On day three of the NFL draft the Denver Broncos focused on strengthening their greatest weakness — the offense. With their first three picks, the Broncos brass chose a player on the offensive side of the ball, addressing running back, guard and even adding a fullback.
With their last two picks in the draft, the Broncos added another safety, Will Parks in the sixth, and punter Riley Dixon in the seventh.
With the exception of Dixon, if he beats out Britton Colquitt, the rest of the day-three picks will probably not be starters going into the 2016 season. However, the Broncos are confident they added contributors to the team.
“[The draft] fell really well for us and we got a lot of really good football players and good guys,” said Elway. “I’m really thrilled in how it fell.”
Kubiak praised Elway and the personnel staff saying they did a “tremendous” job.
“One of the things that really impressed me is I told John we’ve got a Super Bowl football team, but yet you look at this draft and I think we’ve got some guys that are going to help our football team immediately,” said Kubiak.
With the Broncos first pick on day three, they landed one of the top running backs on their board, Devontae Booker from Utah in the fourth round. Ranked as the No. 3 overall running back by CBSSports and projected to go in the second round, Elway was ecstatic that Booker fell to them at 136th overall.
“We didn’t think he’d be there in the bottom of the fourth. To be able to get him, a guy that we had second on our board at that position … we felt very lucky about getting him there,” said Elway.
Elway said he thought Booker fell due to his knee injury, but he checked out just fine with the Broncos medical staff.
“[Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos] ‘Greek’ felt good about where that was and the situation where we were [at],” said Elway.
In the fifth round, the Broncos landed another value pick, choosing guard Connor McGovern from Mizzou. After playing tackle and guard at Mizzou, the Broncos added a player that can play every position on the offensive line.
“I am comfortable at all positions,” said McGovern. “They have not indicated where I will be starting out, but I believe I can play all three.”
Kubiak echoed this message about McGovern’s versatility.
“He has the versatility to do a lot of things … we’ll get him in here and put him to work and see where he fits best,” said Kubiak.
Additionally, Kubiak believes that McGovern may be more pro ready that other fifth-round picks.
“Let’s remember, he played in the SEC, he played left tackle and he blocked some good players,” said Kubiak. “We know we got a smart young man that has played against really good players and has done that at a very high level.”
Then, in the sixth round, the Broncos took one of the few fullbacks chosen in the draft, Andy Janovich out of Nebraska.
This pick was particularly interesting, not because it was a fullback, but because it shows the commitment of the organization to shift back to the Gark Kubiak style of run-heavy offense.
“We would like to have some two-back in what we do offensively,” said Kubiak. “It’s a direction we would like to head a little more in, and he’ll help us do that.”
Described as “a man possessed on special teams,” Janovich brings this additional element to the Broncos.
Janovich isn’t the only player in this draft that will be able to play special teams; in fact, outside of quarterback Paxton Lynch, all of the Broncos draft picks will contribute in a positive manner.
“Our special teams got so much better today,” said Kubiak. “This year we’re bringing a lot to our special teams.”
When asked on what they liked in Dixon, Kubiak gave the only response he thought was appropriate.
“He’s a good punter (laughing),” said Kubiak. Elway couldn’t help but chime in: “He’s got great lift (laughing). Points his toe.”
While an organization would never come out and say anything but positives after a draft, the Broncos seemed genuine.
With the laidback, joking attitude and dress — Kubiak traded in his suit, which he had worn after day one and day two of the draft, for athletic apparel and Elway was without a coat or tie — it was apparent that the Broncos were truly satisfied with the way the draft went.
“We really feel like we’re in pretty good shape,” said Elway.