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!