(John Leyba, The Denver Post)
Bradley Roby’s journey to the Broncos began in high school. He starred at Peachtree Ridge in Suwanee, Ga. As a punt returner, wide receiver and cornerback, he helped his team reach the 2009 state quarterfinals. He redshirted as a freshman at Ohio State, and focusing on cornerback for the first time, his career took off. He started the next 37 games. A first-team All-Big Ten performance as a junior placed him firmly on the Broncos’ radar. Impressed with his athleticism and football IQ, the Broncos drafted Roby in the first round with the 31st overall pick. He has excelled in nickel coverage with the Broncos this season, producing interceptions in back-to-back games against the Patriots and Raiders. He will answer questions from fans each Thursday during the remainder of the season, and says he’s open to “anything, not just football-related stuff.” Here’s the second installment:
What did you think watching the Super Bowl? Did you think you might end up with the Broncos?
— ScoopDogg7
Roby: “I was at a little party at P. Diddy’s in Los Angeles. I was friends with his son Justin (Combs, a receiver at UCLA). We worked out at the same gym in L.A. when I was training for the combine. Somebody did comment during the game that “(Dang), they do need a DB.” Denver obviously wasn’t playing that great, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I would like to go play with Champ (Bailey).’ I just didn’t think I would last that far in the draft. I thought there was no way I be available to them, even though I thought I could help them. It’s just crazy that I ended up here and how it has all worked out.”
What was your favorite subject in high school and college?
— David
Roby: “In high school, I loved gym class. It was a time to hang out with my friends and play basketball. It was just fun. I always liked basketball, but I knew I wouldn’t have the opportunity to play it in college like football. So I enjoyed just shooting and playing hoops with my friends. In college, my favorite class was public speaking. I was uncomfortable talking in front of a crowd. But we had a cool teacher who made it fun. It really helped me, and it is something that I still use today.”
What would you be doing if you weren’t in the NFL
— Chris
Roby: “If I wasn’t in the NFL, man, I don’t know. I believe I would have been successful in something, but it was always my dream to play in the league since I was seven, eight years old. I never considered not making it.”
Batters have walk-up songs. If you had an opportunity, what song would you want played after an interception?
— Leah
Roby: “Man, that’s a good question. Probably Wiz Khalifa’s “We Dem Boyz.” That song plays a lot during practice, so it sticks in my head. It gets me going. And if it came on after a pick, that would definitely get me hyped.
Does Peyton Manning’s work ethic rub off on the rest of the team?
— Dan
Roby: “He’s our leader. He’s the offensive leader. But he’s the team leader. You watch and learn from how he prepares. Everything matters to him. Sometimes we try to get after him in practice, try to get him going a little bit. He is always doing something to get better.”
