Denver Broncos Selection Of Ohio States' Bradley Roby Brings Hope For Future And Vision's Of Past.

Darrent Demarcus Williams
(September 27, 1982 – January 1, 2007)

Check the NFL pay scale and you would realize that the trend has changed relative to who gets the big coin.  Running backs used to be hot items but are seen as a dime a dozen and highly replaceable in a league in which throwing is a major commodity. The age of the every down running back is a misnomer because no every down back ever makes it to mid-season without injury.  Teams are following the blueprint of the champion and shoring up their secondary as a means of addressing a pass happy league.  Consequently, defensive backs (and great pass catchers) are expensive items in today's NFL.

I  refuse to do any draft analysis because the truth about these guys is lost in the sweat and tears of some future locker room that promises rookie players a dynamic much more demanding than simply lining up to play the game they grew to love as kids.  If you survive to remain in the professional ranks of any sport, you have to be cut from a cloth different than the average athlete.  Millions play sports, but few reach and remain professionals.

Though prospective athletes are as numerous as the stars in the sky,  special players seem to shine brighter than the rest.  Sometimes before they even step onto the field of play they begin to display their wares.  In a league that has the microscope focused on the quarterback and his targets, defensive backs and receivers are now the diva's they've seen themselves as all along. The fact that Roby is called cocky and considers himself an elite diva is not inherently dangerous.  Denver's draft (and free agent signings) give's me hope for a future gem, but it also make me dream of jewels from the past.

Dreaming of  another Demarcus.

Speaking of displaying wares, (Denver free agent signee) Demarcus Ware is an exceptional athlete who has shined brightly over the years even if he is losing luster fast.  Before Demarcus came to Denver,  there was another before him. When the Broncos took a chance on Bradley Roby,  a high caliber talent with a low caliber reputation, I couldn't help but wonder if Denver will be a great place for someone already straddled with a short leash? Drafted at #31 in the first round out of Ohio State, defensive back Roby is a world class talent with immense potential.  He fell to Denver because several teams prior decided that he wasn't worth the risk. ESPN analyst and former NFL player Tedi Brusci repeatedly used the description "knucklehead" when discussing Denver's selection of Roby.  In other words, Darrent Demarcus Williams he is not.

What those teams who passed on Roby believed is that he might be more like Brandon Marshall. Denver drafted Marshall and proceeded to watch his amazing talents wage war with his immaturity at the time.  Though Marshall has sought counseling over the years to capture some semblance of a respectable career for himself, he will always be known as the loud mouth knuckle head that got Darrent Williams murdered.


In Roby, the Broncos look to finally replace their fallen comrade, except we are taking our chances on another Brandon Marshall type hoping to replace what we already had in the fold; a top notch, playmaking cornerback with a great work ethic, leadership and understanding of TEAM. The only thing the Broncos can assure you about Roby is that he is a playmaker.  Suddenly vision's of Deltha O'Neal are flashing through my head as I envision the team that Roby will eventually thrive under. O'Neal could play, but Denver (the team and the city) grew tired of his act. The only thing carrying Von Miller through his weed smoking dilemna is the state he did it in and the immense talent that demands a second chance.  Lesser athletes would have been crucified by the wholesome image that the mile high city (go figure) demands in its athletes.

This whole draft has me lost in a dream because it begs the hope out of a hopeless hoper like me.  We hope that all of these draft picks turn out to be diamonds and not thrown onto the scrap heap of past draft day failures (Tommy Maddox, George Foster, Maurice Clarett, Dan Williams, Marcus Nash, Willie Middlebrooks, Jarvis Moss, etc, etc, etc.). Over at cornerback, I am dreaming of another Demarcus.

Darrent Demarcus Williams would be a 32 year old veteran staring at the waning moments of his career were he alive today.  He would have been the Dominique Rodgers Cromardie that we are hoping Bradley Roby can replace. Without question, Williams would have been a valuable leader for a defense that saw its captain benched for a journeyman backup last year. This season that captain (Wesley Woodyard) is no longer with the team, and the de facto captain, Champ Bailey,will finish his waning years in New Orleans and not Denver

Can Roby live up to his talent and overcome the trappings of success?  Darrent Williams lived up to his talent, but still got caught in the cross fire of gun play.

In the rattling noise of an evil spraying of bullets, Darrent Williams ascended from football player into Colorado legend, revered for his amazing spirit and infectious smile. For years it was easy to lament the fallen man while forbidden to talk about the loss of a football player because what the gunman stole from us made football pale in comparison. Although greatness always makes a way for itself, football was the reason we came to know Williams. 7 years after his death, it might be time to remember Williams the person and the player.

He was a special human being on a special journey for a special purpose.  Who know's what happens to Marshall absent the impact of the death of Williams? What I do know for certain is that great people often leave a mark, and leave this earth, sooner than later.  Darrent Demarcus Williams did both.

Bradley Roby does not have to be the second coming of Darrent Williams to fulfill his promise even if his talents suggest that he can. Bradley Roby will have to avoid Brandon Marshall comparison's so that we (and he) can truly enjoy his time in Denver.