The Denver Broncos have shown a stout defense in their three games so far this season and star cornerback Pat Surtain II is one of the big reasons for that. If he's not the best cornerback in the NFL in your mind, it's hard to argue who is better.
The shutdown cornerback is one of the most effective weapons an NFL team can have. But very few cornerbacks are actually shutdown corners. Deion Sanders was a shutdown corner, but because of how flashy he was, you always knew he was there. A really effective shutdown corner almost disappears in games because the other team does not look his way.
If you are familiar with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, you know how much Baker Mayfield likes to throw Mike Evans the ball. On Sunday, Evans was targeted just three times and had just two catches for 17 yards. That is not a typical Mike Evans game.
Pat Surtain II allowed 8 yards on 1 reception as the nearest defender over 32 coverage snaps today, per @NextGenStats. He was targeted just once.
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) September 22, 2024
Surtain lined up opposite Mike Evans on 24 of 32 coverage snaps.
But it's not just Evans, Surtain is beginning to do this to everyone. Take a look at these numbers:
| Player | vs. Pat Surtain | Other 2 games |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 3 rec, 29 yards (4 targets) | 14 rec, 233 yards, 2 TDs (20 targets) |
| George Pickens, Pitt. | 2 rec, 29 yards (4 targets) | 11 rec, 142 yards (14 targets) |
| Mike Evans, TB | 2 rec, 17 yards (3 targets) | 8 rec, 103 yards, 2 TDs (12 targets) |
That's a small sample size, but those are also three of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Surtain's next assignment will come against Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets next Sunday. If you have Wilson on your fantasy football team, temper your expectations.
Pat Surtain is proving to be worth the draft pick and the money
Earlier this month, the Broncos signed Surtain to a four-year, $96 million extension that made him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. While that is a lucrative deal, it's worth the cost. Having Surtain take away the team's No. 1 receiving option on a weekly basis is invaluable.
The Broncos used the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to select Surtain and that pick has never been looked at regretfully. He has been tremendous for this team and he is the leader of what has quietly been one of the league's stingier defenses this season.
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