Ryan Clady: Pro Bowl Left Tackle in 2009

Left tackle is regarded as one of the most important positions in the National football league.  Come draft time the saying goes that you don’t pass up a franchise quarterback, a shutdown corner, or a premium left tackle if there is one left on the board. 

The left tackle position is so important that the Miami Dolphins selected Jake Long No. 1 overall in 2007. And in recent years and in years to come quality left tackles will always be top ten picks.  

The left tackle protects the (right handed quarterback’s) blind side.  He needs to be an excellent pass protector, with good feet and quickness to thwart the attempts of the pass rushing specialists who come from the blind side.

Ryan Clady proved last year that he was up to the task last year. Clady only gave up 0.5 a sack on 616 passing attempts. Clady was just a rookie, but he played like a probowler against the likes of John Abraham (16.5), Joey Porter (17.5), Julius Peppers (14.5), and Richard Seymor (8) to name a few.

(#) – number of sacks in 2008

These statistics prove that Clady has already become a dominant force in the league, and is a force to be recognized. 

Despite Clady’s amazing performance he was snubbed by Probowl voters in 2008.  Granted it was his rookie year, and there are many talented LT’s in the AFC, and the Probowl is voted on way to early in the year to really find out who the best players are;

But rookie Jake Long was invited as an injury replacement over Clady and that just does not seem right. 

I think that as long as Clady continues to perform at the high level he did last year he should be an shoe in Probowl left tackle.    

Why The Broncos Are Mile High In My Book

Jan. 25, 1998, Live from Qualcomm stadium the 32^nd Super Bowl is about to kickoff and it is the first Super Bowl I can remember watching.

However, the game is delayed twice because the Denver Broncos could not get the kickoff to be official without a penalty. Finally on the third try, Super Bowl XXXII starts.

The two teams playing in this edition of the Super Bowl are the Denver Broncos representing the AFC and the defending champions Green Bay Packers.

It seemed to be more than a match-up of two teams, but also a match up of two players, the starting quarter backs, John Elway and Brett Favre.

Both quarterbacks had been in the Super Bowl before, however Favre had something over Elway, a Super Bowl win.

I had watched football before and the teams that I liked were not because I liked the players or the team had a good record, but because of the logos on the helmets.

Therefore for the first three years of watching the National Football League my favorite team had been a team that I felt I could relate with, the Buffalo Bills.

Being from Wyoming, Buffaloes are everywhere, they are the main logo on the state flag, there is a statue of one outside the capitol building and right before anyone exits the state on Interstate 25 into the Colorado state border, there is a sign of a Buffalo.

But as Super Bowl XXXII played out I discovered that choosing a team based on logos is not the best idea.

Soon my opinion on football teams would change, because before the next day I would have a new favorite NFL team.

Denver is only 100 miles south of my hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming, so most of the early NFL games that I watched were that of the Denver Broncos.

I had never really made an opinion about the Broncos on if I liked them or not, they had an okay logo and my dad talked about them as if they were the best team I could ever watch.

But before the Super Bowl, before the 1997 season even, the Broncos received a face-lift.

Now the Bronco logo was cooler, no more D surrounding what looked like a knight, chess piece.

The colors were now meaner, Navy Blue and Orange.

And thankfully, the Broncos were no longer wearing pumpkin colored home uniforms.

Super Bowl XXXII was different too. This was the first Super Bowl I watched with the Broncos playing, but my dad had told me that John Elway and the great Broncos had made it to the Super Bowl before.

He did neglect the fact though, that Denver had lost the previous Super Bowls.

The game had been everything I thought a championship game should be, there was lots of scoring, and the Broncos were in a good position to win.

As the fourth quarter wound down, the broncos scored after a play that I would watch replays of over and over again.

John Elway ran for the end zone, but was hit by three Packer players and did a helicopter spin and landed on his back. Now that is what football should look like.    

The Broncos scored, and eventually won Super Bowl XXXII.

I was excited the good guys had won and were Super Bowl champions for the first time.

Wait, for the first time?

