Sean Payton Reveals What 'Stood Out' About Broncos Undrafted Rookie OT

It's auspicious to have the Denver Broncos head coach talking about you following your first NFL minicamp.

Denver Broncos rookie offensive tackle Frank Crum. / Ben Swanson/Denver Broncos

Despite running a 4.93-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, 6-foot-7 Wyoming offensive tackle Frank Crum didn't hear his name called on draft day. And yet, the Denver Broncos saw something more in the former Cowboy, signing him as a college free agent post-draft.

Following rookie minicamp, Broncos head coach Sean Payton touched on the traits Crum brings to the table.

“He had traits. He was, I think, the last recruited free agent we signed," Payton said of Crum on Saturday. "It took us probably two hours. We were all ready to go home, and we kept turning to the scouts and we were like, ‘Where are we at with Crum?’ But he had traits we liked: toughness, intelligence. We thought he had good feet and some versatility. Those are the things that stood out."”

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

It was enough to offer Crum a look-see this offseason. He'll get the opportunity to soak in NFL coaching and hopefully parlay that into a spot on the Broncos roster or practice squad by summer's end. Mile High Huddle's Erick Trickel, who scouts the draft class each year, writing up countless scouting reports and formulating a big board that features 300-plus prospects, described Crum as a "technical mess" with "athleticism and size" to offer some upside.

The onus falls on Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief to get the most out of Crum and help refine his technique so that he can capitalize on his God-given athleticism and size. Strief did a great job in the position in 2023 in his first year with the team.

Crum joins a Broncos offensive line room featuring incumbent starting tackles Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey. Bolles is in the final year of his contract, and the Broncos could use some fail-safe options for 2025 and beyond.

Denver let Cam Fleming depart in free agency but replaced him by signing Matt Peart. Beyond Peart, Crum will compete with Alex Palczewski, who was one of four undrafted rookies to make the Broncos' 53-man roster out of camp last year (a team record).

The Broncos seem high on Palczewski (PAL-CHEF-SKI) but there's no denying Crum's intriguing combination of traits and size. Time will tell whether this potential diamond in the rough can be polished into a bonafide NFL gem.

But it's a good sign to have the head coach talking about you following your first-ever NFL camp, albeit a rookie minicamp.

Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!