Elk Grove product Marcus Rios makes NFL debut

Cosumnes Oaks High School alumnus Marcus Rios suited up for the Denver Broncos for the first time Sunday after spending his entire rookie season on the team’s practice squad.

Rios played just three snaps at cornerback in the team’s 35-9 loss to the Miami Dolphins, according to lineups.com, and did not record a tackle. He was called up from the Broncos’ practice squad Friday after starting corner Aqib Talib was suspended for fighting with Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree the previous week.

After graduating from Cosumnes Oaks in 2012, Rios spent five years at UCLA, earning recognition as an honorable mention on the All-Pac 12 team as a junior.

A rare, aggressive fungal infection hospitalized Rios for 10 weeks in 2013, caused him to drop 50 pounds down to 130 and had at least one doctor convinced he wouldn’t survive. He signed with the Broncos’ practice squad as an undrafted free agent and recorded nine preseason tackles.

This story was originally published December 4, 2017 at 8:24 AM with the headline "Elk Grove product Marcus Rios makes NFL debut."