I was confused my dad had told me that the Broncos had made it to the Super Bowl before. Now the nice voice on the television was telling me this was their first championship.

My dad then explained to me that the Broncos had lost the other times, but now they had won, I guess I never made the connection before that making it to the Super Bowl and winning the Super Bowl were not the same thing.

I guess I should have realized that earlier, when I was a Bills fan, but I never paid attention to but I never really watched football before this night.   

Ever since then I have watched the Broncos win a second championship, watched John Elway give way to Brian Griese, then a number of quarterbacks in the mid 2000’s then Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler and now a player to be named after training camp.

Also I was able to watch the Broncos for a number of years in Greeley Colorado during training camp. Something they had over the Bills.

And now I do think that the Broncos have a better logo than the Buffalo Bills.

Mock Interview, Real Draftee: Robert Ayers

Josh McDaniels is a controversial guy.  Sure, he got some early offseason help in that category from Jay Cutler, but the “experts” set his inaugural draft solely on his shoulders.  So when he chose a guy that seemingly had no business playing in the new 3-4 defensive scheme, it was almost easier for Broncos fans to shrug their shoulders than to shake their fists.

McDaniels hasn’t offered any excuses for his selection process, and Robert Ayers won’t be offering any for his suspect fit.  That’s because underneath all of the scrutiny, and all of the nay-saying, the Broncos followed a time-tested philosophy:  Draft your guys, screw the rest. 

So why take a prospect whose value projections ran the gamut from early first round to late second?  Because he’s a team-first guy playing a team-first sport.

 

1. Hunter Ansley:  First things first.  Did you have a feeling you’d go in the top 20 of the Draft?
2. HA:  Now that you’re in Denver, where do you fit into the Broncos scheme?
3. HA:  Are you comfortable standing up as an outside linebacker?
4. HA:  Why were you unable to put up great stats at Tennessee?
5. HA:  Everybody asks about the best player a guy faced in college, but I want to know if there was one particular offensive player that really got under your skin?  Any big-time college grudges?
6. HA:  What was the best game you played that no one noticed?
7. HA:  How important is it to have two other rookies (WR Lucas Taylor and P Britton Colquitt) from Tennessee in Denver with you?
8. HA:  When Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams were drafted, they had a wager going on who would be drafted higher.  Any draft bets with any of your friends?
9. HA:  What makes you a good fit for Josh McDaniels’ overall team philosophy?
10. HA:  What’s more important— a great individual statistical performance that leads to a win, or doing the unheralded tasks that make it easier for teammates to have a great game that leads to a win?
11. HA:  How long before the Broncos are back in the playoffs?
12. HA:  What kind of lessons can you learn from veteran players who play a different position than you?
13. HA:  Who’s going to be the toughest guy to outwork on your new team?
14. HA:  So far what’s the biggest difference between John Chavis and Mike Nolan? Do you like either style better?
15. HA:  All right, you just had three sacks in a Broncos’ Super Bowl Victory.  What are you doing that night?
16. HA:  Thanks for your time, Robert.  Have a great season and a great career. 

RA:  Thank you, Hunter.  You were by far the best interviewer I’ve ever talked to.  It was an absolute privilege answering your questions.  Plus, you’re pretty cool.

 

This One Is For You John!

Given the headline along with the photo, there should be no question as to whom I’m referring to when speaking about John, right? 

Well what if I told you that the John this article is relating to has never played for the Denver Broncos, and is a man that you and even I know little about? 

If that’s not a big enough twist for you, what if I also told you that this man was my father?

Given those facts, one has to think that my upbringing came from a broken home, or that I had a father who cared more about himself than raising a family.  I’m proud to say that the truth was actually to the contrary. 

My father learned the values of family and hard work at a young age.  Coming from a large family of nine siblings, the financial burden forced him to drop out after middle school to help support the family.  A few years later John Benito Pantoya would never be the same.

Vietnam.  To most Americans, this word does not invoke thoughts of glory or victory.  There was no strong show of support for the soldiers in this war as compared to those of today.  To the masses, this is a near forgotten and uncared about war.  The veterans of this war however, find it much more difficult to forget.

