Patrick Surtain II Making Early Case That He’s Undervalued in Rookie of the Year Odds
By Peter Dewey
The Denver Broncos took a lot of flak on social media on Saturday for taking Patrick Surtain II over Justin Fields when the Chicago Bears’ rookie quarterback scored a pair of touchdowns in his first preseason game, but Surtain II quickly put some of that to rest.
The Broncos took a corner instead of Justin Fields.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) August 14, 2021
Maybe it’ll prove smart, but I thought it was dubious then, and today only furthers that opinion
I'm sure that Patrick Surtain II will be a great player, but the #Broncos whiffed by passing on Justin Fields. The biggest thing holding them back from being division competitors is the QB spot.
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) August 12, 2021
Yes, Fields could become a franchise quarterback and the Broncos chose to roll with a Drew Lock-Teddy Bridgewater competition, but let’s not take away from Surtain II, who nabbed a pick-six in his first NFL action on Saturday.
PATRICK SURTAIN PICK SIX ?
— PFF (@PFF) August 14, 2021
pic.twitter.com/aJGl4V5M2k
Yeah, the Broncos might have a star defender on their hands for years to come.
Surtain II, who is currently +1200 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year on WynnBET, may be undervalued at that spot as he’s already proving he can be a vital part of Denver’s secondary.
Surtain II is currently behind Micah Parsons (+500), Jaelen Phillips (+650), Jamin Davis (+900) and Kwity Paye (+900) to win the award this season.
The Broncos revamped their defense by bringing in Surtain II, Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby at cornerback this offseason, and Vic Fangio’s scheme has been known to help corners (like Fuller in Chicago) become All-Pro caliber players.
At +1200, Surtain II provides some serious value given the fact that two of the last six Rookie of the Year award winners were cornerbacks (Marcus Peters in 2015 and Marshon Lattimore in 2017).
Denver is currently projected to win 8.5 games this season, with the under being the slight favorite (-116) ahead to the over (-105). WynnBET also has the Broncos heavily favored to miss the postseason again under Fangio, as they are -210 to do so and just +155 to make it into the field.
Surtain II could make a significant difference on a team that finished 21st in the NFL in yards allowed last season, and he’s already shown his playmaking ability throughout camp and now in the preseason. You could do a lot worse with a futures bet on DROY, and Surtain II has already shown he has a role heading into 2021.
Can Patrick Surtain II win DROY? Make your pick now on WynnBET.