Brayden Bailey is known as the son of Broncos Hall of Famer Champ Bailey, but he’d like to make a tweak to that.

Brayden, 15, is coming off his freshman season at Holy Innocents Esiscopal School in Atlanta. Just like his dad once did, he plays cornerback and wears No. 24.

“I feel like I’m really known as Champ Bailey’s son instead of Brayden Bailey, and I would like my name to become Brayden Bailey, also the son of Champ Bailey,’’ he told The Denver Gazette.

The way Brayden is progressing, that just might happen. He recently visited the University of Colorado with his father and head coach Deion Sanders announced to the team that Brayden has a scholarship offer from the Buffaloes for after he graduates from high school in 2028.

Champ and Brayden had watched Colorado’s pro day on April 4, when quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver Travis Hunter were on display. They then stuck around for a Buffaloes scrimmage the next day.

“We went to their practice and their meeting and that’s when (Sanders) offered me in front of everybody after the meeting,’’ Brayden said. “It was mostly a surprise, but I knew it was a possibility. It’s really exciting because now I know all I have to do is just play and be consistent.”

Brayden sensed an offer was possible because Sanders had provided some previous hints of having watched his film and being impressed. It was the first of what is expected to be many more offers for him. And what are the chances he will end up at Colorado?

“I think it’d be really fun,’’ he said. “I like the environment of the college, and it really depends on if Deion is still there. Then I’ll definitely consider it.”

Brayden said Sanders, a Hall of Fame cornerback, could be the ideal coach for him. Then again, he’s a got darn good coach in his own home.

Champ Bailey played in the NFL from 1999-2013, including 2004-13 with the Broncos. He made 12 Pro Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019, his first year of eligibility.

“He’s taught me everything,’’ Brayden said. “He’s like my cheat code. It helps a lot because I know a lot of things that other college players don’t. (Sanders) was teaching players at Colorado things that I already knew, and I just feel like I knew more than them because I just have my dad.”

Dad’s lessons to Brayden started in earnest when he was 7 and the youngster was a star flag football player. But has there been pressure on him due to being Champ Bailey’s son?

“It’s definitely a lot of pressure,’’ said Brayden, whose brother Keevan Bailey played cornerback at Colorado State and Campbell and is a long shot to be selected in the NFL draft later this month. “There’s very high expectations but I definitely need those expectations.”

Brayden has been excelling since his flag football days when he played on both offense and defense and handled the ball on nearly every offensive play. The 5-foot-7, 135-pound Brayden played mostly cornerback last season but did see limited action at wide receiver.

“I’m playing receiver next year in high school, too,’’ said Brayden, who has run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and has a grade-point average of 4.0. “So hopefully, I get pretty good at that.”

Brayden already is thinking about becoming a second coming of Hunter, who played on both sides of the ball for the Buffaloes.

“I definitely wouldn’t mind,’’ he said. “I like playing both ways. I like playing the whole game. I don’t like watching and getting disappointed when someone scores. I need to be in the game at all times.”

While it remains to be seen if Brayden will end up at Colorado, there is one team he wants to play for, although that might not be his choice.

“I’m definitely a Broncos fan,’’ he said. “That’s my team. That would be crazy to play for them. That would be fun.”

Upchurch rooting for Mims

Rick Upchurch was all for Marvin Mims Jr. last season becoming the first Broncos player to lead the NFL in punt-return average since he did in 1982. Now Upchurch wants to see Mims beef up his kickoff-return stats.

For that reason, Upchurch was happy to see the NFL change kickoff rules, making touchbacks come out to the 35 rather than 30. Mims last season had just seven kickoff returns as foes regularly booted the ball well past the goal line.

“You want to be able to get the ball in someone’s hands like Marvin, who’s a game breaker,’’ said Upchurch, who played with Denver from 1975-83 and is regarded as the top returner in team history. “It will give him more opportunities to touch the ball for sure.”

Teams couldn’t keep punts away from Mims last season, when the receiver had 26 attempts, and his 15.7-yard average gave Denver a league leader for the first time since Upchurch’s 16.1 average in 1982. In his two seasons, Mims has averaged 26.9 yards on 22 kickoff returns, and Upchurch is hopeful he will get many more opportunities.

“I come from the old-school era,’’ Upchurch said. “I believe in kicking the ball off and allowing the guy to get the yards that he needs to set the team up. I’m just old school. Kick the ball and let us do our work.”

What I’m seeing

–The Broncos could be quite active when it comes to picking up additional choices in the April 24-26 draft and signing undrafted free agents. Friday’s signing of safety Sam Franklin gave them 70 players on the roster, and the NFL offseason limit is 90. The Broncos currently have seven picks in the draft, which would potentially get them up to 77. Denver could sign some more free agents before offseason drills begin April 21, but they should have plenty of flexibility later this month when it comes to adding rookies.

–This month’s event in Green Bay will mark the second time the NFL draft has been held in Wisconsin. The first was the 1940 draft, which actually was on Dec. 9, 1939, at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee. It’s still standing and is now a Hilton. The Chicago Cardinals had the first pick and took George Cafego out of Tennessee, a running back and quarterback who never ended up playing for them. He stuck around for four mediocre NFL seasons before becoming a coach, including being a Broncos assistant in 1986. He died in 1998.

What I’m thinking

–Plenty of momentum is building for the Broncos to be playing the Indianapolis Colts in Berlin next season. Denver president Damani Leech talked openly at the recent NFL owners meetings about the team’s desire to play in the first NFL regular-season game in the German city. The Colts already have been selected as the host team. If chosen, it wouldn’t be the Broncos’ first visit to Berlin. The NFL has played five preseason games there, including Denver losing to Miami 31-27 on Aug. 15, 1992.

–New York Giants coach Brian Daboll claimed at the NFL owners meetings that before the signing of quarterback Russell Wilson he “watched every play of his since 2012,” his rookie year. I guess we’ll have to take Daboll’s word on that. Daboll made note of watching “7,500 pass plays” in Wilson’s career. Wilson in the regular season has thrown 6,001 passes and been sacked 560 times and, in the postseason, thrown 480 times and been sacked 53 times. That equals 7,094 plays. Perhaps Daboll also is counting times when the former Broncos quarterback has taken off to run for positive yards after a pass play was called. Or perhaps he also watched preseason action.