Broncos’ Pat Surtain II Fails to Deliver on Personal Verdict After Cracking NFL’s Top 100 Rankings

“(Pat Surtain II is) the best, probably, in the business right now, or one of the top couple,” Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said. Coming from one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, with years of experience, that praise for Surtain carries extra weight. It’s not just admiration, the cornerback has been garnering accolades as well. And the latest one is that he made the 2025 NFL Top 100 list for the third time in his career. While he has achieved this major feat again, the Broncos’ No.2 CB failed to meet his own expectations.

In a recent interview, when asked who should be number one on that list, he didn’t hesitate to endorse himself. “Can I be biased…” and went on to name himself. Well, he has earned the position where he can be confident. While he may not have won the top player position, he was voted No. 10. At the age of 25, this is just the beginning for the cornerback. But again, even the top 10 isn’t an easy feat. To make it there, Surtain had to surpass all the defensive backs who ranked in the list.

The stats were a bit tricky. Quarterbacks mostly avoided throwing toward Pat Surtain because his coverage was so tight. That meant he didn’t pile up big numbers on paper. But if you look at the advanced stats, his impact is clear, he didn’t allow more than 50 receiving yards in any game. He led the Broncos’ defense to rack up a league-high 63.0 sacks in the last year and helped make the postseason appearance for the first time.

Meanwhile, the other nine players who made it to the top 10 are Saquon Barkley, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen,  Ja’Marr Chase, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Derrick Henry, Myles Garrett, and Justin Jefferson.

Now, apart from Surtain, if there are people who believe that the player deserves the top spot are his admirers and sometimes his opponents too. “He is the best cornerback in the league right now,” Saints Wide Receiver Chris Olave said. Nic Bonitto also had praise for the player. “Having a guy that you can go out there and put any receiver and you won’t hear about him for the rest of the game. That does wonders for a D-line,” he said.

Speaking of Olave’s comment, he led all corners with 400+ coverage snaps in 2024, giving up just 306 yards, 0.6 yards per snap, a 10.9% target rate, and only 7.1 air yards per throw (as per Next Gen Stats).  The Broncos CB is surely reaching new heights. Ever since entering the league in 2021, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year has quietly worked his way up. He was voted for No. 49 in 2023 and No. 52 last year. Surtain has slowly taken over with his brilliance. And his defense is a nightmare for opponents.

If you can remember, Surtain II showed perfect timing when he intercepted a risky throw from the Raiders quarterback (now Chiefs), Gardner Minshew. He then sprinted the entire length of the field, 100 yards, for a touchdown, which was the second-longest interception return in Broncos history. His growing list of accolades doesn’t stop there.

Pat Surtain II continues to take long strides with his new achievement

After earning the 2024 NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year honor, Surtain has now been ranked the No. 1 cornerback in the NFL as per ESPN’s annual survey of executives, coaches, and scouts. The poll covers 11 positions and is widely viewed as one of the most respected evaluations of player talent across the league.

One NFL coordinator even described him as a “technician” and praised him for his speed and skills. The numbers back it up. Last year, he recorded 45 tackles, 11 pass breakups, four interceptions, including a 100-yard pick-six, along with a forced fumble and a recovery.

He is the second cornerback since 2011 to win Defensive Player of the Year, joining Stephon Gilmore, who won it in 2019. Surtain wasn’t the only Broncos player to earn league-wide recognition. Guard Quinn Meinerz was ranked eighth among interior offensive linemen, while linebacker Dre Greenlaw came in ninth at his position. Several others, including Bonitto, defensive lineman Zach Allen, safety Brandon Jones, and Evan Engram, were mentioned.

This shows that with Surtain II and other notable names on the roster, the Broncos have an impressive depth. If this is any indication, the team is all set to contend in the 2025 season.