Here’s some good news: Not only did the Denver Broncos win the Super Bowl, but they get to pick a spot higher in the upcoming NFL draft, too!
What a year, huh?
Yes, thanks to the New England Patriots’ propensity to play with their balls, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has snatched Bill Belichick’s first-round pick away from the Patriots, pushing the Broncos forward from the No. 32 pick to No. 31.
Will it make a significant difference? Maybe not. But it’s as good a segue into draft talk as I could come up with. And yes, two weeks removed from Super Bowl 50, it is time for draft talk. With players arriving in Indianapolis for the combine as early as Tuesday, draft season is in full effect.
But what should Broncos fans be on the lookout for?
Well, that’s what we’re about to dive into. But before we get into the nitty gritty of player breakdowns and predictions, let’s look at the draft in a more general sense.
Here are five positions the Denver Broncos should be targeting with their first pick:
5. Playmaker
I’m kind of fudging the line here, but whether it be a wide receiver or running back, the Broncos could, in theory, always use another playmaker.
Now, to be fair, there’s also a reason why it’s fifth on the list.
I am of the belief that no franchise should ever draft a running back in the first round, and my stance isn’t changing now. For every Todd Gurley or Adrian Peterson, there are a dozen Thomas Rawls, C.J. Andersons and Alfred Morris in the late to undrafted rounds. Any organization would be much better served drafting the guard that will block for their late-round back than the other way around.
So with that said, I would advise heavily against John Elway using his first selection on a running back, even if Ezekiel Elliott were to somehow fall to the Broncos’ pick.
And really, there aren’t many wideouts who jump of the page, either — not like the last few years, at least.
Michael Thomas or Josh Doctson might be imposing forces, but are they really going to make much of an impact on the Broncos next season? I understand everybody is down on Demaryius Thomas, but no rookie is putting up half the numbers he did last year.
If there was one playmaker I’d consider, it’s Braxton Miller. This is a guy who may only just be coming into himself as a wideout, having played quarterback for the majority of his career at Ohio State, but he is one heck of a talent. He’s the type of guy you build game plans around. Whether it’s as a rusher, a receiver, a passer or a returner, Miller can impact the game at every level.
More importantly, he’s unique enough that he could have an immediate impact, even with Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders still on the field.
4. Tight End
The Denver Broncos need a tight end. Gary Kubiak needs a tight end. Quarterback to be named later needs a tight end.
Now, I like Owen Daniels and I think Virgil Green is a solid player, but at this point in their careers, it is what it is; neither of them is going to be putting up Pro-Bowl numbers.
The wild card is Jeff Heuerman, who was drafted in the third round last offseason before tearing his ACL in training camp. Maybe he’s the answer. Apparently John Elway thought highly enough of him to draft him on Day 2 of the draft, despite Heuerman missing the majority of his senior season with injury.
But if Elway is worried about Heuerman’s ability to bounce back, or he’s just looking for some insurance, maybe Hunter Henry is an option at No. 31.
The nation’s top tight end last season, Henry, may not be Rob Gronkowski, but he’s a legitimate late-first, early-second-round talent. If Elway pulled the trigger on a pass-catching tight end to help aid his young quarterback, whomever that is, would it really be that big of a surprise?
3. Quarterback
If you think a quarterback is not in play with the Broncos first-round pick, then you’re sadly mistaken. In fact, if Brock Osweiler bolts, I might say it’s likely.
John Elway is not going into the season without a quarterback he can believe in.
The most-appealing option is Memphis gunslinger Paxton Lynch, who was looked at by many as a top-10 selection for much of the season. Since stumbling down the homestretch, though, he has now fallen to the point that it’s conceivable he’d be available for the Broncos at No. 31. If not then, he might fall to a position where Elway would feel comfortable moving up to get him.
And if that sounds optimistic, just ask Teddy Bridgewater, who went from projected No. 1-overall pick to final selection of the first round.
If that doesn’t work, though, then Connor Cook or Christian Hackenberg could become viable options, as long as Elway feels the organization can overcome some of their character concerns.
Obviously, this isn’t the preferred path for the Broncos. But if worse comes to worse, it might be a good idea for Broncos Country to keep an eye on the quarterback prospects over these next few months.
2. Defensive Line
Why change what’s been working? John Elway has drafted a defensive player with his first pick in each of his five drafts, and as evidenced by their Super Bowl rings, it’s been working fairly well.
And it hasn’t been out of necessity, either. When Elway drafted both Bradley Roby and Shane Ray, it was to create depth in an already stacked secondary and pass rushing corps. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he were to do the same in 2016, especially if Malik Jackson ends up walking in free agency.
This is the year to do it, too. There are upwards of eight defensive tackles and seven defensive ends with first-round talent. Someone is falling further than they should, and that leaves the Broncos in a perfect position to grab a steal.
The guy I’m keeping my eye out for is Robert Nkemdiche. Talent wise, he’s probably a top-10 pick, but teams could be scared off by his off-field concerns. Denver already showed they weren’t afraid of a “project” when they moved up to grab Shane Ray last season; I wouldn’t be surprised if they did the same this year.
1. Offensive Line
Sometimes the obvious choice is the right choice. The Denver Broncos offensive line was (to put it nicely) a mess last season. There’s no reason in God’s green earth why Michael Schofield should be playing legitimate snaps in the NFL, and yet he somehow ended up starting for the Super Bowl champions.
And we forget that Ryan Harris, a guy the Broncos jettisoned out of town four years ago, started all 16 games for Denver.
Even if Ryan Clady and Ty Sambrailo do come back healthy next season, the Broncos need more talent across the offensive line. If not, there’s no reason to believe that the offense will get any better in 2016.
If Elway were to look towards the tackle position, Jack Conklin and Taylor Decker could be viable solutions, but Kansas State guard Cody Whitehair might be the most-reliable option.
At least, ESPN’s Mel Kiper thinks so:
“He’s an immediate hole filler. Heck of a player,” Kiper said, via The Denver Post. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see Whitehair be a guy that comes in immediately and starts and plays at a high level and at the end of the year is one of the best rookies in the league. I think Whitehair is a heck of an offensive linemen, he gives you tremendous versatility and he’s ready to play in the NFL right now.”
Whitehair might not fill the immediate need at tackle, but he might be the most “NFL-ready prospect” available at that point in the draft. Given that Denver has it’s eyes on competing for a Lombardi Trophy, that might end up being an important factor.