Losing Danny Trevathan is a bummer. Any time you can watch a guy go from a sixth-round draft pick to potential Pro Bowler, you’d like to keep him in your organization as long as possible. But with that kind of success comes monetary benefits, and the Broncos simply weren’t in a position to pay up.
That leaves Todd Davis as Brandon Marshall‘s new partner at inside linebacker, and while Davis looked like a solid player in limited stints last season, the Broncos could be looking to upgrade in the draft.
Luckily, there are a few guys who could make a lot of sense. Here are five inside linebacker prospects Denver should be keeping an eye on in the draft later this month:
5. Kentrell Brothers (Senior)
PROJECTED ROUND: 2nd HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-0/245 LBS
CAREER NUMBERS: 357 total tackles; 23.5 tackles for a loss; 4.5 sacks; 5 interceptions; 11 passes defensed; 4 forced fumbles
If Kentrell Brothers slipped to the Broncos at the back end of the second round, he’s probably worth the pick. On most draft boards, he’s the second-ranked inside linebacker in the draft, and he’d likely be a plug-and-play player.
The best way to describe Brothers is as a tackling machine. As a senior last year, he led the nation with 152 tackles, which earned him First-Team All-American honors.
His only real limitation is that he’s not the most athletic of linebackers, and in the Broncos’ system, that may push him down their draft board.
