Denver Broncos Rounds 2 & 3 Prospects

Denver Broncos Day 2 Targets

The Denver Broncos shocked almost everyone by snagging Paxton Lynch in round one of the NFL draft.  Most people thought that he would be gone by pick 15 but the Broncos were able to make a trade with the Seattle Seahawks and get Lynch at #26.  Lynch looks like he will be the QB of the future for the Broncos and maybe even the starting quarterback this season.  I think it would be better for the Broncos to let Lynch develop for at least a year so he can learn to run a pro-style offense.  At Memphis he was not asked to work from under center and he made a lot of quick and easy throws.  I think if he is given time to develop he could end up being the perfect quarterback for Gary Kubiak’s offense.  He has the arm strength to make all of the throws and has the athletic ability to bootleg and make throws on the run.  Now that the Broncos have their quarterback of the future they can look to upgrade other positions on day two of the draft. 

Round 2 Targets

Chris Jones- DT Mississippi State

I’m pretty surprised that Jones fell out of the first round as he is one of the most talented defensive linemen in this draft.  I would be pretty surprised if he lasted to the end of the second round where the Broncos will be making their selection.  If he is available I expect John Elway to make Jones the pick.  He would be a great addition to the Broncos defensive line and would be able to replace Malik Jackson.  Jones actually reminds me a lot of Jackson.  He has a big frame and shows the ability to be disruptive against the run and the pass.  Once the Broncos coaching staff gets with him and refines his technique he could become a very disruptive force on the inside of the defensive line. 

Hunter Henry- TE Arkansas

Henry is the best available tight end in the draft and if he is still available at the end of the second round I think the Broncos would give him serious consideration.  While TE is not necessarily a position of need for the Broncos, the ability to get the best TE in the draft at the end of the second round would surely be tempting.  Henry has the speed to challenge defenses up the seam and would be a great pass catching option for the Broncos.  He is also coming from Arkansas where he was asked to block often.  He would be a great all around TE for the Broncos which is something that Gary Kubiak really values.  While this is not a position of need, Kubiak loves using tight ends so having several talented options to choose from would be very nice. 

Christian Westerman- G Arizona State

One of my favorite guards in this draft because of his ability to come in and start from day one.  Westerman profiles especially well for the zone blocking scheme that the Broncos like to run.  He has great movement skills for a guard and I think he could really bolster the Broncos interior on the offensive line.  He needs to work more on his pass protection, but he would be able to contribute right away in the running game.  Bringing in a player like Westerman would allow the Broncos to keep Ty Sambrailo as a tackle which would give them more options along the offensive line. 

Andrew Billings- DT Baylor

Here is another very talented defensive linemen who finds himself still available after the first round thanks to a very deep class at the position.  Billings is a bit undersized for DT at only 6’1” but he makes up for that with great strength and very solid technique.  He reminds me a little bit of the Rams Aaron Donald who was also considered to be undersized but has been an absolute monster for the Rams.  I think Billings would be a very good pick up for the Broncos who could use a player like Billings to be disruptive in the middle of the defense. 

Cody Whitehair- G Kansas State

Whitehair is one of the most versatile offensive linemen available in the draft.  In college he played guard as well as both of the tackle spots.  In the NFL he profiles as more of a guard due to his short arms which usually do not translate well for tackles in the NFL.  Whitehair would be an immediate upgrade at the guard position and would most likely be a day one starter.  That means that either Ty Sambrailio or Max Garcia would provide quality depth for the offensive line.  Whitehair is the type of player that the Broncos should grab immediately if he is still available when they are picking at the end of the second round. 

Jason Spriggs- OT Indiana

If Spriggs was to fall to this point in the second round I think John Elway would be doing cartwheels.  Spriggs was one of the best tackle prospects at the combine posting top results in almost all of the testing categories.  Spriggs has the athletic ability and size that teams covet in left tackle prospects.   The problem with Spriggs is that he needs to refine his technique and may need a few years to develop into a quality starter. The Broncos have the ability to allow Spriggs to develop for several seasons before they have to ask him to be a starter.  This is important because while he has all of the physical traits that you look for in a starting tackle he is still fairly raw as a prospect.  If he could refine his technique for a few seasons and learn from Russel Okung he could develop into a franchise left tackle.

