Last year, the Denver Broncos made arguably their most important draft selection in recent memory when they picked quarterback Bo Nix at No. 12.
But it was three years earlier when they made their best overall draft selection since taking Von Miller at No. 2 in 2011.
Pat Surtain II has developed into maybe the most talented player on the Denver Broncos roster. He became the second player in franchise history to win Defensive Player of the Year honors and is highly regarded as perhaps the best cornerback in the NFL.
But some people regard him a little bit higher and that includes the best cornerback in the Denver Broncos franchise history. While promoting his work with Positive Athlete with Colorado Preps last week, Champ Bailey offered a few thoughts on what makes Surtain so great and what he saw his ceiling as before he even played a down for the Broncos as a rookie in 2021.
Before @PatSurtainll ever stepped on the football field, he looked like a hall of famer to Champ Bailey. #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/PSogrSEJHq
— Mile High Sports (@MileHighSports) April 21, 2025
Simply put, when Bailey looked at Surtain, he saw greatness.
“I don’t have any problem with his game,” Bailey said. “I think a lot of people laughed at me when I said this kid could have a hall of fame career, before he even played a down. It was based off the way he’s built, his speed, his aggression. He’s a good tackler. And he loves football and he’s a technician as well.”
Bailey also stressed that Surtain is consistent in his play, which is something that NFL coaches value over many other traits.
“Every week, he’s showing that he’s the best in the game right now,” Bailey added.
If anyone can give an assessment of the Broncos standout corner, it’s Bailey. He spent nine years in Denver and was consistently one of the top corners in the NFL in that time. Of Bailey’s 52 career interceptions, 34 came while he was clad in orange and blue. He was inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame in 2019, the same year he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In his retirement life, he’s watching his kids grow up and make their own path in the world of athletics. He’s also trying to help high school athletes prepare for the next stage of their lives, whether or not it’s in sports, as he works with Positive Athlete.
A full breakdown of his work with Positive Athlete can be found at his interview on the Mile High Sports YouTube page and on the Positive Athlete website.
The Positive Athlete deadline nomination in Colorado is May 9 and the winners will be announced on June 2.