Alijah Holder expected to be in camp with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.

The Broncos had different plans.

Holder, a former Stanford cornerback, received a text message from Eagles coach Doug Pederson leading up the NFL draft and Holder followed up when he went unselected after seven rounds. Philadelphia drew up the paperwork to sign him as a free agent. Then, suddenly, a phone call from a 303 area code.

“I had basically done everything except write my name on the dotted line,” Holder said. “I had no idea about Denver.”

Holder had about 15 minutes to make his choice. But anxiety shifted to excitement once he understood why Denver made its last-minute push. Holder called it the “perfect decision” to join the Broncos and gushed about his experience through OTAs.

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Understanding Holder’s fit, though, requires digging back nearly a decade into Vic Fangio’s coaching past. A quick history lesson: Stanford hired Fangio as its defensive coordinator in 2010, and despite only one season in Palo Alto and with staff turnover since his departure, Fangio’s system still provides the groundwork for its defense today.

“Over the years, people put their spin on it and the NFL doesn’t carry over completely, but Fangio’s fingerprints are all over this program,” said Stanford defensive backs coach Duane Akina. “Maybe some language has changed. Certainly what’s being demanded is the same.”

The familiarity has provided Holder with confidence in fighting for a roster spot as the team begins mandatory minicamp Tuesday.

“I’ve been running (Fangio’s) defense for the last five years,” Holder said. “It’s pretty seamless to me right now.”

What helps give Holder a chance is elite size at 6-feet-1, 181 pounds. Akina described Holder as a “physical and great-tackling corner” who relied on technique to earn honorable mention All-Pac 12 honors as a senior. But two major injuries — shoulder (sophmore) and knee (junior) — required season-ending surgeries that limited Holder to 12 game appearances through that span.

“It’s really unfortunate with the two injuries he sustained because he was playing as well as anybody in our conference,” Akina said. “I really thought he would have some tough decisions to make his junior year whether to come out (to the NFL) or not. He was playing that well.”

Holder now has the opportunity to make good on a fresh start with full health. He must prove an upgrade over likely roster-bubble cornerbacks such as De’Vante Bausby, Trey Johnson, Horace Richardson, and Linden Stephens. And, do well on special teams. Holder told The Denver Post he’s “living in a state of gratitude” for whatever comes next.

“Right now I feel like I’m doing a good job knowing my alignment and my assignment because I’m so familiar with the defense already. Bottom line, I’ve just got to make plays.”

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Green, 27, was originally a third-round draft pick by Dallas in 2015 and has also been with New Orleans and Oakland. He was cut by the Raiders last week to make room for guard Richie Incognito. Listed at 6-foot-5, 318 pounds, Green has played 22 games and has seven starts (six for Dallas in 2016-17 and one last year for the Raiders).

Cut by the Cowboys after the 2018 preseason, Green spent a month with New Orleans before ending the year with Oakland (four games).

Staff writer Ryan O’Halloran contributed to this story.