It’s officially the week of the draft which makes it the perfect time to go around the revitalized Mile High Sports Broncos office and see how our Broncos experts are viewing the team’s draft outlook.
What should George Paton do in the first round of this year’s draft?
Rich Kurtzman (@RichKurtzman): If he can, trade up and draft a QB. But it seems much more likely he will trade back.
Joey Richards (@JRDrafts): Over the last couple of offseasons, the Broncos have done a tremendous job of collecting young assets, while also filling holes throughout their roster in free agency. Effectively building the house, the Broncos should move aggressively in capitalizing on this great quarterback class. If unattainable, they should pivot to taking the best player or players available at premium positions.
JT Matthews (@JTMatthews01): I am always a fan of getting draft assets so my preference would be to trade back and gather picks. Ideally, this wouldn’t be completely out of the first round because Denver needs some skilled bodies to fill some holes and add depth, but if the payout was immense then it would be tempting. If an offer wasn’t on the table then I would cross my fingers that Lance or Fields would fall to pick nine, but trading up would not be as appealing.
Nicholas Manning (@Dr_NManning): Be aggressive. Now, that could mean move up, move back, or stay in place. Paton must identify his plan and attack it to gain as much value as possible. If he believes the value is in a quarterback, be intentional and commit to it. If someone falls in his lap at 9 (ala Bradley Chubb dropping in 2018), turn down the deals on the table and take your player. If there is value in moving back, commit to it and gain the assets that you need to address the holes on this roster.
Zach Segars (@Zach_Segars): The dream scenario is having either Justin Fields or Trey Lance fall into your lap at pick No. 9. Unfortunately, dreams rarely come to fruition and that dream seems especially far-fetched, so trading up to secure Justin Fields (or Trey Lance for that matter) even if it costs you multiple first-round picks, would be pretty dang dreamy as well.
What is your nightmare scenario for the Broncos’ first round?
Rich Kurtzman (@RichKurtzman): Hmm. Probably drafting a running back, or maybe even a wide receiver. Denver took two straight receivers last year and are needy in terms of linebacker and cornerback, which I’d like much more.
Joey Richards (@JRDrafts): For multiple reasons, the first-round nightmare would be selecting any running back. With how little value the position brings and with how easy the position is to find in later rounds, the Broncos would be doing a complete disservice to themselves with that selection.
JT Matthews (@JTMatthews01): Any move up to get Mac Jones would be near impossible to stomach. I still believe Drew Lock can have success with this team but I can acknowledge that not everyone feels that way so a quarterback may be in the cards for Denver. Ideally, if selecting a quarterback is the move I would have little to no issue with getting Justin Fields, as I believe he is a franchise quarterback and has every intangible which Broncos Country would love. Mac Jones is not that and he should be far down their list of first-round picks. Really, really far down the list.
Nicholas Manning (@Dr_NManning): Nightmare scenario is Mac Jones becoming a Bronco. I, in no way shape, or form, believe he is an upgrade to Drew Lock today or in the future. To me, that is a wasted selection that would be near impossible to sell to your fanbase. Almost any other direction can make sense. Whether it is Fields, Lance, an EDGE player to replace Von, a safety to replace Jackson, tackle, linebacker, even running back, are all areas the team needs to get better. Jones, just doesn’t do it for me.
Zach Segars (@Zach_Segars): Drafting Mac Jones, a running back, or a wide receiver would all be ill-advised moves but you’re likely to get some value out of those picks. The real nightmare is drafting this year’s Paxton Lynch or Isaiah Wilson — Tennessee’s 2020 first-round pick who is now out of the league due to character issues — and that appears to be Micah Parsons. You can get a more athletic linebacker a round later, who doesn’t have more red flags than a communist rally, and instead use that first-round pick on someone you’ll get value out of.
If Denver trades back, who is a prospect Broncos Country should be eyeing late in the first?
Rich Kurtzman (@RichKurtzman): Possibly Patrick Surtain, but I’m not sure he falls to the 20s.
Joey Richards (@JRDrafts): If the Broncos are looking to attain more picks and trade further down into the first round, cornerback Greg Newsome would be a home run. While the need at cornerback isn’t pressing, Newsome is an awesome fit in the Vic Fangio defense and could pay off substantially down the road.
JT Matthews (@JTMatthews01): This is a great question and there are so many good options. I really love Alijah Vera-Tucker and I do think he could play offensive tackle in the NFL even though I think he might be the safest pick in the draft, if he were to play on the interior. Greg Newsome, cornerback out of Northwestern, would probably fit a need more than Vera-Tucker and would be a great get for Denver further down the draft board with his elite athleticism and ability to play the ball in the air.
Nicholas Manning (@Dr_NManning): If they move back look for Jamin Davis, linebacker of Kentucky, to be a focus. He fits the bill of a linebacker Vic Fangio has been without his entire time in Denver. If Davis is gone, Najee Harris might really be in play. Assuming they gain enough assets to target their obvious areas of need, Harris might simply be BPA at that spot.
Zach Segars (@Zach_Segars): Since I can’t believe no one has taken him yet — though all aforementioned selections are dead on — I have to go with Jayson Oweh. He is such a rare athlete you could argue he’s one of the freakiest edge-rushing prospects we’ve seen. He needs to develop and learn to finish the rep with a sack, but he can sit behind Von Miller for a year or more as he develops. He’d also be an excellent replacement as he fits the Miller mold nearly perfectly from a stylistic standpoint.
