managers and head coaches.”
The signal to Paton and Fangio was clear. They wanted to add Surtain to their defense.
“The real deal”
From 2012-20, nine cornerbacks were drafted in the top 10 and the results are sketchy. Stephon Gilmore (No. 10 to Buffalo in ’12) and Jalen Ramsey (No. 5 to Jacksonville in ’16) are both two-time All-pro picks, but have moved on to New England and the Los Angeles Rams, respectively. And Denzel Ward (No. 4 to Cleveland in ’18) has at least two interceptions in each of his three years.
But going bust were Dee Milliner (No. 9 to the New York Jets in ’13), Justin Gilbert (No. 8 to Cleveland in ’14) and Eli Apple (No. 10 to the New York Giants in ’16). They combined for seven interceptions.
The Broncos should be confident Surtain is more like Gilmore/ramsey.
Gilmore and Ramsey were instant starters, but Surtain won’t be, leading to the question of how he will be utilized. In three preseason games, he played 49 snaps and all but four were at left cornerback. He played slot left twice against Seattle when the Seahawks motioned a running back/ tight end wide right and once against the Rams because of a bunch formation. He played one snap of dime (six defensive backs). Surtain returned an interception for a touchdown against Minnesota.
The Broncos’ coaches gave him a crash course during training camp, teaching him three positions (outside, nickel and dime).
“We’ve never quite asked a (rookie) to do that much,” Donatell said. “We want to be able to get him on the field.”
Said Surtain: “It’s been a challenge but I think it’s helped me grow in the defense and just learning those different positions will help my value on the team. I’m just helping the team where they need me — that’s my role right now.”
The Broncos appear to be set at outside corner (Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller) and nickel (Bryce Callahan). How Fangio could get bold and creative is playing “dime” and putting the 6-foot-2, 202-pound Surtain on a tight end.
“It depends on who you’re playing,” the executive said. “They don’t play Tennessee, but if they did, you would rather have Surtain on A.J. Brown or Julio Jones than any of their tight ends. If you’re playing Kansas City, would you rather have him on (tight end Travis) Kelce or (receiver) Tyreek (Hill)? It’s a week-to-week thing.”
The AFC West has Kelce with the Chiefs and tight end Darren Waller with Las Vegas.
“Let’s say you want to double Waller,” the executive said. “If you do that, you might put Surtain on (Henry) Ruggs if he is your best corner. Put your best corner on the second threat in man coverage and double Waller.”
Fangio said Surtain’s size and length are “helpful” in matchups against tight ends.
“There really is no perfect position to put on (an elite tight end),” he said. “Some of those (tight ends) like when a DB is on them because there’s such a size discrepancy. When you put a linebacker on them, the size is maybe evened up, but the athleticism — there could be a discrepancy. You’d like a DB that has size or a linebacker that has some DB movement qualities. In Patrick’s case, he’s got the size and the length to possibly do that.”
Above all, having Surtain gives Fangio options and possibilities, a luxury he has rarely had during his first two years calling the Broncos’ defensive plays.
“This ‘PS2’ guy is the real deal,” outside linebacker Von Miller said. “I love that guy.”