BACKGROUND

Christian Gonzalez is a cornerback prospect from Texas. He attended The Colony High School in Texas and played multiple positions such as wide receiver and special teams. 247 Sports listed him as a four-star cornerback. After decommiting from Purdue, Christian decided to attend the University of Colorado.

COLLEGE CAREER

As a freshman, Gonzalez was getting reps and played as a full-time cornerback for the Buffaloes. He had 25 tackles and five pass deflections. He played in every game as well. He made an even bigger leap as a sophomore when he had 53 tackles and five pass breakups. After an amazing sophomore season, he decided to transfer to the University of Oregon.

2022-2023 COLLEGE CAREER

The move to Oregon worked for Christian as he showcased his talents to a national level. As a junior, he had 51 total tackles, seven passes deflected, and four interceptions. His best performance came against his former team, Colorado. He had two interceptions as Oregon won 49-10. His performance for the season gave him First-Team All-Pac 12.

STRENGTHS: Instincts

Christian is at his best in zone coverage. Here he can easily see the QB’s eyes and determine his move. He moves very smoothly and can catch up if his matchup takes a step on him. His long limbs then make it easy for him to make deflections on a pass. Having a 6’2″ cornerback is very helpful, especially with elite WRs who have everything working for them.

WEAKNESSES: Strength

His very lean frame can be a concern as bigger WRs can easily push him for separation. Strength can be easily worked on at the next level and hopefully, this problem will be addressed soon. Once he gains more mass, he’ll be a scary cornerback in the NFL.

PLAYER COMPARISON: Patrick Surtain

TEAMS WHO COULD DRAFT HIM

Christian Gonzalez has flown up draft boards and mock drafts have slated him to be at least in the Top 10. He seems to be the first or second non-EDGE defensive player expected to be taken. Look for teams that don’t need a QB to look at him. Detroit at 6th or Atlanta at 8th are ideal spots for him as they need a shutdown corner.

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By: Jordan Anders

Rookie Patrick Surtain II has been putting the NFL on notice the last two weeks in his first two preseason games with the Denver Broncos. We all knew Surtain was going to be good, but how good and NFL-ready he already was came faster than anyone expected. From training camp to his first NFL debut Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Patrick Surtain had been turning heads from the very beginning.

During the Denver Broncos training camp, Surtain not only made an impression on his fellow teammates but head coach Vic Fangio as well. Fangio stated that Patrick was fitting right into the Broncos secondary, which is one of the best in the league. Patrick Surtain got his first pick on day five of practice which would then lead to a real interception during the Vikings game later that week.

The Broncos headed to their first preseason game against the Vikings where Surtain would play 11 coverage snaps. During those coverage snaps, Surtain allowed 0 catches and had a 30-yard pick followed by a touchdown. After the game, Surtain received a 94.5 PFF Grade, the highest of all cornerbacks in Week one. After week two, Patrick Surtain was the second-highest graded defensive rookie so far with a 91.3 Grade overall. Patrick Surtain is the top-graded rookie cornerback vs single coverage.

In the two weeks of preseason, Patrick Surtain was the “highest-graded defensive rookie in the NFL”. There’s already talk about Surtain being a favorite for the Defensive Rookie of the Year and the sports bets can back that up. With the odds changing nearly every day, Patrick Surtain has been a top-five favorite the last two weeks. Over the last week, Patrick Surtain has become one of the most-bet on players for the award this year.

Patrick Surtain will be competing against Cowboys’ rookie Micah Parsons, who is the number one favorite for the award. He will also be competing against other rookies including Kwity Paye, Jaelan Phillips, Jamin Davis, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Jaycee Horn. Based on his performances and ratings in the past two weeks, Surtain is already ahead of the pack. It may be late August, but there is no question he will be a stud for the Broncos secondary this season and be a serious candidate for the DROY award.

If Patrick Surtain wins the award, he will join Von Miller and Mike Croel as the only Broncos players to win the award in the 54 years the award has been around. He will also be the first Broncos cornerback to win the award and the third cornerback ever to win the award. Yet, the NFL passing game evolves and CBs truly have had more opportunities to stand out among other defensive positions in recent memory. Two CBs have won the award since 2015: Marcus Peters and Marshon Lattimore. Surtain will have countless chances to prove he’s a talented CB as he faces passing offenses like Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles twice each in the season.

