Players on the roster bubble have to take advantage of every opportunity they get during preseason to have a shot of making the 53-man roster.
Jalen Virgil did just that this summer.
Last week, Virgil became the 18th undrafted rookie to make Denver’s initial roster in the last 19 years, continuing a trend of the Broncos finding UDFA gems. The rookie out of Appalachian State turned heads in preseason, catching nine passes for 180 yards.
That play-making ability — and his electric speed — won Virgil a spot on the 53-man roster.
“He showed throughout the preseason that when the ball was thrown his way, he was going to make an electric catch, and he was going to make a play,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said last week. “In the end, he continually did that. It wasn’t just one game, it was all three games, and he has a lot of speed. It’s always hard to find speed, especially a big strong guy like that.”
Despite his size (6-1, 210 pounds), Virgil ran a 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds at his pro day earlier this year. That kind of speed could certainly come in handy for the Broncos on offense, and also as a backup returner.
Virgil’s emergence was one of Denver’s best stories of the summer, and he’ll now aim to continue taking advantage of every opportunity during the season.
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