Round 3 Targets

Connor McGovern- G Missouri

Another prospect in the trenches for the Broncos. I think that on day two of the draft the Broncos will look to target players who are going to bolster them along the defensive and offensive lines.  McGovern is another tough physical player who would give the Bronco yet another option along the offensive line.  He is a very strong player who could give the Broncos more competition at guard.  He also has better than average movement skills which is a big deal in the zone blocking scheme.  It is hard to say if he will be available at the end of the third round but if he is expect the Broncos to give him a long hard look. 

Paul Perkins- RB UCLA

It seems unlikely that the Broncos would use a third round pick on a running back after re-signing Ronnie Hillman last week but I hope they at least consider Perkins.  He is one of my favorite players in this draft and I think he could be a great compliment to C.J. Anderson.  At this point we know what Ronnie Hillman is.  He is really fast but he has never shown the ability to break tackles or make defenders miss in the open field.  Perkins however has the ability to make defenders miss consistently in the open field.  He would be a great player to bring onto the field in the 4^th quarter after C.J. Anderson has worn them down with his physical running style. Perkins has also shown the ability to be a receiving threat out of the backfield which is something that Hillman has never really provided. 

Justin Simmons- S Boston College

The Broncos are looking for depth at the safety position and Justin Simmons would provide that along with the upside of a potential starter in the future.  Simmons played on one of the best defenses in college football last year at Boston College.  He has great size for the position and has the production that you look for from college prospects.  He has also shown the ability to match up in man to man coverage which is what the Broncos love to run.  He could fill the role that was vacated with the departure of David Bruton.  I really like Simmons and think that if he is given a few years to add a little bit of weight to his frame and learn the nuances of the position, he could develop into a solid starter. 

Jaylon Smith- LB Notre Dame

This would be a high risk/high reward pick for the Broncos.  When you consider that Smith is a top five talent when healthy this pick makes a lot of sense, but Smith is not healthy and may never be.  The Broncos are a team that can afford to take a chance on a player like Smith who could turn out to be one of the best players in this years’ draft.  When Smith is healthy he is one of the most exciting players to watch.  He has great instincts for the football and has the athleticism to match up in coverage.  The fear with Smith is that the nerve in his surgically repaired knee will never re-generate and he will never be able to play football again.  I think at this point that the Broncos can take a chance on Smith and see what he can become. 

Sheldon Day- DT Notre Dame

Day won’t wow you with athleticism or out of this world size/strength but he has a never say die attitude.  He has a relentless motor and he never quits on a play.  That is something that would be a great benefit to the Broncos.  With Von Miller and Demarcus Ware crashing in around the ends it would be great to have a guy like Day who can get push up the middle and clean up after Miller and Ware.  This would be a great pick by the Broncos, providing extra depth at the DT position and possibly picking up a starter for the future.  

Denver Broncos 7 round Mock Draft 3.0

Denver Broncos 7 Round Mock Draft 3.0

Well Broncos fans we have one day to go until the 2016 NFL draft kicks off.  The Broncos have several roster holes that they will look to fill in the draft.  The Broncos would probably love to get a quarterback in the draft but after the recent trades by the Rams and Eagles it looks like it will be hard to get a QB who is worthy of a first round pick.  Now that we know Jared Goff and Carson Wentz will be going first and second overall, Paxton Lynch will become a hot commodity and I would be surprised if he got out of the top ten.  After Lynch there really isn’t a QB who is worthy of a first round selection so hopefully the Broncos will go with best player available at #31.  Obviously the Broncos could be affected if they are able to acquire another quarterback at some point in the next several days.  Time to get this mock draft started!

