The current Denver Broncos secondary is drawing comparisons to the ‘No Fly Zone’ unit that helped the franchise win Super Bowl 50. While the 2025 secondary has the talent level to match their predecessors, their success will depend on everyone giving their best.
While working as a unit will help guarantee success, Broncos fans will pay specific attention to the performance of rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron. As a first-round draft pick, the team hopes that the former Texas standout can live up to the hype.
Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded NCAA cover cornerback last season does have the attributes to succeed in the NFL. However, to expedite his success, former Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib hinted at the rookie’s blueprint to successfully navigate the transition from college to pro.
In an exclusive interview with Bennie Fowler that was uploaded to the DNVR Sports YouTube channel on May 22, the two-time All-Pro defensive back advised Barron, “You got the cheat code, bro. Follow (Patrick) Surtain around, ask some questions, get his number, and see how to be a pro because it’s totally different. Now it’s your job. We don’t got school no more. All of them hours need to go towards you being a pro.”
This advice mirrors what Talib experienced during his early NFL years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had the privilege of learning the game and improving his maturity from Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronde Barber.
Meanwhile, Barron is lucky to learn from the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who will not hold back wisdom from him. After all, the first-year player must develop into a lockdown corner because opponents won’t take many opportunities against Surtain.
Talib Tells Barron to Chase New Milestones
Furthermore, the three-time Pro Bowler who played four seasons with the Broncos advised Barron to have a different perspective now that he’s in the league.
Talib shared with Fowler, “I tell my guy, just reset. That’s what I did, man. I got to the league, and it was like ‘all right, this is what I dreamed of, right? Now, I have to set a new goal. I’m here now, what do I want to do now?”
Proving to Sean Payton, George Paton, and the Broncos organization that they made the right choice will be one of Barron’s targets. In doing so, he will likely line up against the opponents’ second-best wide receiver.
Based on Denver’s 2025 schedule, he could face DeVonta Smith, Tee Higgins, Xavier Worthy, Deebo Samuel, Romeo Doubs, and Travis Hunter, among others. Winning those matchups should raise his stock and could bring him closer to getting individual recognition, as NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks predicted in April.
Broncos Rookie CB Compared to a Former DPOY
PFF’s draft profile on Jahdae Barron reads, “The word ‘versatile’ gets thrown around too much with defensive back prospects, but Barron is exactly that. As a natural zone defender with excellent instincts and anticipation, he is a starting-caliber pro at safety, wide cornerback or nickel defender — sometimes as all three in the same game — for Cover 3- or quarters-heavy schemes.”
Meanwhile, they declared that his style of play has some shades of Stephon Gilmore, who was the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Gilmore is a two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler who had his peak years with the New England Patriots.
This projection means that Barron should have a successful NFL career. He’s in a great environment to do so, as he contributes to a Broncos defensive unit that could be one of the league’s best. However, as he builds a name for himself, Barron must correct some cons that PFF observed from his game, like “Hips a little slower to flip to match route breaks” and “Can get handsy if he doubts his speed in a situation.”
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