Second round receiver picked way ahead of his projection. People scratching their heads saying “who?” during draft day… They will know his name after he dances in the end zones after his 90 yard sprints!

Run fast my Royal friend … run fast!

I’m really hoping Eddie Royal will conjure up memories I have of the way the old Mile High Stadium would shake when Rick Upchurch would step on the field for a punt return! One cut left, a spin right, and he would lift the entire crowd out of the seats sending an explosion of crackerjacks and beverages flying through the air!

Back to reality! When I heard Eddie’s name called in the second round on draft day my rear slipped off the end of the couch cushion and I landed with a thud on the floor. The Broncos needed a #2 wide receiver and when the Broncos made their selection players like Limas Sweed (TX) and Malcolm Kelly (OK) were still on the board. DeSean Jackson was another smaller WR available at the pick many draft analysts and fans alike thought had better upside. By passing on players like that it seems fairly obvious the move wasn’t made to fill a starting WR position. We all know the Broncos special teams haven’t been anything to rave about over the past decade but the real question in my mind was, “why take a return specialist so high?”

I think it would be a stretch to say I’m coining this but call it the “Devon Hester” syndrome. Etched in Shanny’s memory is last Novemer’s game against the Bears. Although Hester had already had a big day (1 punt return for touchdown and several other big returns) the Broncos had easily outplayed the Bears. Hester added a kickoff return to tie the game 20-20, the Bears finally found a semblance of an offense, and Chicago went on to win the game 37-34 in OT.

With that said, the deal in now done, and Eddie is now inked. The one thing I can safely say about great returners is when you see one… you know it. It won’t take long to see if Eddie has the “it” the Broncos desperately hope he has. I really don’t see Eddie turning into and every down player in the NFL as a WR. I think the best we could hope is that he’ll become an exception slot WR like Brandon Stokely. Unless he turns out to be an exceptional returner like Andre Hall, Hester, or Upchurch it will be really hard not to consider this pick a true, dare I say, B-U-S-T.

Time will tell. in the meantime I’m looking for Eddie to lay some real ankle-breakers on people. I long for the day I can take a cold drink of beer and feel my palm get sweaty because Manning came up 2-inches short on 3rd down at the Colts 30 and some “idiot” kicker decides to kick it to Eddie “makin’ em’ miss’” Royal. Oh there’s nothing better than watching an opponents stadium go deathly silent when all the momentum shifts when the returner touches that endline! That said, I’m anxiously anticipating hearing the Mile High fans roar when Eddie boldly proclaims at the end of a TD return with a mile high salute, “This is our house!!!!”

Go Broncos!!!!