INDIANAPOLIS — Alabama’s Terrion Arnold called Broncos star Pat Surtain II the best cornerback in the NFL. But Arnold made it known to the former Crimson Tide defensive back that he is up next.
In 2023, when Arnold and Surtain attended Bengals safety Jordan Battle’s draft party, the six-foot, 190-pound Arnold predicted that he would be the best corner in the 2024 NFL draft class.
A year later, he has a chance to live up to his prophecy. Arnold, a two-year starter for the Crimson Tide, has the potential to be one of the first cornerbacks drafted in April. And with the Broncos needing secondary help, Arnold’s undying confidence and diverse skill set could improve Denver’s pass defense.
“I’m coming to dominate,” Arnold said at the NFL scouting combine on Thursday morning.
At Alabama, Arnold said Surtain is considered a “robot.” He has studied Surtain’s game film, admiring how he never panics no matter which wide receiver he faces. Arnold mentioned that he has met with the Broncos at the NFL scouting combine and embraced the possibility of teaming up with Surtain.
If the Broncos decided to draft Arnold with the 12th overall pick, it would be the second straight time the organization took a Crimson Tide cornerback in the first round. The last time the Broncos drafted in the first, they selected Surtain ninth overall in 2021.
“Playing next to Pat is like playing next to (Crimson Tide cornerback) Kool-Aid (McKinstry). You would have somebody at the next level who could challenge you to be better,” Arnold said. “(Surtain) is proven in the NFL, and I would love to (play with him) if I had the opportunity to do that.”
Cornerback is among a handful of roster needs for Denver. The Broncos view Surtain, a two-time Pro Bowler, as a key figure on defense. General manager George Paton said on Tuesday that picking up the cornerback’s fifth-year option of $19.802 million is “one of the easier decisions” the club will make.
But Surtain can’t cover both sides of the field. And opposing quarterbacks have avoided throwing in his direction at times, putting the cornerback on the opposite side of him in a bad position.
Paton expressed the need for more depth in the secondary and addressed the busted coverages he saw during games. Veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau — who replaced Damarri Mathis in the starting lineup during the season — will be a free agent. And even though the team is high on Riley Moss, the former Iowa star played only three snaps at outside cornerback during his first year in Denver.
“You can always use help in the secondary, but I feel good about the young core on defense, and we will just continue to add depth,” Paton said.
Arnold is disruptive in coverage and can play on the ball. The Florida native registered 12 passes defended and five interceptions in 2023 while holding quarterbacks to a 50.7 passer rating.
He can play multiple spots on the field. In 2023, he played 557 snaps on the outside and 205 in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. Arnold is a solid tackler and can make stops in space, totaling 108 tackles and a sack in the last two seasons.
Arnold prides himself on his physicality — a trait he developed while playing safety — and being able to make plays at the line of scrimmage.
“When I line up in the slot, I’m like an outside linebacker. I have to feel the run, set the edges and take on blocks,” he said. “…This game is all about RPOs and (running) a lot of (bubble screens). (A cornerback who) can make those plays and take on blocks is extremely important, and you need to have it in your defense in today’s game.”
Pairing Arnold with Surtain could give Denver a top-tier cornerback tandem, as the former five-star safety recruit is viewed as one of the top cornerbacks in the draft. But Arnold doesn’t need draft experts to remind him of that.
Arnold’s confidence was noticeable in every word he said during his news conference. He said he could be a 99 overall player if he was in EA Sports’ upcoming video game “College Football 25.” Arnold even thinks he would have a 90-plus Madden rating by his second year in the league.
When he walked into a meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders, new head coach Antonio Pierce asked Arnold if he was energetic.
Arnold responded “You know I am. Cut on the tape.”
He wasn’t bothered about the bright lights at the scouting combine because the moment felt like “deja vu.”
“I’ve already seen it in a dream,” Arnold added.
Even though he hasn’t played safety since high school, he believes he can still play the position in any scheme and make plays.
“My range is second to none. And at (cornerback), my granddad always told me ‘Terrion, you are a lockdown corner.’ I can guard anybody and play any position in the secondary,” he said.
But perhaps what stood out the most about Arnold was his humility. He explained that he isn’t afraid to tell teams his lowest moments, especially when he was benched as a redshirt freshman during a matchup against Tennessee in 2022.
Arnold said getting replaced by former Alabama cornerback Eli Ricks changed his perspective. He called his Michael Jordan moment, as he writes about it every day, reminding himself to never get benched again.
“That is going to lead me to (get) that gold jacket, and I’m not talking about the one you can buy,” he said.
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