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3 hours ago
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The Denver Broncos took an interesting approach to the 2025 NFL Draft. Rather than selecting the players rated higher at several positions by draft experts, the team opted to go with the players they had highest on their own board.
One of those was second-round selection RJ Harvey, a running back out of Central Florida. The Broncos took him with the No. 60 overall pick, a spot many saw as too high for him. Despite a solid college career, players like Kaleb Johnson of Iowa and Arizona State's Cam Skattebo were much more connected to the Broncos, at least in mock draft circles.
But Rob Rang of Fox Sports predicts that it's going to work out nicely for the Broncos.
In a recent piece, Rang took a look at one rookie from each of the league's 32 teams and compared that player to a name from the team's past. The Broncos can't do any better than the comparison he came up with for Harvey — Terrell Davis.
"The Broncos have enjoyed quite the stable of running backs since Davis retired in 2001, with Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, C.J. Anderson and Philip Lindsay each earning Pro Bowl nods. None, however, starred for more than a year or two, which is where I think the still-ascending Harvey can distinguish himself. I love his contact balance and desire. I see him as a potential longtime standout in Sean Payton’s offense", wrote Rang.
OK, so maybe he didn't compare Harvey to Davis in terms of talent, that would be unfair so early on, but he did state that Harvey can do what Davis did, which was to be the team's lead back for many years to come.
Davis, who ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is the best running back and one of the best players in Broncos history. But like Harvey, he was highly underrated coming into the draft. In fact, he wasn't selected until the sixth round and was considered a fringe roster player as a rookie.
Lead backs are something of an anomaly for Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who prefers a committee approach perhaps more than any coach, but he will have a hard time denying opportunities to Harvey if he is as good as many expect.
The Broncos have a rich history at the running back position, but no player has come close to matching Davis' production since he left. Harvey appears to be much more than a role player and one who will be a key member of the offense for years to come.
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