Pat Surtain II had a ridiculous rookie season, backing his top 10 NFL Draft selection and becoming one of the league’s best cornerbacks.

At just 22-years-old Surtain’s savvy is already showing out as he’s spent parts of this summer discussing how he’ll need to bait quarterbacks throwing to his matchup. The Alabama graduate is already vaulting himself into the rare territory where opposing gunslingers won’t want to aim at his half of the field.

And heading into Week 1 of his sophomore season, Surtain has a big advantage as the Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks. Not only do the birds have a new starting quarterback in journeyman Geno Smith but their longtime starter is Surtain’s leader—Russell Wilson.

“It’s definitely a benefit, especially him playing with those two guys,” Surtain said of his teammate’s old teammates Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. “I could pick his brain, gain a few tips from him, gain some insight from him, but also it just comes down to film study and preparation at the same time. Getting yourself mentally and physically prepared for that week.”

Whoever Surtain squares off against will be an admirable foe. Lockett has had three-straight 1,000-yard seasons and 45 touchdowns in seven pro seasons. The physical-freak Metcalf, has been over 900 yards in each of his first there NFL seasons, adding 29 touchdowns in just 49 games.

Smith may not have the courage to test PS2 and instead go to his other star receiver but the Broncos corner has tricks up his sleeve.

“It just comes with tendencies and picking up on certain concepts, routes, route trees and stuff like that within the scheme,” Surtain said.  “So it’s easier said to come in, day in day out and just to, you know, study those heavy studies or study those concepts so you’ll be more confident and make plays like that. And bait quarterbacks and making those plays.”

“We’ll see throughout the season how things go, but I’ll definitely come to that, you know, definitely,” Surtain said of baiting.

Surtain has to stay a few steps ahead or even pretend to be behind because he admits his stat sheet takes a hit from how well he’s playing positionally.

“It is both a compliment but also it’s like dang, like, my stat sheet ain’t gonna be up there,” he laughed. “But it’s just but it’s also a compliment you know of opposing team quarterback doesn’t look your way obviously you’re doing some good. But my  stat sheet is just not gonna come out how you want it to come. But you know, at the end of the day, you know, you did something good.”

***