The Denver Broncos are absolutely stacked with talent at the outside linebacker position. Along with the cornerbacks, the outside linebackers are the best and deepest position on the Super Bowl winning team.
So, why would the Broncos even be interested in using a draft pick on an outside linebacker? The answer is simple, because it’s an extremely important position, and as Elway pointed out after the Super Bowl, you can’t have enough pass rushers.
In defensive coordinator Wade Phillip’s 3-4 scheme, the outside linebacker position is primarily focused on rushing the passer. Phillip’s not only has two of the best at this in the game, Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, but he has two very talented up-and-coming players in Shaquil Barrett and Shane Ray, too.
These four players arguably make the most talented and dangerous group of pass rushers in the league. While the Broncos certainly don’t need another outside linebacker for this coming year, they could look to draft and develop one as an asset for years to come.
If the Broncos decide to draft an outside linebacker, don’t expect to see much of him this year.
Here are five outside linebackers that the Broncos could look at in the draft:
5. Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
Experience: Junior
Height/Weight: 6-2/223
Projected Round: 1st/2n
2015 Stats: 115 tackles; 9 tackles for loss; 1 sack; 5 passes defended; 2 fumble recoveries
Would using a first-round pick on an outside linebacker be insane? Not if that player is Jaylon Smith.
Smith, widely praised as a top-10 player in the draft, tore his ACL and his LCL in the Fiesta Bowl on New Years Day of this year. Before severely injuring his knee, Smith was a surefire top pick in the draft, but doubts about his injury may have him slip until the end of the first.
If Smith is available at pick 31, and if the Broncos think he can fully recover from the injury, it would be very hard to pass up on his talent. However, there are many questions regarding his recovery from injury.
According to Jeff Legwold and Adam Schefter of ESPN, “Multiple teams have made the decision to fail Smith on the physical after his exam on Friday (during the combine), and sources with three teams at the combine said they do not intend to draft Smith.”
While Smith did not play outside linebacker in a 3-4 in college, he is extremely versatile and physically gifted that he can play any linebacker position in any defensive scheme. This would allow the Broncos to use him as an all-around linebacker, playing on the outside as well as the inside.
Elway proved last year that he isn’t afraid to pick the best player available when he chose Ray in the first round, so saying the Broncos may do the same if Smith falls might not be as big of a stretch as it initially seems.
Although his injury will most likely keep him from playing this upcoming season, drafting Smith would be an investment in a Pro-Bowl caliber player for the next decade, which would be hard to pass up.
4. Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland
Experience: Junior
Height/Weight: 6-2/252
Projected Round: 4th
2015 Stats: 37 tackles; 13.5 sacks (Maryland record and tied for second in country); 14.5 tackles for loss, 7 quarterback hurries
Yannick Ngakoue comes out of Maryland as one of the most dominant pass rushers in the country, at least in the collegiate game.
There is no denying his incredibly impressive stats, but many scouts wonder if he is just too one dimensional for the NFL game as just a pass rusher. Because of this concern, Ngakoue will most likely be a mid-round pick, but could have more value to the Broncos than most other teams.
Since coach Phillip’s 3-4 defense asks the outside linebackers to primarily rush the passer, Ngakoue’s superb pass rushing skills could fit in very well into this defense. Initially, Ngakoue could rotate with Ray and Barrett on early passing down situations, providing even more rest for Miller and Ware.
Ngakoue is able to get up field quickly, use his balance and quickness to turn the corner fast and read the snap perfectly at times. However, once a lineman gets a hold of him, it is difficult for him to escape, which is what makes him a liability in the run game as well.
In order for him to develop in the NFL, Ngakoue needs to become stronger and develop more moves, both in the run defense and rushing the passer, but there would be no better place for him to learn and develop than with coach Phillips, Miller and Ware.
3. Dadi Lhomme Nicolas, Virginia Tech
Experience: Senior
Height/Weight: 6-3/235
Projected Round: 4th-6th
2015 Stats: 45 tackles; 7 tackles for loss; 2.5 sacks; 2 passes defended; 2 forced fumbles; 2 fumble recoveries
If the Broncos are looking for a project that has a lot of potential, Dadi Lhomme Nicolas may certainly be the guy. A defensive end in college, Nicolas was misused, and that significantly effected his production his senior year. In his junior year, he accumulated 18.5 tackles for loss to go along with nine sacks.
