The NFL Combine is underway and the Denver Broncos are looking for their next wave of young talent. Though head coach Gary Kubiak and company seem to be prioritizing linemen with their meetings so far, there is plenty of need across the board.
On Wednesday, Renaud Notaro and Big Dee White were joined by guest Benjamin Allbright of The Big Show on Mile High Sports AM 1340 to discuss the combine and Denver’s overall needs.
The combine consists of interviews, medical and cognitive tests and, of course, a series of athletic events the NFL hopefuls must perform. Though much emphasis is placed on the 40-yard dash, Allbright insists that other events are actually more important.
“Football, despite the emphasis on the 40-yard dash, is rarely ever played in 40-yard spurts,” Allbright said. “It’s a game of quickness and I think the drills that show off that quickness are the ones that resonate with me.”
If quickness is what fans are looking for, Allbright says they’d be better served paying attention to the three cone drill and the shuttle run.
This offseason is full of uncertainty for the Broncos roster and no one can be taken for granted. All that uncertainty could possibly make it worthwhile to pick up a quarterback.
“If we had a chance to go up and get a Carson Wentz, I would say do it because I personally believe this guy is the second coming of Ben Rothlisberger,” Allbright said. “That said, moving from 31 to two would cost at least two first-round draft picks and probably a player and I just don’t see that happening.”
Carson Wentz is a 6-foot-5, 232-pound quarterback out of North Dakota State University who’s known for his natural physical ability to play the game. His draft stock just keep rising though, and as Allbright pointed out, it would be very difficult for the Broncos to get him in the draft.
The NFL Combine is known for bizarre interview questions, and despite their seeming irrelevance, NFL coaches insist that they serve a purpose. The Wonderlic test is notorious for it’s perplexing questions and having highly successful athletes with low scores. The list of Wonderlic failures include Dan Marino, Brett Favre and Frank Gore.
“The Wonderlic is utterly and totally useless,” Allbright said.
As far as who the Broncos could be realistically be targeting with the No. 31 pick, Allbright thinks offense could be in the cards.
“There’s a couple guys I’ve been looking at. A tight end out of Arkansas, Hunter Henry – if you could get him and pair him up with Jeff Heuerman, I think that makes this offense legit. If [Ohio State running back] Ezekiel Elliott were to fall, I think that’d be a home run draft there at 31.
“I think they’re going to go best player available, but there will bee a lean to positional need.”
Listen to the full discussion between Allbright, Notaro and Big Dee in the podcast below…
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