For the first time in training camp, Bo Nix threw an interception on Wednesday… and the interceptor isn’t who you would expect.

Third-year cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine got a chance to play on the boundary with the starting defense and took advantage.

Marvin Mims pressed upfield before breaking out at the sticks, but Abrams-Draine stuck with him. Nix’s throw was a split-second late. Abrams-Draine broke on the ball, picked it off and had plenty of room to run.

“One thing about him is he’s smart,” Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said after practice. “We felt that right away his rookie year. He’s one of those players, the ball kind of finds him too with his instincts. I would say he has tremendous hands.”

 Those ball skills come from his time as a receiver. He began his collegiate career on offense before flipping to cornerback at Missouri. His natural ability to find the ball helped him to an SEC-leading 13 pass breakups in 2023. His four interceptions were the third-most in the conference. His 34 career breakups are the third-most in SEC history.

Despite being an All-American, Abrams-Draine’s 5-foot-11 and sub-180-pound frame knocked him down to the 5^th round, where the Broncos were happy to scoop him up.

“He’s gotten stronger since his first year,” Payton said. “He has real good key and diagnose, and a lot of traits that with his ball skills that serve him well at corner.”

The Broncos three starters are set in stone, but Abrams-Draine has a chance to be the first cornerback off the bench. He’ll have to hold off 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron to make that happen.

Wendesday’s practice ended with a competitive period. The offense had the ball on its own 4-yard line. The goal was to get a first down. The defense’s goal was to force a three-and-out.

On the first play of the drill, Malcolm Roach plowed into a guard, sending both of them into Bo Nix for a sack in the end zone. Nix was knocked to the ground, which isn’t allowed in practice, but he popped up and was fine. 

After the safety, Roach combined with Alex Singleton for a run stuff just outside of the end zone. On third down, Roach got to the quarterback again for another sack in the end zone. Eyioma Uwazurike was in the backfield, too.

The defense dominated the drill.

The second-teamers got a chance of their own. On first down, Jaleel McLaughlin picked up a yard or two on a toss. Then, on second down, Sam Ehlinger hit Lucas Krull past the sticks on a play-action crossing route to win the drill.

The bulk of the Broncos’ practice was comprised of full-squad offense vs. defense drills. The focus was first and second downs with the ball placed at or behind midfield. In other words, no special situations, just ball.

Bo Nix started hot, hitting Troy Franklin on an out route from a clean pocket. Franklin sent Riley Moss to the ground on his break, causing the offensive bench to erupt. 

On the next play, Nix hit a hole shot to Pat Bryant on the sideline for 15 yards or more with plenty of room to run.

Then the drill took a turn.

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