Two unexpected rookies are turning heads on the Broncos' defense

 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Teams in the NFL can never have enough pass rush, one of the most coveted traits in the league. But the Broncos, led by two top-five picks, are arguably as talented as they come in that department.

And that may very well be getting even better, thanks to two unexpected rookies that have quickly grabbed the attention of the people that make Denver’s defense so lethal.

“‘Dre’ played well on the D-Line,” Vic Fangio instantly said, pointing to Dre’Mont Jones before moving onto the only other player he specifically singled-out. “Malik Reed had some good plays.”

No. 93 and certainly No. 59 aren’t household names, even in Denver. By the way, Jones is the 6-foot-3, 281-pound statue repping No. 93 and Reed is the one wearing No. 59.

But through one preseason game and 13 training camp practices, both rookies have flashed the potential to be the next Malik Jackson and Shaq Barrett. In fact, the praise might exceed those two comps for Jones and Reed, aka Malik and Shaq, respectively.

“I feel like he was first-round talent that fell to the third round, so we got lucky,” Bradley Chubb said of Jones, the 71st-overall pick in April’s draft. “He’s been great out here. In the preseason, you saw him do his thing against the Falcons, so I just hope he continues to get better each and every day.”

Dre’Mont “doing his thing” in the first preseason game read to the sweet tune of three tackles, three quarterback hits and one tackle for loss. Oh, he did all of that playing in just 45 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, too.

“Obviously there you saw his value at the end of the game,” Fangio said. “He caused the interception we got, and then he applied good pressure after we scored and they had the two-minute drive. That’s valuable stuff, and that’s what we were hoping for when we got him.”

Is Dre’Mont already beginning to earn the clutch gene from his head coach and defacto defensive coordinator?

In clutch fashion, Jones ended his college career with 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for a loss during his final year at Ohio State, after only have one total sack and nine tackles for a loss the rest of his career. But at the next level, it’s becoming more and more clear that final year was a sign of what’s to come, not merely a fluke.

“The fact that he’s like 290 and so much speed, so much quickness. His hands are precise. He does all of the little things right,” Chubb said, explaining what makes the rookie a “great young player” already.

“I love Dre’Mont. He’s one of those guys that came in as a rookie, and he gets it. I feel like a lot of guys—even me—I was a little lost. But I feel like he gets it right away.”

The other rookie that’s getting it right away proved it in the team’s first preseason game. Reed had four tackles, one sack for an eight-yard loss, one quarterback hit and one tackle for a loss.

The tape was even more impressive as the undrafted pass rusher from Nevada showed excellent discipline, technique and football IQ on multiple plays. Crashing down on the line of scrimmage, Reed had a tackle for a loss on one play and a near tackle for a loss on another.

This performance wasn’t a surprise to Chubb, the starter at Reed’s position, despite No. 59 being an undrafted free agent from a non-Power Five school.

“I see him out here every day. Me and Von [Miller] both knew he was going to be a dog out there,” the former No. 5 overall pick said. “We’re excited for it.”

That sentiment echoed the head coach’s praise from just the day before.

“He’s been doing well all camp,” Fangio stated. “In fact, on the play, he got his sack on, I said to the coaches on the phone, ‘Well, that’s what he’s been doing all camp.’ So I’m not surprised that it happened in the game.”

Reed’s been so consistently impressive, he’s becoming a non-story inside the Broncos building—an afterthought in the best possible way.

Potentially the most monumental endorsement of them all is the fact that Chubb’s taken Reed under his wing.

“Malik rides home with me every day after practice,” the second-year player said. “I’m just in his ear, ‘This is what they expect. This is what they want.’ I’m glad to see him doing his thing, and I feel like those words sunk in a little bit. It’s been fun watching him grow as well.”

Monday’s practice was no different. No. 59 appeared to have too good of a rush, getting to the quarterback so fast he made slight contact with the untouchable figure, causing many coaches to yell the well-known message of staying away from the most important position in sports. Deep down, however, Fangio and Co. had to be smiling. It was merely just a touch, after all.

An undrafted pass rusher out of the Mountain West? The Broncos have found success there in the past.

From the way things have unfolded early in the hot summer sun, get used to the names Dre’Mont Jones and Malik Reed.