With just hours remaining before the NFL Draft officially commences, it’s time to reveal the 2016 Mile High Sports Denver Broncos Mock Draft.
Unlike other mock drafts, which seek to tell you what all 32 teams (31 this year thanks to to Deflategate) will do, we’ve asked 31 members of the MHS team to predict what the Denver Broncos will do with their pick.
With each of his first picks in the draft so far during his tenure as GM, John Elway has selected a defensive player. Will that trend continue? Or will Elway target his next quarterback of the future? Or will he use that pick to trade for Colin Kapernick.
As winners of Super Bowl 50, the Broncos currently hold the final pick of the first round and the possibilities are wide for what direction they might go. Here’s what the team from Mile High Sports thinks…
James Merilatt – President
Trade out. They won’t make a pick on Thursday.
Doug Ottewill – Editor-in-Chief, Mile High Sports Magazine
They will trade back in the draft. They’ll have already made a deal for Colin Kaepernick, so they’ll trade out of the first and into the second.
Joe Williams – Host, The Irv & Joe Show
They’ll probably trade down, but they should pick the best offensive or defensive lineman available. There’s five guys at each position that are all good players. The draft is a roll of the dice – two of those are going to be great players, two will be good and one will be hurt his whole life. Just pick one and hope for the best.
Gil Whiteley – Host, Whiteley the Radio Show
Everything hinges on the QB situation. If they make a deal (for Kaepernick or Sam Bradford) then they hope for Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss to drop for some off field issues. If no QB deal, they try to move up to get Paxton Lynch…
Michael Jaycox – Editor-in-Chief, MileHighSports.com
Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Mississippi
Eric Goodman – Host, Afternoon Drive
If Paxton Lynch goes past the Saints, they’ll trade up to 18 with the Colts to grab him. Or if Connor Cook lasts to 31, they’ll trade with the 49ers and drop back to the 37th pick and trade No. 31 with San Francisco for Kaepernick.
Josh Pennock – Station Manager
Elway has been anything but conventional in the NFL Draft, that’s why I’m ignoring the Nkemdiche talk. If Karl Joseph (S, West Virginia) is around at 31 Denver grabs him. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Elway and his team find a way to move up to get Joesph.
Marcello Romano – Host, Morning Mayhem
Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Mississippi
Mike Luper – Host, The Sports Guy Mike Show
Logical Scenario: “With the 31st pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select, Chris Jones, defensive tackle from Mississippi State University.” – He’d be a great replacement for Malik Jackson.
Risky Scenario: “The Denver Broncos have traded with the Buffalo Bills for the 19th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft & have selected, Paxton Lynch Quarterback from Memphis.” – He could sit behind Kaepernick (Yes, he’ll be a Bronco) and learn from a talented starter.
Tom Pritz III – Account Executive (& Sparty Homer)
Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
Vanessa Hughes – Contributing Writer
The Broncos will trade 9 of their 10 draft picks to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for Colin Kaepernick. They will keep their last pick in the draft, #253, and take a QB from a school we’ve never heard of as a 4th-stringer. This “to-be-named” QB (aka Mr. Irrelevant) will be starting by week 8. That’s my prediction and I’m sticking to it.
Joe Rico – Host, The Final Word
Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Mississippi
Benny Bash – Host, The Big Show
The Broncos will trade back in the draft and stock up on picks. (Hopefully to use as a trade for a QB.) A later pick I would like to see is Scooby Wright MLB out of Arizona. A real high motor guy.
Ted Yhedri – Senior Editor
Gary Kubiak loves tight ends more than I love a properly used semicolon; the Broncos will select Hunter Henry (TE, Arkansas).
Alex Ramirez – Host, The Final Word
Derrick Henry, RB, University of Alabama
Casey Light – General Manager
Elway has rolled the dice for two years running on guys with character questions (Bradley Roby and Shane Ray). So far, he’s won. While Robert Nkemdiche is a tempting pick (if he’s still around), I think Elway finally hedges his bets and takes whoever is still on the board between Vernon Butler, Sheldon Hargrave, Chris Jones and A’Shawn Robinson.
Kent Erickson – Host, The Big Show
Someone will make them a very good offer on that pick because of the fifth-year option on first-round guys. The Broncos will drop down 10 picks or so, plus acquire another pick.
Alex Johnston – Host, The Big, Little & Jake Show
They’ll do what they have done in the past and take the best player available.
Will Petersen – Contributing Writer
Robert Nkemdiche will fall to the Broncos at No. 31 – making it the second year in a row they get a first round steal.
Benjamin Allbright – Host, The Big Show
If they stay at 31 my guess is that they take Cody Whitehair, the OL out of Kansas State.
JJ Jerez – Producer & Contributing Writer
Offensive line help.
Dee White – Host, Notaro & Big Dee
In order for this team to make another playoff run the Broncos need to control games running the football. CJ Anderson is a really good back but can’t be counted on for an entire season. Why not take an uber-talented counterpart to solidify the position? That’s why the Broncos will take Derrick Henry, RB, out of Alabama.
Mark Knudson – Contributing Writer & Host, Sports Stampede
Derrick Henry, RB, University of Alabama
Norm LaChatlier – Contributing Editor
Make Roger Goodell pronounce a name awkwardly.
David Hurlbut – Host, The Morning Huddle
A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
Ashley Dumas – Intern
I have a feeling that the Broncos will try and move up in the draft and select Paxton Lynch for QB somewhere around the 10th pick.
It’s a long shot! But then again, it’s also John Elway…
Scott Roberts – Producer
Germain Ifedi, OT, Texas A&M
Michael Klahr – Host, Sports Stampede
On with Joe Williams, ahead of Todd McShay of ESPN, Cameron Wolfe of Denver Post, Andrew Mason, Bruce Marshall editor of Gold Sheet, I selected Robert Nkemdiche, Mississippi as the replacement for Malik Jackson.
William T. Sawyer, Esq. – Legal Counsel
Select Harvey Steinberg’s next client.
Andy Zodin – Host, In the Tennis Zone
Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
Clinton Doaks – Contributing Editor
John Elway is predictably unpredictable. He’ll stick with his pattern of selecting defense first, aiming for Reggie Ragland (ILB, Alabama). The question is whether or not he’s willing to move up to get him.