How far can Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin go in Cinderella slippers?

Jun 08, 2023

Kiz: For a guy wearing glass slippers in the Broncos huddle, running back Jaleel McLaughlin shows amazing burst when toting the rock. McLaughlin, an undrafted rookie out of Youngstown State, is the Cinderella story of this training camp. With 65 yards on 11 carries, McLaughlin leads the team in rushing through two preseason games. He’s a lock to make the 53-man roster. But how much run does this story really have when the NFL begins keeping score for real? How many carries can McLaughlin take from Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine in the regular season?

Gabriel: Even 10 days ago I would have pushed back against the “lock” designation with McLaughlin, but his push is undeniable at this point. He’s got juice. Whether it’s a seam between the tackles, turning up field after catching a screen or defeating pursuit angles on a 44-yard kick return against San Francisco, McLaughlin has speed the Broncos otherwise lack on offense. He’s not exactly a third-down back — he’s going to have to prove he can pass protect despite being 5-foot-7 and 187 pounds — but the bet here is Sean Payton finds a way to get him touches and get him the ball in space. In the toolbox, McLaughlin is a box cutter next to a couple of hammers in Williams and Perine.

Kiz: When asked about the splash McLaughlin has made on the field against legit pro prospects, Broncos coach Sean Payton snappily retorted: “We’ve kind of been seeing it, if you’ve been paying attention at practice. I wouldn’t say anyone’s surprised.” Hey, I know you’re not surprised, my friend. Every time I visited camp, you couldn’t even wait to say hello before gushing about how this undrafted rookie wearing No. 38 is the real deal. So kudos to you. But how confident in McLaughlin are you? Kindly rank the top three RBs on Denver’s roster, in order. Please. And thanks.

Gabriel: At this very moment, I’d say Perine, Williams and McLaughlin. Easy to miss in the hullabaloo surrounding McLaughlin’s quicks and Williams’ comeback: Perine’s been really good so far. He’s got nine carries for 48 yards and looks strong and decisive, particularly the past couple of weeks. But the thing about McLaughin: Might we be selling him short if we think about him only in terms of running the football?

Kiz: I’ve been covering the Broncos long enough to have been the first media knucklehead to declare that Terrell Davis could be the best running back in the NFL. But my point here isn’t a not-so-humble brag. McLaughlin is not TD. At 5-foot-7 and maybe 180 pounds, his frame isn’t big enough to be a workhorse back. But we all cherish the Cinderella story of Phillip Lindsay, the undersized local kid who made the Pro Bowl in 2018 as an undrafted rookie. I’m not sure McLaughlin is as tough as Lindsay, but he’s more dynamic. I say: Put McLaughlin at No. 2 on the depth chart behind Williams, and give him the second most touches of any RB in the season-opener against Las Vegas.

Gabriel: Touches. That’s the key word. Payton has referred to tight end Greg Dulcich as a “joker” — or a versatile player who you build packages and play designs around. He more recently said McLaughlin is also a candidate for that designation. Not comparing the players’ abilities at this point, but in New Orleans Alvin Kamara averaged 250 touches over his first four years under Payton while sharing backfield duties with Mark Ingram and then Latavius Murray. Almost exactly a third of those touches were catches (81-plus his first four years). Again, let’s not say McLaughlin is at that point just yet, but it’s a way of illustrating that Payton will find ways to get the ball to playmakers. And McLaughlin’s made plays every chance he’s got so far.

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