Broncos begin rebuilding their defense in 3-round 2021 NFL mock draft

Broncos mock draft: Round 1, Pick 9

The Broncos could pick up Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley with the ninth pick but his injury concern are a concern. Instead, they’ll go with arguably the best cornerback prospect in this draft, Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II.

Surtain is one of the better prospects in terms of his coverage skills despite suspect tackling. He kept up with the best SEC receivers, which is good considering the amount of future NFL talent that’s in place in the conference. The film points to Surtain becoming a solid pro cornerback, though his tackling will have to improve once he’s at the professional level.

In his three collegiate seasons, Surtain accumulated four interceptions, 22 passes defended, and four and a half tackles for loss. As far as where he lined up at Alabama, Pro Football Focus presented a detailed breakdown of his 2020 season. He had 36 snaps in the slot for the Crimson Tide while playing 687 snaps wide on the outside. Surtain could also see playing time on special teams, he totaled 81 plays on both kick and punt coverage.

Other than tackling that needs improvement, Surtain impresses on film. He uses his frame and length to swarm receives, his height will be adequate at six-foot-two in the NFL. His awareness and knack for making plays on the ball stand out while maintaining clean technique. Keep in mind, he played against receives from LSU, Georgia, and Auburn so he’s definitely Pro-ready. Surtain will be a Day One starter on this Broncos team if they opt to go, cornerback.