Round 1 (31^st Overall)

Robert Nkemdiche- DE Ole Miss

This is a pick that I made in my first mock draft and I felt like I needed to bring it back.  I considered having the Broncos taking a safety at this spot but this is such a good year for defensive linemen that I had to have the Broncos snag at least one in the first couple of rounds.  Nkemdiche has top five talent but effort questions and some off the field issues may cause him to fall in the draft.  If the Broncos can grab him and get him working with Bill Kolar, Nkemdiche could develop into an all-pro.  The Broncos have never shied away from taking players that have some off the field issues and Nkemdiche could end up being a steal in the draft.  The Broncos roster has plenty of good leaders that could teach Nkemdiche how to be a professional.  If he can get his act together and show consistent effort on the field this will be a great pick by the Broncos.  The really good thing is that the Broncos would not have to ask him to start right away and could use him as part of a rotation with Vance Walker and Jared Crick.  Just watch Nkemdiche last year against Alabama and you will see the ability that he has.  He was a one man wrecking ball against one of the most talented offensive lines in the country. 

Other potential first round picks- Chris Jones, DE Mississippi State, Karl Joseph S West Virginia, Cody Whitehair G Kansas State

Round 2 (63^rd overall)

Dak Prescott- QB Mississippi State

I think John Elway will realize that there is not a quarterback that is worthy of being a first round pick and waits until round two to draft a developmental quarterback.  Prescott is someone that has tremendous potential but is incredibly raw as a quarterback.  He reminds me a little bit of Cam Newton coming out of Auburn.  Newton was a much more polished passer than Prescott but they are both quarterbacks who showed the ability to run and pass in college.  I think if he is given a few years to develop Prescott could turn into a very good NFL quarterback.  The problem is that he is not ready to start this year and probably for several years.  He struggles with reading defenses and does not make anticipation throws.  He often waits for receivers to be open instead of anticipating throws.  Given time to develop he could turn into a quarterback in the mold of a Cam Newton or Russel Wilson, with the ability to make all of the necessary throws and escape the pocket if there is nothing there.  The Broncos would love to get a guy like Prescott to develop behind Sanchez or someone else if they make a trade for another quarterback.  

Other potential second round picks- Christian Westerman, G Arizona State, Andrew Billings DT Baylor, Sheldon Day DT Notre Dame

Round 3 (93^rd Overall)

Justin Simmons- S Boston College

Time to fill another position of need for the Broncos.  While they have their starting safeties set for next season depth is a major concern going forward, especially when you consider that both T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart missed games last season with injuries.  Simmons could immediately play a big role on this team.  I see him playing a similar role to David Bruton last year.  He can come in and contribute on special teams and on obvious passing downs he can come in and match up with tight ends.  He has the ability to be very good in man to man coverage.  He tested very well at the combine and he has the stats to back up his combine workouts.  In his two seasons as a starter at Boston College he had 7 interceptions.  Given a year or two to really fill out his frame he could eventually slide into the role of starting safety. 

Other potential picks- Maliek Collins, DT Nebraska, Max Tuerk, C USC, Domonique Alexander, LB Oklahoma

Round 3 (98^th overall)

Connor McGovern- G Missouri

I was really tempted to have the Broncos select RB Paul Perkins out of UCLA but after re-signing Ronnie Hillman last week I do not think they will use a draft pick on a running back this high in the draft.  As it stands I think the Broncos will continue to bolster the trenches, this time going with Connor McGovern out of Missouri.  McGovern profiles very well as a linemen in Gary Kubiak’s zone blocking scheme.  He is a bit undersized but he compensates for that with incredible strength.  This is one of the strongest linemen in the draft this year and that is something that should get the Broncos attention.  They could use a little more toughness on the inside and McGovern is someone that will bring that to the table. 