It’s clear that Surtain is gifted and up to prove he’s ready to take 2021 by storm. Even the great Broncos CB Champ Bailey has acknowledged an early positive impression of Surtain. When asked about Patrick Surtain, Bailey stated “People are like ”˜Oh, he reminds me of Champ!’ I’m like ”˜hell, he reminds me of me, too!’”

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By: Jordan Anders

The Denver Broncos had their first preseason game on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings. The Broncos only started two regular-season starters: quarterback Drew Lock and wide receiver KJ Hamler. The Broncos offense started off hot in the first half scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter and defense holding the Vikings to only 6 points at the half. Big plays by the rookies in the second half held the Vikings at 6 points until the end of the game. Broncos won 33-6, all players played a role in them winning however three, in particular, shined this week.

Drew Lock

We have to give credit where it’s due, Drew Lock did not have an easy off-season with new rumors every week of the Broncos looking for a new quarterback. Not a lot of people had faith in the kid after a rough 2020 season, he didn’t let the noise stop him though. He put in the work and it certainly showed in this game. In the first 5 minutes, Drew Lock threw a deep pass up the middle to wide receiver KJ Hamler, 80 yards to be exact for a touchdown. Later that same quarter, Drew Lock had a short pass to Trinity Benson for a touchdown.

Teddy Bridgewater came in to take over after that. Lock finished with 151 yards and 2 touchdowns on just five completions and had 0 interceptions. Overall, it’s looking up for the Broncos’ offense and being able to put this whole “who’s going to be the quarterback?” situation to rest for now. Drew Lock on Saturday got an 84.3 PFF offensive grade and a 153.3 passer rating.

Patrick Surtain II

Patrick Surtain made his rookie debut during the Vikings game on Saturday and he did not disappoint. He played 11 coverage snaps and allowed 0 catches. But that’s not the only thing exciting thing that happened. In the second quarter, Vikings quarterback Jake Browning intended a short pass to Ihmir Smith-Marsette but it was picked off by Surtain at the 30-yard line. Patrick ran it in for a touchdown putting the Broncos up 26-3.

Patrick Surtain received a 94.5 PFF Grade, which was the highest amongst all cornerbacks. After the game, teammate Teddy Bridgewater talked about Surtain and said, “he doesn’t play no games.” Might be too soon to say, but Patrick Surtain is already making a great case for rookie defensive player of the year.

Caden Sterns

With rookie safety Caden Sterns, he was already a great player but he’s also in great hands working with one of the best safeties in the league, Justin Simmons. Sterns played 54 snaps on Saturday, which was the most by any Broncos rookie out there. Caden finished with 6 solo tackles including a big one late in the third quarter.

Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond stepped out of the pocket and passed the ball to an open Whop Philyor, who was looking for his first career NFL pass for a touchdown. Too bad Caden Sterns had other ideas, as he hit Philyor forcing him to drop the ball and Vikings were forced to kick a field goal. Which ended in a turnover on downs and the Vikings would not score again the rest of the game.

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By: Steven Johnson

With NFL football being non-existent since the Super Bowl in January, many fans flock to see their first action in several months in the first week of preseason football. Not only does it give a tantalizing taste of how fast the regular season is approaching, but it also gives coaches and staff chances to evaluate young players. These games will help shape the 53-man roster and force coaches to decide who they would like to keep and who may need to look for a spot elsewhere in the league. While only the first game of the preseason where many starters did not take the field, I think there are still some significant take-aways from this game against Minnesota.

This Broncos defense is going to cause problems

Regardless of who the personnel is this season, this Broncos defense will be a scary unit. Like in years prior, the RedZone defense seems to be on track in staying one of the best in the NFL. The coverage and overall cohesiveness of the secondary will allow Denver’s pass rush to cause issues for opposing offensive lines. In the Vikings’ three total RedZone trips on the day, the Broncos were able to hold them to just two field-goal attempts and one failed Fourth Down conversion that turned the ball back to the Broncos. The defense seems to have picked up where it left off last year in holding teams to minimal point opportunities. In general, for the Broncos’ defense, there were stars all over the field.

A holding penalty in the Endzone gave the Broncos the first points of the game with a safety.

A “Surtain” rookie corner housed a pick-6 to give the Broncos further points.

A young safety duo showed good glimpses of what life without Kareem Jackson could be in the next couple of years as well.