Coping with losing close friends in plain sight is quite a burden to bear.  Not to mention those haunting sounds and visions which become increasingly torturous over time.  Perhaps this was the main factor that led to the reclusive nature of my father, but if you ever sat down and watched a Denver Broncos game with the man, you would never believe that he was as withdrawn as he was. 

Getting my father to break his shell and let his personality show was not easy to accomplish, but a Bronco game was a great way to do it!  In those times, I learned more about the type of man my father was, and how he was more intelligent and conscientious than he led on to believe. 

The most important trait I learned and acquired throughout all those games was loyalty.  I learned how loyal my father was to his family and the Broncos, which mirrored quite fittingly with how John Elway remained loyal to the Broncos throughout his career. 

When the Broncos took home their first Super Bowl victory, I felt an unbelievable sense of fulfillment for John…Pantoya that is.  Of course, it was greatly fulfilling to see Elway finally win a championship, but after all of those great times I shared with my father, and how adamantly he and I followed the Broncos, nothing could top the feeling we shared that day!

It will be seven years this coming November that my father was abruptly taken from us.  If he had not bequeathed his passion for the Broncos to me, and if not for the Broncos fueling that passion, I may have never known the great man he really was. 

My father was taken in his sleep the night of Nov. 20, 2002.  It was the way he always stated that he wanted to go, which gave our family comfort.  However, I was disheartened for quite some time, never having the closure of being able to say good-bye, or even remembering the last words we spoke to each other.

I find solace through the memories of all the games we enjoyed together.  I will always consider those games with my father as gold. 

As the picture to this article shows Elway extending the game ball to the sky, I also extend it, and this article to you dad, for the undying loyalty in this great franchise that you passed on to me!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but when I saw this one only six came to mind:  This one is for you John!

 

 

Rocky Mountain of Change: New QB, New Coach Mean New Start in Denver

When previewing the Denver Broncos for 2009, it’s tempting to dig into the archives for standard points to build a story around:

Head coach/leader of the franchise Mike Shanahan.

Strong armed QB Jay Cutler.

Unknown QB that could surprise.

A stout, dominating defense.

On second thought, scratch that last one.  Hasn’t applied for several years.  As a matter of fact, you may as well hit ‘delete’ for all of them.

The NFL is a league of change, year in, year out. Up until now the Broncos were the exception to the rule.  Think Wrigley Field in a world of new ballparks.  The Simpsons still going strong while other shows come and go.  Manny Ramirez still slugging, with no performance enhancing asterisks attached…again, scratch that last one off.

After a late season collapse that kept the Broncos out of the playoffs for the third consecutive year, owner Pat Bowlen did what everyone, himself included, thought he’d never do.  He fired Shanahan and decided a fresh start was needed.  Bowlen’s choice to take the Bronco reigns: 32 year old Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels, who ran the explosive New England offense the last few years, is the latest Bill Belichick disciple to be plucked from the Patriot system.  The hope is that a bit of Patriot magic can rub off in the Mile High City.

Judging by McDaniels’ first few months on the job, you may as well call it black magic.  How else to explain the disappearance of a 25 year old franchise QB?

When the opportunity arose to acquire Matt Cassel, his prized pupil of a year ago, McDaniels didn’t say no.  That set off a chain reaction of trade requests, backtracking, clarifying, and missed phone calls, as Cutler steamed at the notion his new coach didn’t want him around. 

After one missed phone call too many, Bowlen had enough, and ordered Cutler to be dealt.  He was, to Chicago, for a bounty of draft picks and QB Kyle Orton.

The trade set off a flurry of shock and anger, with a small dose of “good riddance” thrown in.  Bronco fans and the media passionately debated the trade, asking who was to blame, and wondering if the new coach was in over his head.

Welcome to Denver, coach.  How do you like it so far?

