ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos and new basic supervisor George Paton took a special path to pick out Patrick Surtain II with the No. 9 general decide within the NFL draft.
With out the advantage of the scouting mix or in-person visits to crew complexes, most NFL groups made concerted efforts to assemble as a lot info as doable on prospects they had been contemplating.
However Paton purposely went into stealth mode, with a complete communications blackout main as much as Denver’s choice of Surtain on Thursday night time.
“I knew the household, I knew [his] dad, I knew the place he got here from,” Paton stated Friday. “We tried to cover our curiosity slightly bit.
“I by no means spoke with Patrick; I by no means Zoomed with him. I informed our coaches, ‘Do not name him.’ I informed our scouts, ‘Do not name, do not Zoom.’ I did not go to the Alabama professional day. This can be a child we focused; it is a child we wished. We’re very lucky he was there.”
That does not imply Paton did not have loads of intel anyway. He was Miami’s director of professional personnel when Surtain’s father, Patrick Sr., was a cornerback with the Dolphins. The Broncos had additionally amassed three years’ value of scouting reviews on Surtain II from his time at Alabama.
Alabama coach Nick Saban additionally was the Dolphins’ head coach in 2005 and 2006 — Paton’s final two seasons with Miami earlier than becoming a member of the Minnesota Vikings as director of participant personnel in 2007.
For his half, Surtain stated his agent had informed him that he may very well be chosen “anytime” as soon as the Detroit Lions took Oregon deal with Penei Sewell with the No. 7 decide Thursday night time.
“I acquired the decision instantly [before the No. 9 selection]. I spotted that it was a Denver space code, so I knew what crew was going to select me,” Surtain stated. “I used to be very excited and emotional on the similar time. It is a very thrilling feeling.”
Surtain added that he had spoken to Broncos broad receiver Jerry Jeudy, a former Alabama teammate whom Denver chosen within the first spherical final yr, in latest weeks, however the two had not even talked about the potential of changing into NFL teammates.
“We’ve not been speaking about becoming a member of the identical crew, however it’s type of loopy the way in which that issues all circle round collectively,” Surtain stated. “I do know that he’s most likely very excited, and I do know that I am very excited to … reunite with him.”