Denver’s young defensive players stood up to a challenge of other NFL caliber players, starters or not. Not only did they compete, but they also flat out dictated the game by only allowing a total of SIX points in four quarters of football. It did not matter who was at quarterback for the Vikings, the defense was able to cause problems and flew around the field for 60 minutes of play. While some of these players may not work out ultimately, you have to give them props for the performance they put together in the first game action of the season.
Without Von Miller, Bradly Chubb, Justin Simmons, and other key players, the Broncos showed they have the depth to compete and cause trouble for opposing offenses.

Patrick Surtain II was the right pick

Since he was drafted, Surtain was put under a microscope and compared to potential draft pick QB Justin Fields. Many clamored for Fields and insisted that Surtain was essentially a “wasted pick” compared to a Quarterback who many believed to be Denver’s savior at the position. After his performance yesterday, many more should warm up to him staying in Denver for a long time to come.

Surtain finished his day with the highest grade of any Cornerback after displaying very impressive skills and a feel for the game. Not only did he get his first interception, but it also turned into a house call when he was able to return it for a touchdown as well. Surtain was only thrown at twice but allowed zero catches. The only other pass his way was broken up and defended rather well. There very well were other plays in which he was covering, but the quarterbacks knew not to look his way again. In what is turning into a ridiculously deep Corner room, Patrick Surtain II seems to be ready to make his mark on the field with the rest of the starters.

The Running back room looks good

Coming into the game while missing starter Melvin Gordon with a groin injury, all eyes seemed to be on the rest of the running back room to decide who would make their case for a roster spot. Before the game, Mike Boone was ruled out with an injury, leaving the first reps to rookie Javonte Williams and veteran Royce Freeman.

Williams looked the part from his college tape, being a physical back who can make people miss. While only getting five carries for 29 yards, Williams was credited with three avoided tackles. With an average of just under 6 Yards Per Carry, this slight workload was enough from coaches to shut him down for the day. Williams also had a 4-yard run go for a touchdown but was nullified by a holding penalty. This performance shows that the coaches have seen enough in Williams to save him for real game action and should expect to see a healthy dose of him next week when the starters play.

Royce Freeman was originally a running back that many believed would be on the outside looking in on the Broncos’ running back room. With the injuries to Mike Boone and Melvin Gordon, Freeman may cement a spot on the week one roster due to reliability and a good preseason. Freeman matched Williams in carries with five but went for 33 yards on his runs. With an average of 6.6 Yards Per Carry, that is the kind of production many in Denver thought he would enjoy when taking him in the 2018 draft. He added to his versatility on a couple of catches for 14 yards as well. While never living up to the hype, Freeman could earn a spot as a solid role player due to injury if luck doesn’t go the Broncos’ way.

The Receiver room may be deeper than we think

Some of Denver’s top receiving talent was benched to avoid injury this game. Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Albert Okuwuegbunam all did not participate in the game against Minnesota. These absences left plenty of opportunity for the receivers on the bubble to showcase their talent and give the coaching staff a reason to keep them on the roster.

One such receiver was camp standout Trinity Benson. Regardless of which quarterback was playing, Benson was a favorite target and frequently found success. Benson caught all four balls thrown his way and amassed 36 yards and two touchdowns on the day. With this first performance, if Benson can stay consistent with this type of production throughout the rest of the preseason he very well may find a roster spot to start the year.

Wide Receivers K.J Hamler and Jerry Jeudy got playing time at the beginning of the game as well, with the big play being Hamler’s 80-yard touchdown bomb in the first quarter. When the regular season begins, the Broncos will find a formidable Wide Receiver room with the likes of Sutton, Jeudy, Hamler, and Patrick all having experience in this offense. Behind the first four or so Receivers, the spots behind them seem to be wide open, and the decision will be up to those fighting for those last couple spots to impress in the remaining preseason games to secure their roster spot.

The Quarterbacks started on the right foot

Both Quarterbacks for Denver came into the game needing to put on solid performances against the Vikings. Both Lock and Bridgewater focused on putting good drives together to gain an advantage in the quarterback competition going back to camp. Happily, for everyone following the Broncos, both QB prospects had great starting games.

First and foremost, preseason or not, Drew Lock looked good. Lock finished the day 5-7-151 and had two touchdown throws on the day, one of which being the 80-yard throw to Hamler. Lock consistently was able to find the open man and to control the pocket, buying time with his legs and knowing when to tuck and run. If Lock can put together multiple performances like this in the following weeks, it would be hard to imagine him not taking the starting spot. Lock finished the day with only two passes not caught and a passer rating of 153.3 before taking a seat for the other Quarterback competing for the starting job. While a great start, Lock will be watched closely to see if he has found the consistency that has been lacking in his previous play.

