ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — RJ Harvey knew the Denver Broncos had a need at running back heading into the NFL Draft, so, they were on his mind.
But there was another reason why the former high-school quarterback was taken with the idea of donning the orange and blue:
Bo Nix.
“I love how he plays,” Harvey said, “and I feel like it’s a great team, had a great year last year and young team, great defense, and, I’m just ready to get to work with all the vets and everybody else coming.”
But what was it specifically that RJ Harvey saw in Nix?
“He’s a competitor,” Harvey explained.
“I feel like he’s just like me. I got that quarterback mindset as well, and, I want to win. I want to dominate every play, and I feel like he’s just like that.”
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Nix and RJ Harvey shared a common coach: Gus Malzahn, the head coach at Auburn for Nix’s first two seasons there and the coach at Central Florida from 2021 onward, arriving after Harvey’s first season there following his transfer from Virginia.
Harvey’s background as a quarterback should help him adapt to Sean Payton’s offense.
RJ HARVEY IS AIMING HIGH
Harvey mentioned that he spent part of Friday — the first day of Broncos rookie minicamp — watching film of former Saints running backs Alvin Kamara and Darren Sproles with Payton in the head coach’s office.
“Watching those choice routes and everything,” Harvey said.
“… Definitely want to be like those guys, you know, like Darren Sproles. He went crazy with the Saints. Kamara, too. So, I want to be better than those guys.
“So, Imma work to every day, get better and, just prove myself to all the vets and the coaches and, I want to make an immediate impact in this league.”
The work began this weekend. In the low-contact, no-pad practices, RJ Harvey’s burst, speed and pass-catching ability were apparent.
His jump cuts were on display, as were his quick feet; he exploded up the middle and appeared to be the most dynamic offensive player on the field for much of the day. But there’s only so much one can get from these sorts of practices; the true test will come over the summer.
And a major examination will come in training camp, when he works on pass protection in full pads. The groundwork will be laid during OTAs and minicamp, of course; that’s when he can work on technique and learning about protections and identifying blitzes.
But part of the success equation will involve RJ Harvey being put into position to succeed.
“I know the question: Is he a three-down back?” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “Well, he’s going to play on third down … but he could play on third down where the tight end is in protection, so, there’s a lot we can do relative to really [suiting] his strengths.”
That arose with Darren Sproles at times, Payton said.
“It would happen occasionally with Darren where I’d say to him, ‘Hey, every once in a while you might get matched up on NaVorro Bowman or (Patrick) Willis,'” Payton explained, “and I’m not going to make a habit of doing that but, but if you watch his stature — and I mean he’s put together pretty well, so, there’s a difference between a small runner and a short runner.
“We’re not interested in the small runners, but we’re okay with the short runners.”
And while RJ Harvey is short at 5-foot-8, he’s not small, as his build attested. His shorts barely contained his quadriceps.
Further, there’s nothing small about his boldness in wanting to be better than Sproles and Kamara.
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