New Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins feels right at home with his new club.
Dobbins was a teammate of guard Ben Powers with the Baltimore Ravens. Before that, he played with outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper at Ohio State, and he grew up around quarterback Sam Ehlinger and safety Brandon Jones in Texas.
“Ben Powers, ‘Coop’ — me and ‘Coop’ were at Ohio State together,” Dobbins said of reuniting with familiar faces. “Sam Ehlinger, he was like — before we left for college, [in] high school, we were best friends. The same with Jones. There are a bunch of guys on the team that are like familiar faces. It’s like home here already.”
After hitting free agency this spring, Dobbins heard from his ex-teammates and high school friends.
“Oh yes,” Dobbins said of being recruited. “‘Coop’ definitely did. Jones did. Sam did as well. Those are my guys.”
Dobbins faced the Broncos once in 2024, rushing for 96 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 win with the Los Angeles Chargers. Despite L.A. getting the better of Denver on that day, Dobbins was impressed by the Broncos’ squad.
“This defense was amazing,” Dobbins said. “You could feel it. You could feel the pressure. When we were playing against them, we knew it was going to be tough game all game long. And I’m from Texas, so the altitude didn’t help that much either, but I think I’m used to it already.”
Now reunited with four of his good friends, Dobbins will look to build on last year’s 1,058-yard campaign with the Chargers. Dobbins, 26, is entering his sixth season in the NFL.
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