Central Illinois ties strong for Denver Broncos

DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) – The Denver Broncos 2025 squad has more than a couple connections to Central Illinois.

The team is coached by Eastern Illinois alum Sean Payton, 2025 will be the third year he leads the Broncos.

Former Illinois offensive lineman Alex Palczewski has been with the team about the same amount of time as Payton.

Now, two more with ties to the WCIA viewing area are joining Payton and Palczewski in the Mile High City.

The Broncos selected former Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Denver also signed wide receiver Trent Sherfield, a Danville native, in March.

The two new wideouts in Colorado are becoming friends quickly.

“[I] love PB, man,” Sherfield said of Bryant. “PB is my young guy.”

Sherfield, who spoke with WCIA while hosting a girls football camp in his hometown over the weekend, says former Illinois kicker/punter Caleb Griffin reached out to him when Denver drafted Bryant. Griffin is also a Danville native.

“[He] told me that Pat Bryant was like his little brother to him,” Sherfield said. “He was watching out for him and all those different things.”

Bryant and Sherfield make up a veteran and rookie dynamic, coming together in different stages of their careers.

“Excited for PB, man, super excited for him,” Sherfield said. “We’ve connected, so far, so quickly already. Super excited to work with him. I’m going into year year eight [in the NFL], he’s going into year one. So, whatever I can do to help him chase his dream at the next level and all those things.”

Sherfield says Bryant hasn’t been to Danville, but was familiar with the town.

Sherfield has played in 112 NFL games in his career, totaling 86 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards.

Bryant ended his college career with a bang, racking up 984 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior with the Illini.

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Central Illinois ties strong for Denver Broncos

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