The Denver Broncos used a fifth-round pick to select Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine in last year’s NFL draft. The 23-year-old cornerback was inactive for the first 12 games of his rookie season before the team had an injury crisis at cornerback.
With Riley Moss sidelined and his replacements struggling, the Broncos turned to Abrams-Draine, and the rookie stepped up. He appeared in five games to close out the 2024 campaign — including one start — and totaled nine tackles, two pass breakups and one interception.
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“He was probably the rookie that we felt was furthest behind after OTAs and the summer,” Denver general manager George Paton said in March. “Then we got into training camp and he kept making plays, and it just wasn’t too big for him.
“You saw that when we played the Chargers on Thursday night, and it wasn’t too big for him. He started making plays. He has unique cover skills, really good instincts, and he doesn’t get fazed. We’re really encouraged with him.”
Abrams-Draine was behind initially, but his talent came through late in the season for the Broncos. Now going into his second season, the cornerback will aim to win a bigger role after playing 123 snaps on defense last fall.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: George Paton really encouraged with Kris Abrams-Draine