The Denver Broncos might’ve found something special in undrafted rookie linebacker Taurean York. The 21-year-old has been turning heads through the first two weeks of training camp, and some believe he could actually stick around beyond the preseason.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay highlighted the 21-year-old as one of five undrafted players making a strong case for themselves in camp.
“He’s not going to challenge starters Alex Singleton or Justin Strnad for their jobs, but the Aggies product is right in the mix with Karene Reid, Levelle Bailey, Jordan Turner and seventh-round rookie Red Murdock for a depth role,” Kay wrote.
While they’d ideally like to get the rookie back on their practice squad, they might not want to risk him passing through waivers. That will especially be the case if York builds on his promising performances in practice once the preseason games kick off.
Taurean York of the Denver Broncos Always Had More Talent Than An Average Undrafted Player
York was a great player at Texas A&M. He earned All-SEC honors as a freshman and was voted as a team captain over his next two years at the school (on top of earning Second-Team All-SEC honors last season).
Some thought he could hear his name called as early as the fourth round in the 2026 NFL Draft, as his instincts are off the charts. He was highly regarded in the draft community. Unfortunately, the NFL front offices seemingly felt otherwise. Standing at only 5-foot-10 and weighing 226 pounds, he was undrafted due to his lack of size.
Interestingly, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared him to the Vikings‘ Ivan Pace, the most recent undrafted success story at linebacker. There is reason to believe York could follow a similar path in the pros.
He Could Be Much More Than a Special Teams Ace
Standing out on a defense as talented as the Denver Broncos’ is an accomplishment in itself for an undrafted rookie. However, York has managed to do just that so far. SI’s Chad Jensen mentioned that he’s been “making plays all over the field” last week.
Denver Post’s Luca Evans also highlighted his vocal leadership on the team’s third-team defense, which isn’t exactly surprising considering his experience captaining A&M’s defense. That’s the most impressive aspect that could allow him to stick around over some of the other players he’s competing with. Teams are always looking for players who aren’t afraid to be at the front of the room. That quality is seemingly deep-rooted with the impressive rookie.
While his size will probably limit him from being a threat on passing downs, there’s no reason to believe his other traits aren’t enough to jump some of the other players ahead of him in the lineup. The depth chart behind starters Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton is relatively wide open.
They had high hopes for Drew Sanders when they drafted him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but injuries have cost him a lot of time over his first three years. His roster spot is far from set in stone entering the final year of his rookie deal. 2026 seventh-round selection Red Murdock is also competing for a spot, but he’s on a relatively level playing field with York. So are Karene Reed and Levelle Bailey.
In the end, the roster spot might come down to how well each player performs on special teams. However, York has a chance to ascend special teams status if he manages to stick around.
Unheralded Broncos Linebacker Projected to Outlast Competition After Strong Camp