Other potential picks- Paul Perkins, RB UCLA, La’Raven Clark, OT Texas Tech, T.J. Green, S Clemson

Round 4 (136^th overall)

B.J. Goodson- ILB Clemson

Time to get the Broncos another linebacker prospect to come in and compete for the job vacated by Danny Trevathan.   The Broncos have several in house options to fill the spot but they will be looking to bring in several more players to compete.  Enter Goodson who was a very solid player at Clemson and a player who did himself a lot of favors with his test results at the combine.  He was also a captain at Clemson for his senior season so he will bring good leadership qualities to the team.  If Goodson can stay healthy he could end up being a really solid player for the Broncos. 

Other potential picks- Scooby Wright, ILB Arizona, Jayron Kearse, S Clemson, Sean Davis S Maryland

Round 5 (144^th overall)

Jaylon Smith- LB Notre Dame

Here is the real wild card of the draft and a guy that I have had the Broncos taking in multiple mock drafts now.  He is just such an unknown in the draft that I have no idea what is going to happen with him.  He is a top five talent who suffered a major injury which could be bad enough that he may never play football again.  Then again he could make a full recovery and turn out to be the best football player in this draft in a few years’ time.  His draft range is also something that is hard to gauge as the injury muddies the water.  Reports are that some teams have dropped him from their draft board completely believing that his knee will never fully recover.  While I acknowledge taking Smith is a huge risk it is a risk I think the Broncos should be willing to take.  This is a team that could afford to let Smith sit out a year to let his knee heal, and if he does recover then they essentially get a top five talent for the 2017 season.  If his knee never does recover then you only lost a fifth round pick which is worth the risk in my estimation.  Smith could turn out to be an all-pro player for years to come if the knee recovers so I say it is a risk worth taking. 

Other potential picks- Ben Braunecker, TE Harvard, Blake Martinez, ILB Stanford, Kolby Listenbee, WR TCU

Round 5 (157^th overall)

Joe Thuney- G North Carolina State

Another pick for the Broncos along the offensive line.  Thuney has shown the ability to play both guard and tackle in college which makes him a valuable commodity.  I think in the NFL he profiles more as a guard due to his shorter arms which usually prevent linemen from being tackles.  The good news is that he was a very productive player at both guard and tackle so the Broncos will gain flexibility on the offensive line if they add Thuney which is a good thing.  He also tested very well athletically at the combine which is always a good sign when entering a zone blocking system.  I think if he is given a year or two to develop Thuney could turn into a very good guard in the NFL. 

Other potential picks- KJ Dillon, S West Virginia, Wendell Smallwood, RB West Virginia, Willie Beavers, OT Western Michigan

Round 6 (219^th overall)

Cody Kessler- QB USC

Time to take a chance on a guy who was once considered a first round draft pick.  After 2014 Kessler was thought of as one of the top quarterbacks who would be available in the 2016 NFL draft.  However following a disappointing 2015 season his stock has fallen dramatically.  I personally think that Kessler is getting way to much criticism and I still think he is a very talented player who could be successful in the NFL.  I think the Broncos should take a chance on Kessler and see what he can do.  He shows tremendous accuracy on shorter throws but doesn’t have the top flight arm strength that many NFL teams want from their starting quarterbacks.  While he may not have a rocket for an arm I think he has plenty of arm strength to make all of the throws in the NFL. 

Other potential picks- Jeff Driskel, QB Louisiana Tech, Joe Haeg, OT North Dakota State, Rashard Robinson, CB LSU

Round 7 (228^th overall)

Dan Vitale- FB Northwestern

Another pick from my previous mock that I am going to stick with in this one.  Kubiaks offense requires a fullback to fully function and in my opinion Vitale is the best one available in the draft.  Not only is he a very good lead blocker he has also shown the ability to be a receiving threat out of the backfield.  Many Broncos fans will remember Howard Griffith and that is who Vitale reminds me of.  He isn’t going to wow you with athletic ability or make tremendous plays but he is a blue collar player who is going to do his job on every down.  Having Vitale in the fold would allow Kubiak to open up the playbook entirely. 

