This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

CLEVELAND (KDVR) — The Denver Broncos picked a cornerback from Alabama as the ninth pick in the first round.

Patrick Surtain II is a lockdown, press-man cornerback with great size and talent. In Alabama, Surtain often blanketed opponents’ best receivers, and could be the piece a young Broncos defense needs to stay strong for years to come.

“I will benefit a lot learning from those guys. They’re very experienced guys in the NFL. Picking their brains and learning from them, I think will be a benefit for me,” Surtain said.

Surtain started all 13 games the last two seasons for the Crimson Tide and as a shutdown corner helped Alabama win a national title in 2020, but also earned first-team Associated Press All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Surtain’s father was a Pro Bowl cornerback and coached his son at American Heritage High School in South Florida.

“I’ve learned a lot from him. Of course, he was a 12-year pro. Gaining his insight and perspective on things has helped me a lot on the field. His game translates a lot into my game. Learning from him and having him teach me his techniques helped shape me up for the next level,” Surtain said.