The 2025 season has seen the Denver Broncos win five games to two losses, sitting atop a highly talented AFC West division. With that said, there are still areas of improvement for the Broncos, both as a team and individually.

Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski recently chose rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron as the team’s most disappointing player through the first seven weeks of the season.

“Patrick Surtain II has set the bar seriously high for first-round cornerbacks in Denver, and it's too early to become concerned here,” Sobleski said of Barron’s start in the NFL. “That said, the rookie No. 20 overall pick has yet to earn a major role and has played just a quarter of the team's defensive snaps. He's got the fifth-lowest defensive PFF grade on the team.”

In college, Barron led the SEC in interceptions in his final year with five and was named a Consensus All-American at the University of Texas. The Broncos selected Barron with the 20th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. It was seen as a selection that only strengthened Denver’s already top defense.

Despite the undeniable talent that Barron has, he hasn't been able to solidify his role in the Broncos' secondary. He’s played just 25% of the defensive snaps this season and started just one game. Instead, four-year veteran Ja’Quan McMillian has taken most of the snaps at the slot cornerback position.

Barron hasn’t been horrible for the Broncos, but his selection as the team’s most disappointing player comes as he hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations of being the first full-time cornerback taken off the board in the 2025 draft. It’s concerning that he hasn’t been able to earn consistent play, considering the expectation of Barron’s ability to be a force from Week 1.

The 23-year-old has still had his flashes in his limited playing time. He has allowed the fourth-lowest passer rating among rookie cornerbacks at 51.6 and flashed his ability to disrupt plays. It’s not the time to sound the alarm, but rather a player to keep your eyes on as a Broncos fan.