Well Broncos fans it's that time of year again: Draft Time! One of the most exciting times of the year. This draft will be huge for the Broncos following their losses in free agency. There is no denying that free agency put some big
holes in the Broncos roster. The loss of
Danny Trevathan, Malik Jackson, and Brock Osweiler has many believing that the
Broncos are in serious trouble. I am not
one of those people. John Elway and the
Broncos front office made the right decision in not overpaying to bring back
these free agents. Just signing one of
these guys would have put the Broncos right up against the salary cap which
would have made it impossible for Elway to improve the offensive line like he
has this offseason. I also don’t think
that the Broncos are in as dire of a situation as some have made it seem. They have several young players on the
roster that should be able to step in and help fill the voids of the players
that have left so far. Guys like Todd
Davis, Kenny Annunike, and Zaire Anderson should see an increased role next
season. This draft will also be critical
for the Broncos in re-stocking a few positions that are lacking depth. Let’s take a look at the Broncos picks and
try to see what direction they might go in.
Round 1 (31st overall)
Robert Nkemdiche- DE Ole Miss
If Nkemdiche were to fall this far in the draft (which
is very possible) I think that Elway and company would think long and hard
about taking him. Elway has shown a
willingness to gamble on guys with off the field problems (Shane Ray and
Bradley Roby). Nkemdiche has the kind of talent that might make the Broncos
consider taking a risk on him in the first round. He is a physical freak who could instantly be
a major contributor along the defensive line.
You can think of him as a young Malik Jackson. He is a player who is very disruptive against
the run and the pass. I envision him
playing 3-4 end for the Broncos on passing downs, and then sliding inside on
passing downs to give the Broncos yet another threat for getting after the
passer.
Round 2 (63rd overall)
Dak Preskott- QB Mississippi State
This might be a bit of a reach for Preskott but you
often have to reach for quarterbacks and if the Broncos fall in love with
Preskott, as they are rumored to have done, don’t be one bit surprised if he
ends up being the pick here. I think
they would even consider him in the first round but his recent arrest for a DUI
may have affected his stock enough that he slides into the second round where
the Broncos can nab him. This is the
kind of player that would be perfect for Kubiak’s offense. Preskott is a big strong quarterback with
great athletic ability that would be great in the Kubiak offense. He still needs work as a polished passer but
the good news is if the Broncos don’t feel he is ready to start as a rookie
they can start Mark Sanchez for the time being.
Once Preskott cleans up his footwork and learns to work through his
progressions he could be a very good NFL quarterback. The biggest positive with his game was the improvement he made in each year of his college career which bodes well for his future success.
Round 3 (94th overall)
Christian Westerman- G Arizona State
This would be a dream scenario for the Broncos and for
Westerman as well. Westerman is a bit
undersized for an NFL offensive linemen but he has great movement skills which
would make him a perfect fit for the zone blocking offense that the Broncos
like to run. At the combine he was one
of the most impressive linemen in attendance, showing off both his agility and
strength. He is the type of player that
could come in and compete for a starting spot from day one. I expect the Broncos to jump all over
Westerman should he be here at this spot.
Round 3 (98th overall)
C.J. Prosise- RB Norte Dame
Another player that could step in and make an
immediate impact. Prosise would be a great
compliment to starter C.J. Anderson and should Anderson get injured he would be
able to fill in as a starter. Prosise is
one of the most exciting players in the draft this year and I think he would be
a real steal for the Broncos at this spot.
He has great elusiveness evidenced by his ability to break off the big
play which is something that the Broncos will need with the departure of Ronnie
Hillman. He still needs work in pass
protection, but he will not be an every down back for the Broncos so that is
something that he can learn with time.
Round 4 (136th overall)
Dominique Alexander- LB Oklahoma
Alexander is a player that has a very wide range for
his draft stock so there is a decent chance that he is already gone by the time
the Broncos make their 4th round selection. Should he still be available at this point, I think the Broncos will make him their selection. They are going to need depth next year at
linebacker and Alexander has the ability to be a quality starter in the NFL. He has good instincts and is athletic enough
to hold up in pass coverage which is something that Denver asks its linebackers to do often.
Round 5 (145th overall)
Willie Beavers- OT Western Michigan
With their pick in the 5th round the
Broncos look to the future of the tackle position. Beavers has the ability to someday be a
quality tackle in the NFL but he is still very raw at this point in his
career. He possess great size and
quickness for the position but he does not have great technique at this point
in time. Given a few years to sit
behind Russell Okung and learn the finer points of the position Beavers could
develop into a quality left tackle someday. This could also be an important depth pick if the Broncos do plan to move Ty Sambrailo inside to guard.
Round 6 (219th overall)
KJ Dillon- SS West Virginia
The Broncos lost safety David Bruton in free agency
which means they will be looking for depth at the safety postion. Cue West Virginia safety KJ Dillon. He is a bit undersized for the position but
he plays much bigger than his size. A
real thumper at West Virginia Dillon would provide much needed depth at the
safety position and be a special teams contributor. He actually reminds me a lot of a younger T.J. Ward, he can really hit but he is going to struggle in coverage at times. I expect the Broncos to pick up a safety at some point in this draft even if it is not Dillon.
Round 7 (228th overall)
Bryce Williams- TE East Carolina
After the release of tight end Owen Daniels the
Broncos will need to look for some depth at the position. Enter Williams who is raw but very
talented. He is physically gifted,
measuring in at 6’6” tall with the speed to challenge defenses vertically. He could come in right away and be a big time red zone target for Mark Sanchez or whoever ends up being the Broncos quarterback. He still needs a lot of work as a route runner but that is something that he can develop over time. This could be a great pickup for the Broncos
especially because they can afford to be patient with Williams and wait for him
to develop.
Round 7 (236th overall)
Derek Watt- FB Wisconsin
That’s right the Broncos bring in the younger brother
of J.J. Watt to provide a true fullback. The Broncos lacked a true fullback last year
and the Kubiak offense really needs a strong lead blocker for the offense to
function properly. Enter Watt who was a
do it all player at Wisconsin. He would
instantly be penciled in as the Broncos starter at fullback and blow open some
holes in the running game. Another possible player that the Broncos could target here is Dan Vitale out of Northwestern who was also a do it all fullback.
Round 7 (253rd overall)
Tom Hackett- P Utah
Mr. Irrelevant! Maybe not if this is the last pick of
the round for the Broncos. Now make no
mistake Hackett is clearly the best punter in this class and there is a good
chance that he will be gone by the end of the draft but if he is still there at
the end I think the Broncos will snatch him up.
Britton Colquitt has been below average the last few seasons and he is
the top paid punter in the game. I expect the Broncos to bring someone in to
compete with him even if it is not Hackett. 