The former Texas Longhorn said to learn from those two is “literally going to be amazing.”
Head coach Sean Payton had a comment for anyone unsure about taking Jahdae Barron instead of a running back or tight end in the first round.
“Let’s not pass on the crystal for a blender just because we need a blender,” Payton said.
Barron probably won’t argue with being the “crystal” in this metaphor, but as with most rookies taken in the first round, they aren’t going to argue with anything.
They just want to be on an NFL team.
And a college cornerback could do a lot worse than a Vance Joseph-led NFL defense.
“I can’t wait to learn from Pat Surtain. I can’t wait to learn from Coach Joseph. It’s going to be amazing. It’s literally going to be amazing,” said the former Longhorn who was the 2024 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation’s top defensive back. “I’m going to embrace the opportunity and I’m going to live up to the opportunity.”
Joining fellow Longhorn safeties P.J. Locke and Brandon Jones plus Longhorn lineman Malcolm Roach, Barron said his best trait is his versatility. He can play outside or in the slot, and he’d be happy playing safety if that was a need.
But he’s also smart. And for those of you in the back, I predicted that however the board would fall for the Broncos tonight, Payton would take the smartest guy in the room.
Sean Payton on Barron “His football IQ is outstanding”
Lauded his versatility
Also quipped:
“We’re at a max for Texas players so if another one comes in, someone’s gotta go”— Ryan Edwards (@redwardsradio) April 25, 2025
“I can do a lot of things….I’m very smart, and I’m willing to do whatever to contribute and to make myself a value and a key piece,” Barron said. “I can’t wait to learn from Pat Surtain, to be part of the DB culture …. I’m so excited to play in Broncos Country.”
Barron recalled just one zoom meeting with the Broncos, so if he wasn’t on Broncos’ Country’s radar, the Broncos weren’t really on Barron’s radar either.
But that doesn’t mean he isn’t ecstatic over his new landing spot and the opportunities to put his versatility to use. In fact, knowing how Joseph likes versatile defenders was the one hint Barron had that the Broncos might be interested in him.
“The things that they do on that defense with that defense and with the players, they move a lot of guys around. They do a lot of different looks,” Barron said, adding that he played in a lot of different looks at Texas too. “I played in a lot of different spaces on defense in a lot of different roles. It’s a perfect fit.”
There is only one concern Barron has about joining the squad. In a funny twist of fate, Barron was introduced to Surtain recently by his financial advisor. Barron was supposed to reach out to Surtain, but he didn’t have a chance.
“I was going to reach out to him, and I was supposed to hit him back, but I didn’t even get to hit him back,” Barron laughed. “He’s probably going to make me carry his pads for not hitting him back.”