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Denver Broncos select Patrick Surtain II in 2021 NFL Draft: Grading the pick

By Tadhg Flynn

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Defensive back Patrick Surtain II #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates receiving Defensive Player of the Game, after winning in the 2021 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One 31-14 over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Defensive back Patrick Surtain II #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates receiving Defensive Player of the Game, after winning in the 2021 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One 31-14 over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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Did the Denver Broncos make the right choice with the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft selecting Patrick Surtain II? We grade the pick.

The Denver Broncos became the second team to take a defensive player in the 2021 NFL Draft, selecting cornerback Patrick Surtain II at No. 9. Selecting one pick ahead of classic NFL rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, the Broncos’ move to take the best defensive player that suited their needs also happened to deny the Dallas Cowboys their reported top priority.

Surtain II was part of the dominant Alabama Crimson Tide team that romped to a National Championship in 2020. The Broncos have been active in addressing their team needs, and just yesterday made a trade at quarterback.

But how has the selection of Surtain II affected their team? We grade the pick.

Grading the selection of Patrick Surtain II at No. 9 by the Denver Broncos

Grade: A

The Denver Broncos were put into an interesting position by this year’s draft. As always, unexpected events took shape and the Broncos ended up with two of the top tier quarterbacks available at their pick. Instead of definitively resolving their quarterback issue, the Broncos selected a player that can directly affect their position in the difficult AFC West by upgrading their coverage.

Patrick Surtain II is the best defensive coverage in the draft for many recruiters. His length, explosiveness, and game reading ability combine to make the perfect modern corner. Surtain II was part of one of the best defensive corners in all of college football last year. With Alabama Crimson Tide on the way to a National Championship, Surtain II became the 2020 SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

In 12 games of the 2020 season, he recorded 35 tackles and three forced fumbles. A totally switched-on player, Surtain II is a leader of men in a defensive unit. Alongside this strong winning mentality possibly inherited from his three-time Pro-Bowler father, Surtain II has the perfect cornerback physique. Long, powerful and with sticky hands, Surtain II will be an excellent addition to the Broncos’ secondary.

The only issue marring the pick for the Broncos is their quarterback issues. The Denver Broncos made a trade the day before the draft to secure Teddy Bridgewater. He will now contest Drew Lock for the position. The Broncos may now regret their early trade trigger, with two of the top quarterbacks still available at their pick.

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If Bridgewater hadn’t been brought in, they could have outright fixed their quarterback problems with a definitive upgrade from this year’s NFL Draft. They still could have. Instead, the team took another route and made a necessary roster improvement. It is a very good pick, but circumstances prevent it from being an A+.

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