Devontae Booker took the handoff right into the heart of the opposing defensive line. He appeared stuck between a pulling guard and his other blockers. Jammed up with no place to go.

Nope.

Booker hopped left and hopped right — “Oh, how did he get out of there!” the ESPN play-by-play man exclaimed — as Booker glided up-field past another defender, tip-toed the sideline and dove over the pylon. A 40-yard touchdown. It’s that explosion which makes Booker such a valued member of the Broncos’ running back room. He’s listed atop the depth chart entering Friday’s preseason game at Washington.

One problem, though.

Booker’s highlight-reel moment above didn’t come in orange and blue. It was October 2015, his senior season at Utah, against a California defense that finished the year ranked No. 106 nationally against the run. Since Denver selected Booker in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft, the 5-foot-11, 219-pound tailback has rushed the ball 253 times. Just once has he eclipsed 20 yards with a carry (26 at Kansas City, 2017).

Booker, when asked by The Denver Post this week, indicated awareness of that criticism. But it hasn’t shaken his confidence.

“I’m still a home-run hitter,” Booker said, though his statistics belie that confidence.

Booker entered the league with two years of major college football experience at Utah after transferring from junior college. His NFL role began as a third-down back with the hands and shiftiness to impact the passing game. Booker also handled the majority of Broncos’ kick return duties last season (14 attempts for 276 yards).

He aims to develop into a more well-rounded back in Year 3 and, for now, sits atop the depth chart, though he’s being pressed by rookie Royce Freeman.

“For me, being an every-down back comes to catching, blocking, gaining positive yards and helping the team move forward through possessions,” Booker said. “I believe I can do all of those things. I just keep working on my craft each day.”

But Booker’s lack of big-play NFL production puts him alongside undesirable company. Over the previous two seasons, his per-carry average of 3.6 yards ranks 27th out of the 29 running backs with at least 250 carries. Booker had 10 or more yards rushing on five different plays last year — tied for 81st overall in the league.

“It’s just something I’ve got to keep working on,” Booker said.

C.J. Anderson‘s signing with Carolina this offseason opened a production and leadership hole in Denver’s running backs room. Booker, 26, grew up as the youngest of his siblings. Being the “old guy” is new. Of the rookies, Booker said, “I’m there to help them with anything,” even as Freeman and Phillip Lindsay emerge as potential instant-impact performers. Related Articles After Broncos let him walk in free agency, Tampa Bay’s Shaquil Barrett returns to Denver as one of NFL’s best pass-rushers

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Does the team have reason to believe Booker can hold them off and become an explosive back?

“I think we do,” offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave said. “We’ve really been pleased with Devontae. He’s practicing hard, he’s letting it loose and he’s always been a smooth operator. He’s just so smooth and can glide. He makes things look easy.”