Other potential picks- Keith Marshall, RB Georgia, Glenn Gronkowski, FB Kansas State, Bryce Williams, TE East Carolina

Round 7 (253^rd overall)

Drew Kaser- P Texas A&M

Last but certainly not least is punter Drew Kaser of Texas A&M.  This pick will be Mr. Irrelevant for the 2016 NFL draft but Kaser is someone who may not be irrelevant at all for the Broncos.  He would be able to come in and compete with Britton Colquitt for the starting punter job right away.  While he may not win the job right away I think he could spend a season or two on the practice squad and eventually take over for Colquitt.  Punter is a position that is hard to transition to straight out of college so I don’t expect Kaser to make the roster but I think eventually he could develop into a very good punter. 

Other potential picks- Nelson Spruce, WR Colorado, Eric Striker, OLB Oklahoma, Mac McCaffery, WR Duke

Denver Broncos 7 round mock draft 2.0

Denver Broncos 2016 Mock Draft 2.0 

Time for another Denver Broncos Mock Draft! We are now just over one week away from the start of the 2016 NFL draft and the Denver Broncos starting quarterback is Mark Sanchez…Just let that sink in for a minute.  I actually have more faith in Sanchez than most of the Broncos faithful I think he can be just as good as the combination of Manning and Osweiler that we had last year.  In the meantime I expect John Elway to continue to work to acquire Colin Kapernick.   Enough about the Broncos quarterback woes, time to start mocking! 

Round 1 (31st Overall) 

Chris Jones- DE Mississippi State 

It is hard to say if Jones is going to be available at this point of the 1st round because he is one of the more talented defensive linemen in the draft.  However, the Broncos may find him at this point of the draft due to a motor that runs a bit hot and cold at times.  He is athletically gifted with a big frame and a lot of power to go with it.  He would most likely play 3-4 DE in the Broncos scheme and bump inside on passing downs.  This is a player who actually projects to be very similar to the player he is going to replace in Malik Jackson.  With good coaching from Bill Kolar he could develop into a very versatile weapon on the Broncos defensive line.   

Round 2 (63rd Overall) 

Christian Westerman- G Arizona State 

This is one pick that I kept the same from my last mock draft because it just fits so well for the Denver Broncos.  I did have to move him up from the third to the second round because his draft stock is rising quickly as we get closer and closer to draft day.  Westerman would be a perfect fit in the zone blocking scheme as he is slightly undersized but shows great strength and movement skills.  He could come in right away and start at either one of the guard positions.  This would be great for the Broncos because it would allow Ty Sambrailo to remain at Tackle and be a swing tackle.  Sambrailo could continue to develop as a tackle while providing a quality backup.   

Round 3 (94th overall) 

Kevin Hogan- QB Stanford 

Even if the Broncos do end up adding Kapernick I still expect them to bring in another quarterback or two and Hogan could be a very good addition to the QB competition.  Hogan worked out of a pro-style offense in college which means he would be comfortable with working under center.  Hogan was impressive in his time at Stanford showcasing the ability to make throws in the pocket, but also displaying enough athleticism to get outside of the pocket and make plays.  Hogan does have a very funky delivery which is similar to San Diego quarterback Phillip Rivers.  Hogan would be a great match for the Broncos because he has the skill set to step in early at quarterback compared to some of the developmental QB’s who will be taken before him.  

Round 3 (98th overall) 

Paul Perkins- RB UCLA 

Now here is a guy who is a lot of fun to watch.  Perkins would be the perfect compliment to C.J. Anderson.  A smaller back who is incredibly elusive Perkins would be a great lightning to Anderson’s Thunder.  Just watch this guy play and you will be impressed.  He shows great awareness on the field and has the ability to make defenders look lost when they try to coral him.  He might still be available at this point in the 3rd round because of a less than impressive 40 yard dash.  He may not have run the fastest 40 time but Perkins has great game speed and he does not look slow at all on the football field.  He would be a great weapon for the Broncos who could spell C.J. Anderson when needed.  I know that the Broncos just re-signed Ronnie Hillman but Perkins would be an instant upgrade over Hillman.    

