Denver, CO – Denver Broncos General Manager George Paton pulled back the curtain on one of the team’s most carefully hidden draft targets during this year’s NFL Draft: UCF running back RJ Harvey. Selected in the second round, Harvey wasn’t featured in the team’s top-30 visits, leading many analysts to overlook Denver as a potential destination. Now we know that was all part of the plan.
Paton affectionately referred to Harvey as the team’s “pet cat” throughout the pre-draft process—a nickname underscoring the stealth and subtlety with which the Broncos pursued the explosive back.
“Harvey was kind of our pet cat,” Paton said during his post-draft availability. “His running style—he’s dynamic, with really good vision, instincts, and contact balance. Highly explosive. We thought he might have the best vision in the draft.”
Much like a pet cat that silently watches from the shadows, the Broncos’ interest in Harvey was deliberately kept under wraps. Instead, they hosted visits with other prominent Day 2 backs, diverting attention away from their true target.
The result was a successful draft coup, adding a backfield weapon who led the nation in runs of 10+ yards and offers significant upside in both the run and pass game.
With Harvey officially a Bronco, the secret is out—but the strategy will be remembered as one of the most cleverly executed moves of the 2025 draft.
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