What is clear is that McDaniels is in Denver, and Cutler is not.  The trade was the capper on an offseason of turnover for the Broncos, the likes of which hadn’t been seen since Shanahan arrived in 1995.  ‘The Mastermind’ made wholesale changes and went on to win a couple of Super Bowls. 

If McDaniels hopes to start the next wave of Denver dominance now, he must live up to his billing as a QB guru from his time in New England, where he coached Tom Brady and Cassel to aerial brilliance.

Orton has the inside track to start at QB.  In Chicago, he was asked simply not to screw up, and he did post a 21—12 record as a starter.  Orton will be surrounded by more talent than he has ever had, and will be asked to air it out to a talented group of wideouts, and not just on 3rd-and-long.

In Denver, Orton will have Brandon Marshall (104 catches, 1265 yards), Eddie Royal (91, 180), Brandon Stokley (49, 528) and New England transfer Jabar Gaffney (38, 468).  Tony Scheffler (40, 645) and Daniel Graham (32, 389) man the TE position.

In Chicago, Orton had return-man-turned-receiver Devin Hester, and…?

How can Orton throw if he’s on his back, you may ask?  Well, the Broncos only allowed 12 sacks all year.  Ryan Clady, a standout as a rookie in ’08, and Ryan Harris give the team stout, bookend tackles, so Orton should have ample time to show that he can be more than a “game manager.”

Shanahan’s very first draft in Denver produced Terrell Davis in the sixth round out of Georgia.  A Super Bowl MVP award and one 2,000 yard season later, and the Bronco way of unearthing 1,000-yard backs in later rounds was off and running.  McDaniels first draft?  A RB from Georgia—in the first round.

The new regime is counting on Knowshon Moreno to be the next franchise back in Denver.  Moreno had a stellar collegiate career, amassing over 2,700 yards in two years. 

The Broncos ended last year with seven backs on injured reserve, so McDaniels brought in veterans J.J. Arrington, Correll Buckhalter, and LaMont Jordan to compete as well.  Ryan Torain and Peyton Hillis remain too, but there’s no doubt the team is hitching its backfield wagon to Moreno.

Drafting Moreno shows all one needs to know about the team’s new direction.  With every Bronco fan yelling “DEFENSE,” McDaniels went against the grain to pick a RB.  But even the offense-minded coach knows his defense must step up if he hopes to return Denver to the playoffs. 

The Broncos finished 30th in total defense in ’08, a weak pass rush (25 sacks) and lack of big plays (a mere six INT’s) its undoing.

Former 49ers coach Mike Nolan becomes the team’s fourth defensive coordinator in as many years, and will look to install a 3-4 system.  The Broncos used their other first rounder on DE/LB Robert Ayers of Tennessee. 

The club hopes his presence, along with DE turned LB Elvis Dumervil can rush the QB, and take pressure off a revamped secondary.

All-world CB Champ Bailey missed seven games with an injured groin, and his return can only help.  Following in the tradition of Steve Atwater and John Lynch, the Broncos added former Eagles S Brian Dawkins as the jewel of their free agent class.  The hope is he can add leadership, toughness, and, well…talent to the Bronco defense.

No matter how many RB’s you have, or how many points you score, McDaniels knows you must stop the other team when it counts.  Go to YouTube and type in “David Tyree/Super Bowl” if you need a reminder (McDaniels doesn’t).

The Broncos finished 8-8 last year, a humiliating 52-21 loss to the Chargers in week 17 costing them a division title, and starting the roller coaster that has become the 2009 Denver offseason. 

It will probably take more than eight wins to nail down a playoff berth (it usually does), and the fact that the rebuilding Chiefs and always-rebuilding Raiders reside in the AFC West is a plus, but Denver is not in San Diego’s class at this point.

If Orton makes use of the talent around him, and the newcomers on defense can register a sack or an interception (or a tackle) on occasion, the Broncos could find themselves in the wild card mix.  Realistically, with all the upheaval in Denver, 8-8 and home in January sounds about right once again.

Time to write a new Bronco list to refer back to down the road.  Josh McDaniels is hoping he can keep his name on it for years to come.

