With the addition of highly touted University of Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, the Denver Broncos have created a thrilling dynamic to their roster. With the second pick in the second round, the team drafted RJ Harvey, 60th overall. Harvey, an athletic specimen, played college football at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He’s going to immediately improve the team’s running back room.
Harvey’s frame is very impressive as he is 5-foot-9, 208 pounds. He is, in all respects, an athletic freak of nature. He displayed his jaw dropping speed at the NFL Combine. Flemister stood out on the stopwatch, boasting a blazing 4.4-second 40-yard dash that was good for third overall among all running backs. We can see how this speed, along with his agility and power, could make McLaughlin a fun fit in the Broncos’ backfield.
Harvey’s football odyssey started in college, attending the University of Virginia, where he was recruited as a quarterback. Once he made the move to UCF, the former high school quarterback changed positions, switching to running back, a role in which he starred for four seasons. During his time at UCF, he demonstrated remarkable prowess, logging back-to-back seasons with over 1,400 rushing yards, including 1,577 yards in 2024.
Along with Harvey’s yardage mark, the running back averaged an astounding 6.5 yards per rush for his collegiate career. He showed good ball security, as he fumbled just once on 252 touches a year ago. He set the NFL record for most carries of 15+ yards with 32, demonstrating an incredible ability to elude would-be tackles. This crazy performance helped him rank second in the FBS among players with the most rushes of 10 or more yards.
For as much as rushing parasite Harvey racked up, his receiving game was lackluster, at best. He only caught 61 passes over his last three seasons. He never went over 22 receptions in any of those years. Broncos head coach Sean Payton seemed adamant Harvey could develop into a valuable role player in Payton’s unique passing game.
“Harvey — [he] was kind of our pet cat throughout the process,” said George Paton, the Broncos’ general manager. This statement conveys the enthusiasm that exists for Harvey and his possible addition to the club.
Harvey himself remains optimistic about his role. “I just have that confidence within myself that I can do it all,” Hutchinson said in response to being asked what he could bring to the team. Furthermore, he expressed enthusiasm for working under Payton’s guidance: “I’m just excited to get into his system and just do whatever I can to help my team move the ball down the field and score touchdowns.”
Sean Payton acknowledged Harvey’s strengths, noting, “The very first thing you see in the evaluation is his running ability.” He created the impression that, as is often the case with college running backs, Harvey needs to work on his pass pro.
Harvey starts his adventure at the Denver rookie minicamp. Along with the other rookies and tryout players, he’s hoping to make a long-term impression on the team. The Broncos believe that with the right coaching and development, Harvey can make a big impact in their system. They envision him developing into a key weapon in their offensive scheme.
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