(The Brandon's)

The Miami Dolphins had the mark’s brothers, the redskins had the posse, then there were the triplets of Dallas, and of course in St. Louis the greatest show on turf. Here in Denver we already had a receiving core with a cute nickname, the three amigos. There is now a new dynamic duo in the mile high city (The Brandon’s).


Brandon Marshall and Brandon Stokley are quickly becoming quite the pair in Denver. They are by far batman and robin for the Broncos, there were serious concerns in Denver when Rod Smith and Javon Walker were lost to injury, after all Brandon Marshall is a second year player and Stokley is coming off a major injury himself. Through ten games this season the tandem of Marshall and Stokley have combined for 86 catches 1212 yards and 7 touchdowns, compare that to last years top two receivers through ten games , Javon Walker and Rod Smith combined for 79 catches 1142 yards and 8 touchdowns. By no means am I implying that Marshall and Stokley are better than Walker and Smith, but looking at the numbers the Brandon’s are certainly a formidable duo.

The Brandon’s road to success was not paved by a yellow brick road. Both men came from small college programs Central Florida and Louisiana-Lafayette, Marshall and Stokley were drafted in the fourth round of the NFL draft Marshall in 2006, Stokley in 1999. Marshall was taken 119th overall, some of the receivers taken before him were, Santonio Holmes, Chad Jackson, Sinorice Moss, Greg Jennings, and Travis Williams. Stokley was the 106th overall pick, there were eleven wide receivers taken before him, such players as Troy Edwards, David Boston, Dwayne Bates, Karsten Bailey and Craig Yeast to name a few. Marshall and Stokley have clearly separated themselves as “steals” of the draft, Marshall was to slow, not quick enough not enough wiggle in his hips to be a big time pro receiver, but there was another wide receiver drafted from a small school with the same wrap. Terrell Owens paved the way for players such as Marshall and Marques Colston of the Saints that no matter what the “experts” say they can become premier players in the NFL. Brandon Stokley has become the model slot receiver. Teams are now drafting and coveting players like Stokley for what he can do in the slot, he is to the slot position as T.O is to the big receiver; just ask Wes Welker and Anthony Gonzalez.

The NFL has long been a league for the “underdog”, guys like Tom Brady and Terrell Davis, men that defy the odds, become hero’s, traveled the dirt road to stardom. These people inspire us to do more than we though we ever could, give it that little extra that we didn’t even know existed. The Brandon’s epitomize that beat the odds attitude that we all strive to have, they make us look at our own lives and circumstances, and think to ourselves if they can do it so can I. The future of the Denver Bronco’s is in very good hands, these two “over achievers” are helping usher in a new chapter in Bronco history, a humble chapter, a chapter that I can honestly say I am proud to be a fan.