Clayton: Patrick Surtain has lived up to expectations for the Broncos

Cornerback Patrick Surtain of the Broncos and linebacker Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys were considered the top two defensive players in the 2021 NFL Draft. And boy are they living up to it.

Parsons has been great for the Cowboys and enhanced his position even more by helping out as an edge rusher because of injuries to the Cowboys edge rusher. Surtain has been great for the Broncos and on Sunday in the win over the Los Angeles Chargers he earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Vic Fangio wasn’t sure how he was going work in Surtain when the season started. He had veterans Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller and Bryce Callahan at cornerback. Now, the coach wouldn’t be surprise if he can emerge as Defensive Rookie of the Year. As he said, Surtain is in the conversation for that award.

“He played really well Sunday,” Fangio said. “Obviously, the two interceptions everybody knows about but he’s broken up some passes too that were critical. They don’t quite get the pizzazz that the picks do, but they’re just as critical. He’s been playing really good football for us all year. We’re thrilled to have him.”

The head coach wasn’t done lauding praise.

“I don’t want to speak for George Paton, but I think I am,” Fangio added. “If we have to redo the draft right now and it was the same players available at No. 9, it’d be the same pick.’’

For the season, only 29 of 62 passes have been completed on Surtain. That’s 46.8 percent. Impressive.

Even more impressive is that he’s only been beaten for two touchdowns. Plus, he’s broken up 11 passes.

He’s lived up to hype.

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