In Oklahoma’s Delarrin Turner-Yell, the Broncos find another fifth-round safety and potential special-teamer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Fifth-round safeties: a George Paton tradition unlike any other.

The first of the Broncos’ three fifth-round choices Saturday was used on Oklahoma safety Delarrin Turner-Yell, just as two fifth-round picks were last year on Texas’ Caden Sterns and Indiana’s Jamar Johnson.

The presence of Sterns and the return of veteran starters Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson likely means that there isn’t a path to extensive playing time as a rookie for Turner-Yell unless the position is awash with injuries. Johnson and veteran backup P.J. Locke are also in the mix, so not even a spot on the 53-man roster is guaranteed for Turner-Yell.

But if he can take the range and pursuit abilities that he showed on defense at Oklahoma and translate them to special teams, he will not only have a roster spot, but earn a jersey on game day. That is his path, and if he flourishes there, he has a good chance to be the No. 4 safety and play on all coverage and return units.

“To be able to go on one of those units and contribute for the team is huge,” Turner-Yell said.

But being a part of Denver’s special-teams units was not foremost on Turner-Yell’s mind. That’s because the Broncos’ contact with him prior to the draft was minimal.

“It was actually crazy. The only time I talked to the Broncos was, I think like two weeks ago,” Turner-Yell said. “And the only thing they did was, they contacted me to confirm my cell number and where I’d be at for the draft and things like that.

“I feel like they’ve been in contact with my agent more than myself.”