Here’s the deal: The Denver Broncos’ secondary — A.K.A. The No Fly Zone — isn’t in need of much improvement. The fact that they have a guy like Bradley Roby as their third cornerback is pretty much unfair to the rest of the league. And when you pair them with one of the league’s most explosive pass rushes, well … you end up with one of the best defenses in NFL history and a Super Bowl championship.
So when it comes to drafting a cornerback, it’s easy to say, “What’s the point?”
And that’s fair. Why would the Broncos select a cornerback when they could just as easily select a player who fits a larger position of need? My counter would be: You can never have enough good cornerbacks.
In today’s day and age, the only thing more important than a quarterback is the defense’s ability to stop one — just ask Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and Cam Newton, who all saw their seasons come to an early end thanks to the Broncos defense. If the best player left on the board is a cornerback, the Broncos would be wise to consider him; if your worst problem is that you have too many shut-down cornerbacks, you’ve got a pretty good thing going for you.
Here are five guys the Broncos could be considering:
5. Tavon Young
PROJECTED ROUND: 5th/6th HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-9/183 LBS
CAREER NUMBERS: 127 total tackles; 8 tackles for a loss; 2 sacks; 7 interceptions; 21 passes defensed; 1 forced fumbles
Tavon Young is scrappy little corner from Temple, and while his physical deficiencies will likely push him down towards the back end of day three, his playmaking ability will make him an attractive option for a lot of teams, including the Denver Broncos.
While he may just be 5-foot-9, Young is always around the ball, and he’s capitalized on those opportunities.
He may never be a full-time starter in the NFL, but as a nickel or dime cornerback, Young can carve out a long-time role in the the league.
4. Mackensie Alexander
PROJECTED ROUND: 1st/2nd HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-10/190 LBS
CAREER NUMBERS: 44 total tackles; 4 tackles for a loss; 11 passes defensed
Personally, Mackenzie Alexander is probably my second favorite cornerback in the draft, but depending on whom you talk to, he could go anywhere from top 10 to early second round. If the latter becomes the case, I don’t know how the Broncos possibly pass up the opportunity to select this kid.
And it’s not just the fact that he’s an elite cover-corner prospect; it’s the fact that he has more swagger than just about any player in this draft.
That may sound like an odd compliment, but it’s the exact type of attitude you want from your shut-down cornerback.
He may be a little more raw than the other first-round talents, but his ceiling is just as high, if not higher. He’d definitely be a luxury pick for the Denver Broncos, but that’s the type of pick you can afford when you’re the Super Bowl champion.
3. Jalen Mills
PROJECTED ROUND: 3rd HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-0/191 LBS
CAREER NUMBERS: 216 total tackles; 8 tackles for a loss; 4 sacks; 6 interceptions; 11 passes defensed
If Jalen Mills can get his off-the-field issues in order, then he could end up being a steal in the third round, and the perfect kind of cornerback the Broncos are looking for.
Mills’ ceiling is probably as a playmaking nickel corner, and while he’d only play a limited role in his first season or so, there’s no reason he can eventually take Roby’s role once he transitions into more of a full-time starter.
2. Kendall Fuller
PROJECTED ROUND: 2nd HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-11/187 LBS
CAREER NUMBERS: 119 total tackles; 8 tackles for a loss; 3.5 sacks; 8 interceptions; 25 passes defensed; 2 forced fumbles
Bloodlines mean a lot in the NFL, and not many guys have better bloodlines than Kendall Fuller.
This is a guy who was the fourth Fuller brother to suit up for Virginia Tech, and he’ll be the fourth Fuller brother to be drafted into the NFL. He may also be the best.
Kendall was pegged as an early first-round pick for much of his career, but after suffering several serious injuries to end his career, he’s fallen into the second-round discussion. If the Broncos feel comfortable about his health, though, he could end up out-performing his draft status by a good deal.
1. Cyrus Jones
PROJECTED ROUND: 3rd/4th HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-10/197 LBS
CAREER NUMBERS: 69 total tackles; 3.5 tackles for a loss; 1 sacks; 5 interceptions; 18 passes defensed; 2 forced fumbles
Cyrus Jones makes the most sense for the Denver Broncos, because he can have an impact immediately, even if he is stuck behind three of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
Jones is one of the better return men in this year’s draft class, and with Omar Bolden bolting for Chicago, the Broncos just so happen to be in the market for one.
And when it comes to pure coverage skills, Jones has as much room to grow as anyone. It wasn’t until his second year at Alabama that Jones shifted to the defensive side of the ball, having played wide receiver his freshman year, and he’s been growing steadily ever since. With more development, he’s only going to get better.