New Offensive, Defensive Schemes Coming to Denver

Change has come to the Denver Broncos.

After 14 seasons, Mike Shanahan is out and Josh McDaniels is in. No more west-coast offense, no more 4-3 defense. There’s a new sheriff in town and he’s doing things his way. Or should we say the Patriot way?

The Broncos’ new head coach will adopt the systems he learned and used while an assitant in New England.

The biggest adjustments will come on the defensive side of the ball, and rightfully so. The Broncos’ defense was so bad last year, some believe Shanahan was fired because he planned on retaining defensive coordinator Bob Slowik.

Now under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, the team will switch to 3-4 system that utilizes three defenisve lineman and four linebackers.

Denver Bronco fans will remember this system as it was used during the days of the “Orange Crush” defense as well as through the 1980s under Joe Collier.

This year’s Broncos will rely on a lot of new faces to to revitalize the defense. The only starters from last year’s team left are Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, D.J. Williams, Marcus Thomas and Boss Bailey (considered a starter even though he only played in a handful of games).

Many thought the Broncos should focus their entire draft on the defense. While they didn’t do quite that, they did pick up a few players that they hope can fill some needs.

Robert Ayers was drafted as a defensive end/linebacker who can rush the passer or drop into coverage when needed and Alphonso Smith was taken in the second round to help sure up the secondary.

The team also picked up undrafted free agent Chris Baker out of Hampton, who they hope can stop up the middle of the defensive line along with Thomas and free-agent acquisition Ronald Fields.

Elvis Dumervil, Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder likely will be looking at new roles similar to Ayers’ as they (Dumervil especially) are considered too small to be on the defensive line in the 3-4 and will need to work on pass coverage if they are to contribute next season at linebacker.

Free agents that should provide leadership if nothing else are safeties Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill as well as linebacker Andra Davis.

The offensive will have fewer new faces, but they will definitely be noticed.

Gone is pro-bowl quarterback Jay Cutler, leaving the position to fought for by Kyle Orton and Chris Simms. Orton is the favorite going into camp, but don’t be surprised; if he plays well, Simms may get the nod.

Despite some of the successes of the offense last season, the team will move away from the west coast offense in favor the Patriots’ offense that includes some elements of the spread offense.

Look for a lot of three-wide receiver sets with Eddie Royal perhaps serving as the slot receiver similar to what Wes Welker is in New England. Brandon Stokley should have a chance at that as well.

Also look for the team to use the run to set up play-action passing. That should be easier with stable of running backs the Broncos now employ including No. 12 overall pick Knowshon Moreno and free-agent signings LaMont Jordan, Correll Buckhalter, and J.J. Arrington.

The offensive line should be solid with Ryan Harris and Ryan Clady holding down the tackle positions, but they will have to learn new blocking schemes.

The Broncos’ success in the 2009 season will depend on players adapting to the new offensive and defensive schemes. Will they be able to do it? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers To Cut Brian Griese, Next Stop Denver?

Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez is reporting that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will cut ties with former Denver Broncos’ quarterback Brian Griese by week’s end.

Griese, 34, has not showed for any organized team activities this offseason.

Considered the odd-man out in a quarterback derby that includes Josh McNown and Byron Leftwich, Marvez is speculating that Griese will end up in New England.

New England traded their backup quarterback Matt Cassel to Kansas City in the off season.

My money is on Denver as a possible destination.

If the team can sign 27 running backs, can’t it have three quarterbacks of roughly equal ability?

Plus what would put the Jay Cutler era behinds the Broncos better than signing Griese?

Griese is a Kyle Orton-like 45-38 as starter with 119 touchdowns and 99 interceptions.

Seems like a perfect match for McDaniels.            

Is Knowshon Moreno a Perfect Fit For Josh McDaniels’ System?

Josh McDaniels had running backs with good hands when he was the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.

He hopes to bring that same attribute as head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009.

While the offensive coordinator from 2006-2008, Patriots running backs caught 183 passes under McDaniels. In the same period, the Broncos had 145 catches by their running backs.