Teddy Bridgewater entered for the second part of the game, and also found success with the offense that remained on the field. While not as flashy as the Lock at the start, Bridgewater finished the day with success as he accumulated 74 yards on seven attempts and one touchdown as well. Bridgewater also had a rushing touchdown on the day but was called back because of a flag. Bridgewater was brought in because of his safe attitude and tendency to take safe throws as a counter to Lock’s erratic play. For him to win the starting job, he must show he can be aggressive when needed and push the ball downfield instead of taking the safe throws. Next week, Bridgewater will start with the first-team offense and will be put under the spotlight to show what he has learned throughout the offseason.

While both Lock and Bridgewater put on solid showings, they must build off of their performances and show that they are ready to make the jump to being the full-time starter for this loaded Denver offense. The next couple of weeks and game prep will be essential to naming the Denver Broncos 2021 starting Quarterback.

Recap

While this was only a preseason game in the first week of the season, there was plenty of excitement to go around. Broncos Country saw a competent offense and a defense that lived up to the hype of the off-season. The attention will now focus on the next two preseason games as evidence to decide who needs to be on the roster and who needs more time on the practice squad to hone their skills. Building off of the success of this game will be the challenge coach Vic Fangio will have to ensure his team performs at upcoming practice. There is plenty of opportunity for excitement in the upcoming week for the Denver Broncos.

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By: Jordan Anders

After 10 days of the Denver Broncos training camp, there have been some clear standout players in practice. The Broncos will lean on star players to compete for glory in the AFC West, but they will need x-factors to eke out big-time victories and ultimately put themselves in a position to earn a fresh playoff birth.

As we know, this is a big year for many Broncos players including Von Miller and Courtland Sutton who were both injured at the start of last season. Others like Safety Justin Simmons, who is coming off his first pro-bowl season, and tackle Garett Bolles, who is also coming off his best season yet. Then you have wide receiver Jerry Jeudy going into his second year and ready to prove the haters wrong. We know who the household names are, but the question asks: who will rise out of the shadow and be a reliable force heading into the season? Well, let’s see who’s surging in the training camp, pre-season period.

3 surprise standouts from Broncos Camp

Patrick Surtain ll

Cornerback Patrick Surtain ll, who the Broncos drafted in the first round this offseason has been fitting in perfectly to the stacked Broncos secondary in camp. Surtain got his first interception in camp on day 5 picking off Drew Lock at the 7-second mark. That’s not all, players and even Coach Vic Fangio have talked very highly of Patrick and how fast he has fit into this Broncos defense.

Teammate Tim Patrick had some big praise for Patrick Surtain after practice, “He’s filled out, and he’s smart. You really don’t expect rookie DBs to know the whole defense already. He’s fitting right in with an already talented defense. It’s remarkable to see. He’s locked me up a couple of times.” Bradley Chubb added that Surtain is “picking up stuff like he’s a vet.”

Caden Sterns

Safety Caden Sterns, who the Broncos also drafted this offseason alongside Patrick Surtain has also been a standout at camp. Caden Sterns was surely going to be great especially learning from one of the best safety duos in the league: Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson.

After the 10th practice, Kareem Jackson spoke very highly of Caden to the media, “Man, Caden been doing some great stuff. He’s picking up the defense really well, he’s spitting out the terminology, he’s getting guys that he’s in with lined up and he’s making a ton of plays.” Even Coach Fangio expressed that Sterns is picking up the defense extremely well and advancing it quicker than your average rookie can at his position.

Jerry Jeudy

This one shouldn’t come as really a surprise if you watched Jeudy last season. All rookies have errors in games as Jeudy struggled with dropped passes last season and received a lot of hate for it. That didn’t stop him though, in camp he’s shown to be one of the best players right now. Jeudy has even stayed after practice to catch a trashcan full of footballs.

On top of that cornerback’s Kyle Fuller and Patrick, Surtain has not had an easy time guarding Jeudy, this comes as no surprise if you’ve seen Jerry Jeudy run routes. Quarterback Drew Lock spoke to the media about Jeudy and expressed, “He is something different. He is making big, big strides.”

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