Broncos Top Corner Is Best At His Position By Far

The Denver Broncos are having a spirited competition at cornerback, but there’s a clear hierarchy in what’s happening in OTAs, minicamp and training camp. Simply put, there’s Pat Surtain II, and there’s everyone else, according to a recent piece from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that rated the top ten cornerbacks in the NFL. 

Surtain finished at the top of the list, and he got 75 percent of the votes for first place. That’s domination, and the anonymous quotes Fowler used from evaluators reflected Surtain’s value. 

"It's not close," a seasoned NFL coordinator said. "A generational player. Watch the AFC Championship game. He was the best player on the field by far."

Fowler also called Surtain “the prototype” at his position, as he provides size at 6’2”, 202 pounds, lateral agility, downfield speed and instincts. Surtain was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, and he still defleceted 12 passes even though he missed three games due to a shoulder injury last season. 

That’s the reason the Broncos gave him a salary bump of $5 million recently, although there were a few coaches and scouts who made some negative “nit-pick” comments, as Fowler referre to them. They included notes about the ten penalties Surtain had last year as he “got handsy,” and he also “didn't always show an extra gear to close gaps for interceptions.”

But Surtain’s results against the best receivers in the NFL belie these issues to at least some extent. The example Fowler used was Week 4, when Surtain lined up against Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals and limited him to one reception for eight yards across 13 coverage matchups. 

Fowler also pointed out Surtain’s 12 interceptions over five seasons, which is evidence that the Broncos cornerback still provideds ball production even though he’s not targeted very often. 

"If you went in a lab and made the ideal cornerback, it'd be Patrick Surtain," an NFC personnel evaluator said.

The final evidence Fowler offered was about that DPoY award. Surtain is one of seven cornerbacks to win it, and four are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

The Broncos are looking to get stronger on the other side, which means fan scapegoat Riley Moss is facing some serious competition in training camp. It’s part of the drill playing opposite Surtain, though, as the Broncos second cornerback will always get targeted more than those of most other NFL teams.