AFC Notes: Broncos RBs, Jahdae Barron, Chiefs

Broncos

The Broncos selected UCF RB RJ Harvey in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft despite having several running backs already on the roster. Sean Payton said he’s still excited to see how Blake Watson, Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson develop in 2025. 

“[W]hen we’re talking about some of our younger players, [during] Year 1 they get exposed to what we’re doing,” Payton said, via BroncosWire. “We’ll see growth in Year 2. We’re excited to see that with these guys, and that’s whether it’s Blake [Watson], Audric, Tyler Badie… Meaning I think a lot of times there’s this perception, ‘Oh a player was drafted.’ This list can vary. Now we understand there’s a need element, and we always pay attention to that, but we look forward to seeing their development just like we look forward to seeing the young receivers develop, and the same way in the secondary if we’re looking at [Kris] Abrams-Draine, I could go on and on.”

Payton is confident that “high-level competition” will bring out the best of their running backs. 

“So this is one part of making your team better. Then you create that high-level competition. Ultimately — and these guys will hear this from me in two weeks in the team meeting along with the rest of the rookie class — we’re going to go by what we see. How you arrived here — this is a process. We’re trying to secure in order the best way to get the most for our draft. But once they’re here, it’s up to them to earn their stripes.”

Jahdae Barron

Broncos rookie CB Jahdae Barron has excellent coverage skills, but HC Sean Payton said his tackling skills are very impressive, which he says is a “prerequisite” for the position.

“It’s a prerequisite,” Payton said, via Broncos Wire. “There are two things that make it difficult if we’re talking corners, nickels. Bad ball skills… It’s tough because there’s no repercussions when you throw it their way. Then poor tacklers because offensively we can make them tacklers. It’s kind of like that’s one of the traits that you have to be able to check a box on. You can improve some guys maybe, but this guy (Barron) anticipates. Again, it was… We had the watch, and we were in a room of eight maybe, some of the scouts. I can’t recall, but there was this [moment] where we looked at each other and we were like, ‘Let’s keep watching more.’ The more and more we watched, it was like, ‘All right. Let’s be quiet.’ So tackling is important.”

Chiefs

Chiefs rookie WR Elijah Badger said he believes he should’ve been drafted but is looking forward to making an impact for the team.

“This is my dream, obviously, to make it to the NFL. So, every day going to work, it just feels good to be back with a team. Just feels good,” Badger said, via Chiefs Wire. “But like it was just work I put in, just coming in every day, you learn to play book, getting the playbook down fast, and just to do day by day and just make consistent.”