Kevin Faulk was the main source of receptions out of the backfield in McDaniels’s offense. He had seasons of 43, 47, and 58 catches, respectively.

The highest catch total for a Bronco in that three-year span was 35 by Selvin Young in 2007.

McDaniels’s new offensive system relies on running backs to not only be runners but also receivers. Before the draft, the Broncos’ current running backs were not known for their passing-catching ability.

Although McDaniels hired Mike McCoy to be the offensive coordinator, he will be the one calling the plays on game day

LaMont Jordan had 70 catches for the Raiders in 2005, but did not catch a pass for the Patriots last season under McDaniels’s system. J.J. Arrington has 91 catches in his career.

Peyton Hillis had 14 catches and Ryan Torain had zero for the Broncos last year.

McDaniels may have drafted his new Kevin Faulk in Knowshon Moreno. He saw him as a complete back that could fit into his pass-first system. Moreno is bright and will bring many different skills to the team.

McDaniels felt the running back had “very good hands” and “catches the ball extremely well.”

Moreno had 53 catches during his career at Georgia, but he won’t be just a receiver in the new system. McDaniels sees so much more in him.

In a new system that will feature the quarterback dropping back, there is a need for a running back with pass-blocking skills. Moreno seems to be that back, blocking for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft in quarterback Matthew Stafford while at Georgia.

Moreno won’t be the only back catching passes for the Broncos this season. McDaniels’s system spreads the ball around and will use a variety of different running backs.

The running backs will not only be used for screen patterns, but will be split out wide and will run patterns like wide receivers in the offense.

McDaniels’s system has made many no-name players into stars. No one had ever heard of Wes Welker or Kevin Faulk before being put in McDaniels’ system.

Moreno may be that next big-time player, thanks to McDaniels’s new system.

Denver Broncos New 3-4: The Danger of ‘Tweeners

On a team that’s defied convention repeatedly, the Broncos took perhaps the biggest chance in the NFL Draft this year by sticking to conventional wisdom and taking the best available athlete with their picks.

At least with their 18th pick, that is.

After the draft, the Denver Broncos got mixed reviews regarding how they used their picks in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Some analysts chastised the Broncos for not doing enough to help their new 3-4 defense. Others praised the Broncos for staying to their “value” board and picking the best available players at their slots.

They point to the selections of Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers and Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno as a case in point.

Some analysts had Ayers rated as the best defensive end in the draft this year. And by waiting until the 18th pick to take the defensive player from Tennessee, instead of just reaching for a defensive player, the Broncos were able to pick up a running back who many believed was the highest rated pick at that position first.

However, in the final call, the conventional wisdom doesn’t select where these players will play, coaches do.  And coaches have a little conventional wisdom they need to apply as well.

For Moreno, the conventional wisdom is just fine: He upgrades a running back by-committee-system with one nice featured running back, even if fans and analysts didn’t think they needed the upgrade.

With Ayers, the conventional wisdom’s a little more sticky than that.

Because Ayers falls somewhere between a defensive end and a linebacker, he’s known as a “tweener”. Typically, a “tweener” ends up at outside linebacker. But Ayers is not just an ordinary “tweener”. He’s more like a “taint”.

You see, Ayers is too small (at 272 lbs.) to play defensive end in the 3-4 defense and too slow at a 4.9 40-time to play outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.

He ‘taint no defensive end, and he ‘taint no outside linebacker.

So the Broncos depth chart currently has him listed at inside linebacker behind DJ Williams.

One of the problems with “tweeners” is that because you have to teach them a new position, you don’t really know what you have until they get a chance to play that position.

Plus, by moving Ayers inside, who is used to playing outside in space, you have to teach him a whole new set of techniques and skills, like shedding 300-pound blockers in traffic.

Never mind that so far the rap on Ayers, and the reason why he was available at the 18th pick, has been that he’s resistant to coaching and was only a half season wonder at Tennessee anyway.

Maybe the Broncos will ask Ayers to put on another 20 lbs. of muscle in the next year or two and move him to defensive end. He’s a stout run defender and his penetration skills and ability to rush the passer would be a nice bonus.

