With their first selection of the third day of the draft, and the 118th pick overall, the Broncos decided to continue adding weapons to their young offensive arsenal with Albert Okwuegbunam, or “Albert O” as he’s better known.
Albert O. will reunite with college teammate Drew Lock in Denver, who must be excited to be getting his favorite target from college back with him in the NFL.
Positives
Out of the tight ends available in this year’s class, none are better pure athletes than Okwuegbunam. He ran a sub-4.5 40-yard dash, which should make him a nightmare running up the seam.
Okwuegbunam’s speed isn’t the only great trait that makes him look more like a wide receiver though. He’s got feathery soft hands and a great ability to track the ball in the air. He’s also great at attacking at the catch point to secure the pass, making him unguardable for most any linebacker.
His best trait though, might be his uncanny ability to win in the red zone, which he might be even better at than Noah Fant. He has a great understanding of positioning and excels at boxing out defenders.
The chemistry he should already have established with Drew Lock is worth something as well.
Negatives
The major concerns with Okwuegbunam are his injury history and production.
While at Mizzou, he never played in more than nine games in any given season, as he missed time with different shoulder injuries and a knee injury. On the bright side, the knee injury was minor as was one of the shoulder injuries, but it’s definitely concerning he wasn’t able to stay on the field.
As for production, he had only one season where he eclipsed 30 receptions for the Tigers. He averaged nearly a touchdown every four catches, proving he’s dangerous once he gets the ball in his hands, but getting it there is a concern.
Verdict
The Broncos mission statement for this draft is clear: Load up on offensive weapons, speed and athleticism to ensure Lock’s success.
Drafting Albert Okwuegbunam continues that pursuit and the value seems good at the top of the fourth round. He’s a matchup nightmare and no one in the league has enough defenders two defend the size-speed combo of Noah Fant and Okwuegbunam, but the move is still puzzling to some extent.
The cornerback room could still use an upgrade, Will Parks still needs to be replaced, and Garett Bolles and Elijah Wilkinson are battling it out to see who the starting blindside protector will be for Lock. There were also quality players available at all those needs, making the pick of a No. 2 tight end feel like a luxury.
Initial Pick Grade: B-
Pro Comparison: Delanie Walker