First his teammates noticed him; now it’s opponents’ turn. They’re seeing exactly what Eddie Royal’s teammates in Denver have seen this summer: the kid is a playmaker. It also appears he’ll be a starter.
One Denver source said Royal (Virginia Tech/Westfield High), a rookie second-round pick, has looked fantastic since the start of training camp.
“Certain people just have it. They have ‘it,’ and he has it,” Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley told the Rocky Mountain News. “He’s going to be a special player in this league for a long time.”
Dallas corner Adam Jones saw Royal when the two teams practiced against one another and then played this past Saturday.
The hard-working Royal caught passes of 35 and 32 yards from Jay Cutler in the first half of Saturday’s 23-13 win over Dallas.
“Eddie Royal’s nice,” Jones told reporters in Denver. “He’s pretty quick. He’s got problems getting off the jam, though.”
Royal, drafted 42nd overall, wasn’t expected to start immediately. The Broncos drafted him as much for his return ability as for his receiving talent. But they’ve been ecstatic over what he’s shown thus far, which is why they’ve had him learn the slot, flanker and split end positions.
The big question is his durability; at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, that was the knock on him before the draft. Other players aren’t buying it.
“He’ll do some good things for that ballclub,” Dallas safety Roy Williams told Denver reporters
