Sean Payton drops early insight that suggests the Broncos may have landed one of the biggest steals in the entire 2025 draft

One of the first questions many wondered when the Denver Broncos selected cornerback Jahdae Barron in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft was how exactly he would be used.

With Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss holding down the outside CB positions, it's easy to assume that Barron will be plugged in as the nickel in the slot. However, coach Sean Payton told reporters on Thursday that he feels that Barron can handle multiple different roles despite being a rookie.

"He's extremely smart, and he played both (inside and outside) at Texas," Payton said. "His instincts are real, real high. You can give him more than maybe some other younger player at the same position. Some guys you might say, 'Let's just leave him at left corner or right corner.' I think he's one of those players that can handle volume." 

Barron revealed during his introductory press conference right after being drafted by Denver that he can be a versatile weapon for the defense.

"(I played) corner, star, dime and safety," Barron said. "And it was fun. It wasn't a big task. It was a mental and a physical thing. Coach (Terry) Joseph and coach (Blake) Gideon, they taught me that nickel and dime, it was more physical thing. And then when I was at corner and safety, it was more mental. Understanding that you have to do things right over and over again, and you don't know when they're going to come at you. It just kind of changed on that aspect. But they prepared me well with my practice reps, going rapid fire on me, throwing me out there in the fire. So when the game came, it was like series-to-series. It allowed me to play fast."

In 57 career games with the Texas Longhorns, Barron recorded 226 total tackles, 24 passes defensed, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, two sacks, and one touchdown. He played all over the Longhorns' secondary, with 679 of his snaps on the outside, 122 on the inside, and 142 as a box safety. 

It will be exciting to see Barron move around the Broncos' defense and make plays. If he's up to the challenge, Denver could make a case for having the best secondary in the league.