No, the Denver Broncos didn’t get Ashton Jeanty. However they had been in a position to seize a working again they suppose will make a giant distinction for them. And that participant is the Broncos’ rookie who stood out essentially the most within the 2025 minicamp.
After choosing cornerback Jahdae Barron within the first spherical with the No. 20 total decide, the Broncos settled in for R.J. Harvey in Spherical 2. There are query marks concerning the 5-foot-8, 205-pound Harvey, however he matches what Broncos head coach Sean Payton known as a necessity, based on espn.com.
“It is also no secret that coach Sean Payton needs somebody who can create matchup issues and make performs in area,” Steve Muench wrote. “Harvey has an opportunity to fill that ‘joker’ function.”
Broncos RB R.J. Harvey off to good begin
Payton mentioned Harvey appears to be like the half, based on Sports activities Illustrated.
“He has picked up on what we’re doing actually rapidly,” Payton mentioned. “You’ll be able to inform it’s necessary to him. That is the primary publicity to the coaching room, weight room, the schedule, the diet, the observe. There’s much more than simply, ‘Hey we’re going to run these performs.’ He has regarded good although. We’re glad he’s right here.”
And Harvey believes in himself, based on espn.com.
“I really feel I can do all of it,” Harvey mentioned. “I can catch the ball out of the backfield, I can run it in area, and I am prepared to simply showcase all my abilities. I am excited.”
Broncos normal supervisor George Paton defined why the workforce drafted Harvey.
“Harvey — [he] was sort of our pet cat all through the method,” Paton mentioned. “His working type, he is dynamic, actually good imaginative and prescient, actually good instincts, actually good contact steadiness, extremely explosive. We thought perhaps he had the most effective imaginative and prescient within the draft.”
Payton added, “The very very first thing you see within the analysis is his working capacity. I heard comparisons to [former Saints running back] Darren Sproles. So, contact steadiness, imaginative and prescient.
“You’ll be able to see it, his capacity to get out and in, his capacity to catch, you may see his instincts, the cross recreation. He had a variety of massive performs within the cross recreation. You simply do not see all of the routes and you may see these on the professional day, and we expect he can maintain going like this and actually in cross safety he can enhance as properly, like all these school runners.”
May RB R.J. Harvey be a Broncos star?
Regardless of his measurement, Harvey could possibly be a three-down again, based on broncoswire.com.
“I do know the query is, ‘Is he a three-down again?’ ” Payton mentioned. “Properly, he’s going to play on third down, however he may play on third down the place the tight finish is in safety reverse. There’s rather a lot we are able to do relative to actually go well with his strengths.
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“It will occur sometimes with Darren (Sproles) the place I’d say to him, ‘Each every so often you may get matched up on NaVorro Bowman or [Patrick] Willis. I’m not going to make a behavior of doing that, however…’ When you watch (Harvey’s) stature, he’s put collectively fairly properly. So there’s a distinction between a small runner and a brief runner. We’re not within the small runners, however we’re OK with the quick runners.”
Harvey turned in spectacular performances within the minicamp, based on predominantlyorange.com.
“One of many largest winners over the weekend for the Broncos was working again RJ Harvey,” Sayre Bedinger wrote. “Harvey regarded improbable within the footage media was allowed to seize, exhibiting his explosiveness and quickness whereas additionally impressing when he acquired the prospect to speak to the media of us.
“Harvey made an ideal first impression and is properly on his solution to changing into the Broncos’ prime working again this season. He and Sean Payton sat down to observe outdated tape of Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara. The Broncos really feel he has untapped potential within the passing recreation, and we could be on the brink of see this man completely unleashed.”
RB R.J. Harvey mentioned he can do many issues
Harvey mentioned he’s enthusiastic about enjoying the sort of roles loved by Sproles and Kamara underneath Payton.
“Positively need to be like these guys,” Harvey mentioned. “Like Darren Sproles, he went loopy with the Saints. Kamara, too. I need to be higher than these guys, so I’ll work every single day, get higher, simply show myself to all of the vets and the coaches. I need to make a direct impression on this league.”
One other factor in Harvey’s favor is the best way he embraced being on the identical workforce as Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.
“I like how he performs,” Harvey mentioned by way of the workforce’s PR division. “I really feel like it is a nice workforce, had an ideal yr final yr, a younger workforce, nice protection. I’m simply able to get to work with all of the vets.”
Nix contacted all the Broncos’ rookies and welcomed them, based on DNVR Broncos. And Nix has a legend in his nook, former Denver quarterback Peyton Manning.
“It’s been a great match,” Manning mentioned dvia Denver Sports activities 104.3 The Fan. “I simply see it persevering with to get higher. You may inform Sean was concerned with him early on as a participant, as an individual. And I believe he’s been every thing that Sean was sort of hoping he can be. Only a fitness center rat, a man that loves ball, a man that desires extra. ‘Hey, give me extra, I can deal with it.’”