Round 4 (136th overall)  

Jaylon Smith- LB Notre Dame 

This would be a great pickup for the Broncos as Smith was projected to be a top five pick in the draft before a devastating knee injury in Notre Dame’s bowl game.  When healthy Smith is one of the top talents in the draft and he could end up being an absolute steal at the end of the second round.  The problem with Smith is that he will most likely miss the entire 2016.  If the Broncos can be patient and wait on Smith they could have a great player for years to come.  Smith shows off tremendous athleticism and great instincts for finding the ball.  He wasn’t often used as a pass rusher at Notre Dame but if asked to rush the passer he shows the natural ability to get after the quarterback.   The real question with Smith is going to be when he will be able to return to action.  The recent medical re-checks showed that it is very likely he will miss the entire 2016 season.  It is also possible that the nerves in his knee have sustained permanent damage.  If that is the case then this is a serious risk/reward situation.  

Round 5 (144th overall) 

Scooby Wright- LB Arizona 

Here is a player that makes play after play on the football field but had fairly unimpressive combine numbers.  Wright was a tackling machine at Arizona the last few years.  He doesn’t have great speed which will limit him to two downs at the NFL level.  He is a great thumper in the run game and will be able to help tremendously in that regard but he will struggle in pass protection especially going up against tight ends.  He would provide the Broncos with a quality young player who can provide depth at linebacker and contribute on special teams as well.   I also went with Wright here as a sort of insurance policy for the Jaylon Smith pick.  If Smith doesn't work out at least you got another quality ILB.  

Round 5 (157th overall) 

Jayron Kearse- SS Clemson 

Even if this is not the pick at this point I expect the Broncos to address their lack of depth at the safety position at some point in this draft.  The Broncos have T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart manning the starting safety spot but behind those two they have a lot of un-tested players.  Kearse would be a good pick up for the Broncos to provide depth for a few years and possibly become a starter eventually if Stewart or Ward leave.  Kearse is a big physical safety who is not afraid to attack the ball.  He still needs work in coverage where he often takes bad angles and allows receivers to get behind him.  Given a few years to develop he could become a very good safety in the NFL.   

Round 6 (219th overall) 

Dan Vitale- FB Northwestern 

Gary Kubiak requires a fullback to run his offense and last year he did not have a true fullback on the roster.  This year John Elway gets Kubiak a fullback and a good one at that.  Vitale was a four year starter at Northwestern and has the ability to be a great lead blocker in the NFL.  He was never much of a running threat but he did show the ability to be a decent receiving threat.  This past season he scored four receiving touchdowns and at the very least he should provide a good check down option for the Broncos quarterback.  Look for Elway to add a fullback at some point during this draft.   

Round 7 (228th overall) 

Drew Kaser- P Texas A&M 

Look for John Elway to bring in someone to compete with Britton Colquitt this season.  While Colquitt was reliable during the post season he was far from spectacular.  He has been near the bottom of the league the last few seasons in terms of net punting yards.  I expect the Broncos to bring in someone who can compete with Colquitt and push him for the job.  While Kaser may not beat out Colquitt immediately I could see him spending a year or two on the practice squad where he can really develop and eventually take over for Colquitt.   

Round 7 (253rd overall) 

Cody Kessler- QB Southern California 

Another quarterback!  This would be a very interesting pick for the Broncos if it comes to fruition.  Entering the season Kessler was seen as one of the top draft eligible quarterbacks in college football.  Following a down year he has seen his draft stock take a serious tumble.  Just one year ago Kessler was considered a possible 1st round pick and now he may not even get drafted.  I would love to see the Broncos take a flier on Kessler and see what he can do.  While he does not possess a great arm he shows the ability to make all of the necessary throws.  I’m not sure why his draft stock has fallen as much as it has.  He had a great year in 2014 and people seem to be counting him out due to a less than stellar 2015 season.  I think the Broncos should bring him in and see what he could do.  This would provide a great competition between Sanchez, Siemien, Hogan, and Kessler.  Let the best man win!