Rookie RB Jaleel McLaughlin Sends Message to Broncos Country

Four undrafted rookies made the Denver Broncos' initial roster out of training camp this year. It was the highest number of undrafted rookies to make a roster since at least 1997.

Running back Jaleel McLaughlin was the tide that raised the ships of his fellow undrafted rookies. He turned in a whirlwind preseason performance, scoring a touchdown in each game and captivating Broncos fans the world over. 

Head coach Sean Payton knew after preseason Game 2 that the Broncos were going to have to roster McLaughlin or else risk losing him to an outside team on the waiver wire. Coming from the small school Youngstown State, all eyes were on the rookie to see how he'd handle playing in a vibrant football environment in the Broncos' preseason finale at Empower Field at Mile High.

Those misgivings proved to be unfounded as McLaughlin romped to 61 yards from scrimmage and another touchdown. On Thursday, McLaughlin reflected on his debut in front of the home crowd, sending a message to Broncos Country.  

"I was just locked in on the task, trying to help the team get wins and all that," McLaughlin said. "That's really what all I was trying to do. So I really didn't pay attention to [it]. But I mean, it's a blessing to be able to play in front of all of the fans. And here I'll tell you something; here at Mile High was different. By far the best preseason game I played in. So, shout out to Mile High and Broncos Country. It's going to be exciting playing in front of you guys [for] the rest of this year. So I can't wait 'til I'm back in that stadium."

McLaughlin hopes to carry on a rich undrafted running back history in Denver. Over the past decade, the Broncos have seen two running backs who never heard their name called on draft day go on to achieve great things, including earning Pro Bowl selections and winning a World Championship.

C.J. Anderson went undrafted out of Cal in 2013. He earned a Pro Bowl, helped win Super Bowl 50, and produced a 1,000-yard rushing season during his Broncos tenure. 

Phillip Lindsay took the NFL by storm as an undrafted rookie in 2018, rushing for 1,000 yards and earning an unprecedented Pro Bowl nod. He followed that up with another 1,000-yard campaign before an injury, and Melvin Gordon's arrival pushed him out of Denver.

McLaughlin should only be so lucky to even be mentioned in the same conversation as those two accomplished ex-undrafted rookies. Now it's time to go out and prove to Payton and Broncos Country that he not only belongs but is also worthy of such mentions. 

The Broncos host the Las Vegas Raiders in the season opener on September 10. McLaughlin will open as the No. 3 running back on the depth chart, in all likelihood, behind Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine. Time will tell what sort of workload Payton has in mind for his dynamic rookie back.