3. 2015
Number Of Picks: 9
Players In The League As Of 2015: 8
Players Set To Be Starters For Broncos In 2016: 2-3
High Value Picks (Round Drafted In): Shane Ray (1)
Too Early To Tell (Round Drafted In): Ty Sambrailo (2), Jeff Heuerman (3), Max Garcia (4), Lorenzo Doss (5), Darius Kilgo (6), Trevor Siemian (7), Taurean Nixon (7)
Busts (Round Drafted In): Josh Furman (7)
The verdict is still very much out on the 2015 class, as it has only had one year to prove itself. The good news is there is still a chance that it can turn out to be a very good draft class; however, it can still be a bust, too.
As of right now, we know two things. It is fairly safe to say that Shane Ray was a good pick in the first round. Ray was another example of top talent slipping to the Broncos in the later part of the first round. He showed signs of why the Broncos added a fourth pass rusher, and has the potential to turn into a star in a few years.
We also know that Josh Furman was a bust since he was not in the league last year. Since he was drafted in the seventh round, it isn’t really fair to categorize him as a bust and hold it over Elway, but that’s where he lands.
Besides those two, the jury is still out on every other player. Second- and third-round picks, Ty Sambrailo and Jeff Heuerman, had major injuries last year that prevented them from giving us an idea of what they could end up being. Next year will be very telling for them.
Max Garcia will have an opportunity to start at the guard position, and as of right now, it is his to lose. With the departure of Malik Jackson, Darius Kilgo will also have an opportunity to gain more playing time along the defensive line. The last player that, as of right now, could have a chance to compete is Trevor Siemian. With the quarterback situation being such a question mark, it isn’t fair to count anyone out of the race.
The telling piece about this draft will be the play of Sambrailo, Heuerman and Garcia. If they step up and become starters, then this will be a very good draft, if they don’t perform, it will be very difficult to call this even an average draft.
