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Broncos Coach Reveals Why Team Made First-Round Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 5:10 PM ET

Rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron, making his way to the Denver Broncos, was a surprising transaction to many.

Some media personalities expected the Broncos to use their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on a player at a position of greater need. Others – like Draft Wire's Jeff Risdon, who listed Barron as the best cornerback prospect in the draft not named Travis Hunter – expected Barron to already be off the board by the time the No. 20 overall pick came around.

That's not how the dominoes fell, however, and Barron became a Bronco on April 24, 2025.

Vance Joseph, the Broncos' defensive coordinator, will be working closely with Barron as he navigates his first season in the NFL. And it's safe to say Joseph was happy about the decision the team's front office made.

"When you watch his game in college, you see a very intelligent player. You see a guy who played multiple positions in college – corner, he played some safety, he played some nickel. He's a very mature, smart football player," Joseph said. "[There] wasn't a bunch of negative points to his game. So, for us, it was a no-brainer. He's sitting on the board; he's the highest guy on the board. It was a no-brainer for us to draft him."

Joseph had familiarized himself with Barron's game and personality well before the Broncos evaluated the rookie in the pre-draft process. Joseph's cousin, Terry Joseph, served as Texas' defensive passing game coordinator from 2021 to 2024, the final four years of Barron's college football career.

Barron's character both on and off the field only made him more sought-after in the Broncos' eyes, Joseph said.

"Obviously, with these young guys you're drafting, the person sometimes kills the player. But I knew he was a good person. He was a very mature, intelligent person. That was one of the things that we loved about the player," Joseph said. "And you watch the tape, and he's a football player. He can tackle; he can cover. He had ball skills."

Barron heads into his rookie season coming off a decorated five-year career with the Longhorns, where he was a consensus All-American and winner of the Jim Thorpe Award (which is given annually to the top defensive back in college football) during his senior season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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