Nicolas has a lot of talent and potential, while still being relatively new to the game. He didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school and already possesses some great attributes for a pass rusher.
The NFL community believes that Nicolas ideally belongs as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, making him a natural fit in Denver. Nicolas has many traits that you look for in a pass rusher, such as great acceleration, good up-field burst, quick jump off of the line and active hands, which let him keep blockers off of him and a NFL type body frame.
While he has a NFL body and frame, he needs to continue to add muscle to develop his strength. He has below-average strength and defenders are able to control him once they get hold of him and because of this he can be a liability in the running game, much like Ngakoue.
While Nicolas would be a project for the Broncos, he could have an instant impact on special teams as he has blocked many field goals at Virginia Tech. Even though Nicolas has a long way to go before becoming an impactful outside linebacker in the NFL, his upside along with his hustle and great work ethic, make him a very intriguing mid-to-late-round prospect.
2. Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
Experience: Senior
Height/Weight: 6-1/244
Projected Round: 5th
2015 Stats: 76 tackles; 9.5 sacks; 20 tackles for loss; 4 forced fumbles
For being projected to go in the fifth round, Joe Schobert is a well-polished, all-around player that is close to being NFL ready. The reason he is projected to go later in the draft, even though he can be a solid NFL player, is because he doesn’t have a high ceiling.
Scouts are worried that Schobert has nearly maxed out his game and once he gets to the NFL, he won’t have much room to continue to grow. However, the reason this could be a good late-round pick for the Broncos is because Schobert is a good player right now, and there is a chance that he could continue to develop.
Typically, in the late rounds players with a lot of talent and potential are more enticing than good players that might not have as high of a ceiling because they have a higher risk versus reward and this allows players like Schobert to fall.
Schobert is a well-balanced outside linebacker that can rush the passer, drop back in coverage and hold his own in the running game. He plays with a high motor, uses his hands well, has very good awareness, is versatile and can play on both sides of the line.
While Schobert’s stats his senior year were great, he played even better than they would indicate, often taking on double teams and setting his teammates up to make the play.
With the Broncos, Schobert could see playing time his rookie year sparingly, specifically in non-pass rushing situations. Since the Broncos have tremendous pass rushers, Schobert could become a specialist in run and pass coverage, while also having the capability to rush the passer.
Getting a player late in the draft that could be an above average backup would be very appealing for any team, even though the Broncos already have an excellent group of outside linebackers.
1. Kyler Fackrell, Utah State
Height/Weight: 6-5/245
Projected Round: 3rd-4th
2015 Stats: 82 tackles; 15 tackles for loss; 5 sacks; 2 forced fumbles; 5 fumble recoveries (lead nation); 12 quarterback hurries (school-record)
An All-Mountain West player, Kyler Fackrell’s name may be too familiar for Colorado State Ram’s fans. Playing against CSU in 2015, Fackrell had a career-high three tackles for loss and a school record six quarterback hurries. Fackrell not only brings this high ability and production into the NFL, but a fairly high ceiling as well.
CSU wasn’t the only team that Fackrell had success against. In fact, Fackrell won all-conference honors his first two years at Utah State before becoming an All-Mountain West player his senior season.
In his junior year, he tore his ACL in the season opener and missed the rest of the season. This injury has some scouts worried, but after having an extremely successful senior season, this is not much of a concern.
Fackrell has many favorable assets including his size, length, athleticism, up-field burst and ball skills. In coverage, Fackrell uses his footwork and awareness to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time, all while keeping an eye on the quarterback.
Playing quarterback, wide receiver, basketball and volleyball in high school, Fackrell is extremely athletic and he uses this ability well in getting to the quarterback. Even though he is 6-5, Fackrell can slide by offensive lineman by dipping under them. While only having five sacks his senior year, he can get after the quarterback, but the defensive play calling had him dropping into coverage a high percentage of the time.
Just as with every player in the draft, Fackrell can improve on a few traits before having an impact in the NFL. While his height is not an issue most of the time, occasionally lineman will get under him and be able to control him. He can work on his strength right off the line and his initial hand play.
With the ability and potential that Fackrell possess, he could certainly develop into an impact player in this league sitting behind, and learning from Miller, Ray, Barrett and Ware. The third round may be too early to get another outside linebacker for the Broncos, but if he falls, he could be a great pick up for years to come.