Patrick Surtain II gets his first INT as a rookie

Denver Bronco rookie cornerback Patrick Surtain II was expected to come in and make an instant-impact for their secondary. It didn’t take him long to do that, as he snatched an interception in practice earlier today.

Let’s take a look at the pick below, where he picked off Denver quarterback Drew Lock in practice.

Rook’s first pick‼️@PatSurtainll x #BroncosCamp pic.twitter.com/AmY3UI3LgV

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 2, 2021

TOP 10 NFL DRAFT SELECTION

Surtain II was drafted by the Broncos with the 9th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and he was the second cornerback selected in the class, right after South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn. Surtain II is expected to be a leading candidate to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in the 2021-2022 NFL season.

DENVER BOLSTERS ITS SECONDARY

The Broncos made several moves to bolster their secondary in the 2021 off-season. Their secondary was recently named the top secondary in the league, according to PFF. Now they’ll have the option of deploying Ronald Darby, Patrick Surtain II, and Kyle Fuller to stop opposing passing offenses. At safety, Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson are also rated highly by PFF.

The Broncos need all the help they can get in the secondary, as they’ll face the likes of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and San Diego’s Justin Herbert twice every season. They’re two of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League.

Mahomes is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. In just four seasons in the league, Mahomes has already won a MVP and a Super Bowl. Justin Herbert won Rookie of the Year honors in 2021. He’s one of the game’s emerging stars. Big things are expected from him and the Chargers in the upcoming season.

The NFL has so many talented quarterbacks, it’s no surprise Denver’s defensive minded head coach Vic Fangio wanted to make sure his secondary was among the league’s best.

FAMOUS BLOODLINES

Patrick Surtain II is the son of former NFL legend Patrick Surtain, Sr. Surtain played with the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League. He racked up 422 tackles and 37 interceptions in his storied 11 year career. Surtain was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Miami Dolphins. He was named First Team All-Pro in 2002 and Second Team All-Pro in 2003. Surtain coached his son in high school football at American Heritage in Plantation, Florida. He was recently named the 2020 National Coach of the Year by High School Football America, after he led his American Heritage to its third state championship in the past five years.

ALABAMA CAREER

Patrick Surtain II was one of the most highly touted prospects in America coming out of high school and he didn’t disappoint for the Crimson Tide. As a freshman in 2018, he earned All-SEC Freshman honors after racking up 37 tackles, 1.5 for loss, one interception, and seven pass breakups. His play as a shutdown corner not only helped lead Alabama to a national title in 2021, but earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, too.

PFF’s Sam Monson raved about Surtain II in his pre-draft write-up on him when he wrote: “Patrick Surtain II—as you might expect from the son of a player who was one of the best in the league at his position back in the day—is such a clean prospect; it’s easy to see why people like him. He has been presumably learning the nuances of this position since he was a child, and that education will only have been furthered at Alabama under Nick Saban.”

(Photo by UA Athletics/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)