Denver Broncos rookie safety Caden Sterns is making some noise training camp.

The former Texas Longhorn seemed to be an afterthought following the NFL draft.

Denver selected Sterns in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, just ahead of fellow safety Jamar Johnson out of Indiana, and although Sterns was selected higher, many draft evaluators liked Johnson’s game more. It didn’t help matters that both players were brought in as potential long-term replacements for safety Kareem Jackson.

During his freshman season at the University of Texas, Sterns flashed great ball skills picking off four passes.

However, that freshman year would end up being a high-water mark, as the Longhorn defense struggled and Sterns’ play reflected it. He played inconsistent over the next few seasons, as his coaching and supporting cast were subpar.

Sterns’ draft stock dropped despite having an impressive physical profile. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) was a lofty 9.59 out of 10, earning him an ‘elite’ grade.

Kent Lee Platte scores Caden Sterns with a 9.59 RAS score

Despite Sterns’s elite physical traits, many did not believe he could excel early picking up Fangio’s complicated match-quarters defensive scheme, which demands a lot from its safeties. In the first week of training camp, Sterns has impressed.

Broncos Sterns making an impact so far early in camp

Sterns has already begun to impress the Broncos veterans.

“I think [working] in the film room with him definitely impresses me,” Jackson said. “He’s taking in a lot of things, but he’s coming out on the field and it’s translating for him.”

“Seeing young guys take things from the film room and come back out on the field and not make the same mistakes is always a great thing,’ Jackson added.

Sterns got the defense started this week with the defense’s first takeaway of camp.

Head coach Vic Fangio had some praise for the rookie safety out of Texas, after his first week.

“He got a nice pick (Thursday),” Fangio said. “He’s done a good job of picking up our defense, learning it, and being able to graduate from Level 1 to Level 2, and Level 3.”

Fangio is not one to pass out praise lightly. The ‘old school’ defensive mastermind added, “[Sterns’s] clock in that regard has been fast.”

The youngster continues to earn snaps in a deep secondary group. Not only does this bode well for him this season, but puts his name in the conversation as the heir to Jackson’s spot next year.

If Sterns continues to progress in the film room and picks up the defense quickly, his elite physical profile would pair nicely with Justin Simmons in 2022.