The eyes, Kris Abrams-Draine says, are the keys to a receiver\u2019s soul.<\/p>\n
He is 23 years old and has started exactly one NFL game. He walks with a cheeky grin, the kind undisturbed by wrinkles. But he moves in the secondary with wisdom beyond his years, because there\u2019s been a lot\u00a0packed into that 23.<\/p>\n
Abrams-Draine had his first son at 17 years old, and switched from quarterback to receiver to cornerback in his time at Mizzou. He\u2019s shifted abruptly from mostly press coverage in college to off-man in Denver, in a different scheme. Yet he keeps showing up when called upon, because the corner has plenty \u201cbetween the ears,\u201d as head coach Sean Payton put it Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a surprise,\u201d Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II said, \u201cthat he\u2019s good this early.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abrams-Draine has been\u00a0this good\u00a0as a second-year corner \u2014 just seven catches allowed in 16 targets last year in spot snaps as a rookie \u2014 because of his understanding of receivers\u2019 movements. He stares at their shoulders, then their eyes. When their pupils pop, he turns. The ball\u2019s often there, in the air.<\/p>\n
In the third quarter of Denver\u2019s preseason game Saturday in San Francisco, Abrams-Draine was playing off 49ers receiver Terique Owens. He was open on a deep crossing route as Abrams-Draine sprinted to catch up. 49ers quarterback Carter Bradley reared back, and Abrams-Draine caught a glimpse of Owens\u2019 eyes. They bulged.<\/p>\n
In a blink, Abrams-Draine darted in front of Owens to pick off Bradley\u2019s toss, somehow tapping both feet before toppling out of bounds. It didn\u2019t show up in a stat sheet because defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike was flagged for hands to the face. It was still one of the most impressive reps any Broncos defender put on tape in the trip to Santa Clara.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething just told me,\u201d Abrams-Draine told The Denver Post Tuesday, \u201cto turn around.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Broncos may have a budding second-year psychic in their cornerback room. At present, though, he is buried fifth on the depth chart. In cumulative reps through last year\u2019s preseason and regular season and Saturday\u2019s preseason opener, Abrams-Draine has allowed eight catches on 28 targets for 95 yards and one pick, according to Pro Football Focus. That\u2019s good for an opposing QB rating of 26.3.<\/p>\n
Production like that would put him in contention for a starting spot with many NFL franchises. In Denver, it\u2019s landed the 2023 fifth-round pick outside the initial CB rotation.<\/p>\n
Surtain is his own island, and Riley Moss is growing in confidence opposite him. Starting nickel Ja\u2019Quan McMillian picked off a pass Saturday and picked off Bo Nix in practice Tuesday. And the Broncos snagged versatile corner Jahdae Barron in the first round of April\u2019s draft, a move that made Abrams-Draine tell himself he had to step it up in a room that\u2019s only gotten deeper.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany teams don\u2019t have guys that can play inside and out,\u201d Abrams-Draine said. \u201cSo I feel like, in this defense, you gotta be able to play inside and out \u2026 you just have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n
He made himself comfortable in uncomfortable moments as a rookie. He got his first NFL shot in the fourth quarter<\/a> of a primetime matchup with Cleveland last year after veteran Levi Wallace was torched by ex-Bronco Jerry Jeudy. Abrams-Draine promptly blanketed Jeudy. He got his first NFL divisional reps in another primetime matchup with the Chargers, and promptly picked off Justin Herbert near the Broncos\u2019 end zone<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tail end of last year, his plays and his confidence \u2014 you can have a stretch of four weeks, and all of a sudden that can carry over into the next year,\u201d Payton said.<\/p>\n Abrams-Draine has stacked years ever since he arrived at Mizzou. He entered as a wideout and switched to cornerback his sophomore year. At first, he was so raw that he\u2019d turn his head back to the ball once his assignment broke off the line of scrimmage, still stuck in a receiver\u2019s mindset. His coach would implore: He\u2019s not throwing the ball to you. You gotta keep your eyes on the receiver.<\/p>\n He\u2019s done that ever since. By his senior year, he led the SEC in pass deflections. Abrams-Draine traces receivers\u2019 gazes, searching for any flash of excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like most receivers, their eyes just get big,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd they don\u2019t even know it.\u201d<\/p>\n For now, Abrams-Draine has established himself as a key special-teamer, lining up on most kickoff units the Broncos trotted out against San Francisco. There\u2019s no easy path to cornerback snaps. But Denver has another legitimate young asset tucked in the wings of Vance Joseph\u2019s secondary.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, I want to play,\u201d Abrams-Draine said. \u201cBut I can be patient.\u201d<\/p>\n