Having the last pick in each round of the draft does not sound ideal, and yet every team would take it in a heartbeat. While it means that every team gets to pick ahead of you, it also signifies world champions. After coming off of a victory in Super Bowl 50 last month, the Denver Broncos are prepared to pick last in the first round of next month’s draft.
While the entire team is considered Super Bowl champions, the past year and a half has had a major weakness: the offensive line. Over this stretch, the offensive line has had some games where they show promise, but overall the line has looked weak in both the run and pass game.
John Elway understands the importance of an offensive line and has dedicated this offseason to upgrading it. The only outside acquisitions the Broncos have made in free agency have been their two new starting tackles, Russell Okung and Donald Stephenson.
As of right now, the two starting guards for the Broncos were not the starting guards last year. Max Garcia, the projected starting right guard, was a rookie last season and did see some playing time during the year. Garcia looked very impressive in training camp, but his time on the field during the season showed that he was not yet ready to be a starter.
Ty Sambrailo, the second-year pro out of Colorado State, was the starting right tackle going into last year. He was hurt in week three and never returned. Even though he was on track to be a tackle, people believe he will be better suited moving inside as a guard, because of his shorter arms and skill set.
Just as the Broncos feel very comfortable with their starting tackles, they may feel just as uncomfortable with their starting guards. Elway will continue to upgrade the offensive line, and focusing on guards will most likely be the place he looks early and often in the draft.
The fortunate aspect for the Broncos is guards are not viewed as a top commodity in the league, and thus talented guards typically are available longer than most other positions. This means the Broncos could get a top guard in the draft with the 31st overall pick, or get a potential starter a few rounds later.
Here are five guards the Denver Broncos will be looking at in the draft next month: