DENVER — The draft for the Broncos' first-year general manager was back in the final two days of April, first day in May. The reward was this past Sunday in a 28-13 win against the Los Angeles Chargers.
First-round draft pick Pat Surtain II -- a cornerback who was taken in the No. 9 overall spot instead of quarterback Justin Fields, as some critics preferred -- had two fourth-quarter interceptions against Chargers' quarterback Justin Herbert. The first came in the end zone and prevented a touchdown that would have tied the score, 14-14. The second Surtain returned 70 yards for a touchdown.
Those two monumental plays made Surtain the AFC Defensive Player of the Week as the league announced Wednesday.
He wasn't the only rookie who contributed to the Broncos' big win against the division rival. Second-round running back Javonte Williams had 54 yards rushing and a touchdown run, plus 57 yards receiving with one checkdown catch going for 42 yards.
Third-round guard Quinn Meinerz played every snap on offense and third-round inside linebacker Baron Browning played every snap on defense with back-to-back third down stops on the first two defensive series.
Fifth-round safety Caden Sterns replaced the injured Kareem Jackson and played every defensive snap and seventh-round outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper had a key tackle on a scrambling Herbert and played in 56 percent of the defensive snaps.
Surtain is the fourth Broncos rookie to win the weekly defensive award, following D.J. Williams (2004), Von Miller (2011) and Dre'Mont Jones (2019).
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