Maybe in that way, Denver gets the defensive lineman we’re all bellyaching about.

Or does that sound way too conventional?  

 

Meet Eddie Royal: The Consummate Professional

It is a shame that the National Football league is known better for its “bad boys” than its “good guys.” Oftentimes, the rare player who goes about his business like a professional and backs it up on the gridiron with toughness, heart, and determination goes unnoticed.

For Denver Broncos wide receiver Eddie Royal, being the consummate professional is what he was raised to do. Royal is the youngest of seven children who were all raised by Pearl Royal, a single mother.

While it was tough for Pearl to raise these seven children all by herself, she never lost track of what was important in life. Her family consistently attended church, and she made every effort possible to avoid conflict. Still, it was noticeable that she was struggling to keep the family properly nourished.

Eddie states that he is “still amazed at how she provided dinner for us every single night.” 

Royal was always soft-spoken and rarely ever got into trouble. However, he struggled to earn good grades in high school.

According to an article written in the Rocky Mountain News, Royal was motivated to do well the final two years of high school due to the similar experience of his brother Chris, whose grades prevented him from a football career at Marshall University.

He soon found out that if he would just put a little more time into his studies, he could earn a scholarship to college to play football.

“I saw struggle and lived it, and I didn’t want to go through that. I didn’t want my family to go through that,” Royal said. “It kind of molded me into a hard worker.”

Lee Rasizer, formerly of the Rocky Mountain News, sums up Royal very well:

“Royal has a tendency to treat opponents the way he has chased his goals—sidestepping or taking them head-on, but ultimately getting to where he wanted to be.”

While the speedy receiver has always been considered undersized, he more than makes up for it with his heart and determination, as cliché as it may sound.

As if going through a rough childhood wasn’t humbling enough, Royal has also experienced other venues of turmoil. 

He attended high school with former Virginia Tech schoolmates who were killed in the tragic shooting in April of 2007, and his sister Christina is serving in Iraq.

He used all of that as determination on the football field, setting numerous ACC and Virginia Tech records as a wide receiver and return specialist. His play for the Hokies earned him a trip to the Under Armour Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, where he “wowed” scouts with his great hands and route-running skills.

Royal then continued his strong offseason with an eye-opening performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he led all wide receivers with 24 bench press reps at 225 pounds apiece.

His offseason was so impressive that former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan chose him in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Initially, Royal was projected to be primarily a return specialist and maybe a fourth receiver for the Broncos.

Quickly, he erased those expectations and created some of his own.

Royal was so impressive in the offseason camps and workouts that he was promoted all the way to the No. 2 wide receiver spot, behind Brandon Marshall. 

There was not a pass this kid could not handle.

He continued his impressive showing all the way through training camp and the preseason, and Broncos fans were eager to see how he would fill in for the suspended Brandon Marshall on Monday Night Football on opening weekend.

Not only did he fill in, he also made then-Raiders cornerback DeAngelo Hall look silly.

Royal had nine receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ 41-14 victory, capping off the most impressive rookie wide receiver debut in Broncos history.

Still, the rookie receiver was not satisfied. 

He called his mother directly after the game, not wanting praise or helium for an ego balloon; he wanted to know what he did wrong.

“It’s hard to do everything the right way,” Royal said. “That’s what drives me.”

Royal went on to have arguably the most impressive rookie season for any Denver Broncos wide receiver in team history. He finished the year with 91 receptions for 946 yards, and he also led the team in punt return yards and kick return yards.

Also, he was the only player on the team to record a pass attempt, rush attempt, reception, kick return, and punt return. 

In his second year in the NFL, Royal can only hope to improve on what was a fantastic first season. It is unfortunate that his contributions to the league have gone largely unnoticed due to the fact that Royal did not change his last name to “Diecinueve” or throw popcorn in his face when he scored a touchdown.

If I were a betting man, I would say Royal would not have it any other way.

 

Become Eddie Royal’s fan on Facebook and follow him on Twitter!

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