Denver Broncos second-year cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian has made the most of his opportunities this summer. After beginning training camp seemingly on the roster bubble, McMillian has since emerged as a top-four cornerback on the depth chart.
The 23-year-old defensive played 34 snaps against the Arizona Cardinals last week and he stood out.
McMillian recorded three tackles on defense — including a sack — and he was praised by special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica for recording two stops on kickoffs.
“That’s how players are going to get noticed — by giving them the opportunity to make a tackle,” Kotwica said on Aug. 16. “That’s why we’re putting the ball into play — again, within the parameters of the game — so that those players, like ‘J-Mac,’ can go out and display their skills. That was a positive play for us.”
NFL teams can begin drives at the 25-yard line this season if they field a kickoff with a fair catch. No teams utilized a fair catch in the first week of preseason, however, to give return and coverage teams reps before the regular season begins.
After stepping up on defense and standing out on special teams, McMillian seems to have gone from being a roster bubble player to now being considered a lock to make the 53-man roster.
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