2021 NFL Draft: Three-round 2021 NFL mock draft with top 10 surprises
2021 NFL Draft: Round 1, 12th Overall
Pick Analysis. CB. Patrick Surtain II. 12. Scouting Report. Alabama. player. 45
The Denver Broncos are not an easy team to make picks for at this point in the process. They have many minor needs on their roster, but no real glaring needs that simply must be addressed. With this in mind, simply taking the best player available at one of those minor positions of need makes the most sense and that is where Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II comes into play.
Surtain is a long and athletic cornerback prospect who shows tremendous natural instincts in coverage. He understands what he is doing on the field extremely well, always seeming to be in a great position to keep the ball away from the receiver.
Surtain is a smart and patient cornerback who also attacks the ball in the air extremely well. He is competitive at the catch point, skying high for the ball and putting up a great fight against any type of receiver. Surtain is also extremely smooth in coverage and breaks on the ball in an instant.
He is a strong defender in both man and zone coverage, showing the ability to defend against nearly any type of defender. Surtain can match up against bigger receivers on a consistent basis and will not allow himself to get burned by big-time speed. He also has a knack for knocking the ball out of the hands of the ball carrier, doing a great job of always looking for turnover opportunities.
Simply put, Surtain is a fantastic cornerback prospect who has a safe floor and a nice ceiling at the next level. The Broncos are not in a bad position at cornerback, but they could certainly use a guy like Surtain who could quickly grow into a true No. 1 shutdown option on the outside.