Broncos 2017 NFL Draft

[cdumler7]

as in like... he isn't going to play any more games with the team to finish out the year? they still got an outside shot at the playoffs.

Yup...some are thinking that since he had been out with a concussion and went and saw team doctors yesterday he didn't exactly get good news about his chances of returning or getting a ton of playing time anyway. So might as well then go ahead and prepare for the draft at this point

 

[randymon]

See you call people ignorant for having any kind of hope that our OL could do anything yet honestly this right here is a very short-sighted post in my opinion. The only thing you are looking at is the talent level and saying "well they stink so cannot depend on them to do anything any time soon." Or you talk about a blow out loss in the AFCCG when pretty much everybody last year was predicting that when we played the Patriots but hey wait what happened...oh yeah we won that game then were predicted to lose by even more in the Super Bowl and hey wait what happened oh yeah we are Super Bowl Champs right now.

I'm actually watching the coaches film right now and beyond just talent I hope you realize there is so much more this team can do to fix the OL issues. I'll just name a few now and add more later as I fully get through the coaches film...I'm trying to watch a few different units/players for a couple of articles I'm working on so will take some time. Anyway just a few suggestions 1) Sambrailo is actually healthy for the first time in over a year. He came in for Stephenson...I haven't gotten to that point in the game yet but if Sambrailo can do a better job of especially handling those speed rushers that Stephenson has struggled with then a move at the RT position could be in the works. This also allows the team then to maybe move Stephson to the LG position where he has played before and had success. Keeps him in a better position where he isn't having to work in space and can use his power to open up some holes on that left side. He also has more athleticism than Garcia so those stunts that teams use so well against Garcia might not work as well.

2) Kubiak already talked about this after the game but the team is going to work with some new formations over the break. They are going to start looking at possibly having 6-7 OL players on the field at a time and using more jumbo packages or max protect whatever you want to call it type formations.

3) If you think Siemian is not part of the problem of the pressure then you are not watching this game the way that you should. Not all pressure on the QB is the OL's fault. Great example is his 2nd interception. Look at how deep he is when he takes his hit. He is 11 yards behind the LOS! Let me repeat that 11 yards! The pocket to step into had at least 5 yards of space for him just to even take a couple of steps up and all of a sudden he buys himself at least an extra second. Instead he hung clear back 11 yards deep making life impossible for the tackles. The tackles did exactly what you want them to do of forcing the DE's to take the long route around. Stephenson didn't have great technique by any means but he did his job of forcing the guy to need to be 11 yards deep and then if Siemian would have stepped up would have been forced to change direction. That one is completely on Siemian. To say otherwise is not actually watching the game. And guess what that isn't just me noticing that problem as Kubiak specifically called Siemian out on that very thing because he did it the entire game. The middle of that pocket was wide open most of the game but instead Siemian hung back and took hits he had no business taking.

4) More 2-TE sets. We finally have a 2nd TE that is a threat as a blocker and as a receiver in Derby. These give us quite a few more options in both the pass and run game keeping teams off balance.

5) Janovich gets his cast off in the next 2 weeks. I highly recommend if you really want to break down games and see what is going on to invest in getting the coaches film every week. It has enlightened me to what is going on more than any other investment I have made in football. Getting to see the entire field instead of just what they show on tv is incredible. Anyway back to Janovich. Teams know when he comes into the game that most likely we are running the football. Or if we do pass they don't hardly ever cover him because with that cast he just hasn't been much of a receiving threat. If I were the Broncos against the Chiefs maybe 2 of my first 3 passes go to Janovich out of the backfield. Gets the ball out of Siemian's hands in a hurry and makes them have to take the threat of our FB as a receiver as a major threat. I'm guessing it would catch them off guard big time.

I'll stop there but believe me I probably could have kept typing on things the Broncos could do to help the OL and this offense for at least another hour. All hope is not lost and this season isn't going down the drain. I still don't expect us to win the Super Bowl but honestly I didn't last year either with the offense we had. The team found different ways to win games and something else to keep in mind is that our defense is still playing at a very high level and we might have one of the best special teams units in the entire NFL. That is such an underrated part of the game.

Wow! How can you find the time to write all that Cd with such a busy schedule you always remind us of ? First off, admittedly, my post was knee jerk reaction to the idiotic Roby,Simian and Booker remarks that went overboard . Pissed me off. Now although you made some excellent points in some cases, let's get some things straight pal... Least of importance, I never wavered from believing Denver had a shot at SB last year or that they could beat Patriots in AFCCG unlike you. Next, before we get to your amazing film study time and analysis above, lets go back awhile shall we.....who was it that said Denver could repeat this year with "sub-par " Qb play and also have a top 5 or dominant run game? I begged to differ. Do you considered Trevor`s Qb play to this point sub-par or avg? Do you see a strong run game like you said this line is capable of yet? I don`t need to go over film,etc like you, see where things are amiss here. I just need to watch the game once and see what`s happening here. The O-line is bad. Wow! That just shows how ignornant I am when it comes to this team and this game. Is Simian making mistakes? Oh my God! How can that be? Is our rookie rb having struggles? Can`t be the O- line. And to your sophisticated expert analysis on how Trevor doesn`t step up in pocket and drops back and hold ball to long while the tackles had given him the opening,etc,etc. Lets remember one thing which you`ve touched on many times in past and is not rocket science either. The Qb and the line have to develop a "confidence factor" in each other before that relationship can develop with any consistency and trust. When it`s there ( that lane ) only 20 % of the time and when you do trust it you get hammered, your trust in that line waivers and you begin to hesitate and second guess yourself there fore you hold the ball longer and end up taking the sack or forcing the throw. It doesn`t help either that even in shotgun, the O-line is whiffing on their assignment, the D is in his face way to often and the wrs are getting no separation in those first " critical " 5 -10 yds either. Looking at the Saints game, and I don`t have to go back and watch again. I saw what I saw. The O-line caused this game to be closer than it should have been. Nobody else. I agree that Jano and Derby could really help because this line needs it. Big time. Lets just go with your expert opinion so far this season....below avg Qb play, can still have top 5 run game, the O-line just needs more time ( wk 16 still work for ya? )and Denver will repeat !!!
Peace

 

[cdumler7]

Wow! How can you find the time to write all that Cd with such a busy schedule you always remind us of ? First off, admittedly, my post was knee jerk reaction to the idiotic Roby,Simian and Booker remarks that went overboard . Pissed me off. Now although you made some excellent points in some cases, let's get some things straight pal... Least of importance, I never wavered from believing Denver had a shot at SB last year or that they could beat Patriots in AFCCG unlike you. Next, before we get to your amazing film study time and analysis above, lets go back awhile shall we.....who was it that said Denver could repeat this year with "sub-par " Qb play and also have a top 5 or dominant run game? I begged to differ. Do you considered Trevor`s Qb play to this point sub-par or avg? Do you see a strong run game like you said this line is capable of yet? I don`t need to go over film,etc like you, see where things are amiss here. I just need to watch the game once and see what`s happening here. The O-line is bad. Wow! That just shows how ignornant I am when it comes to this team and this game. Is Simian making mistakes? Oh my God! How can that be? Is our rookie rb having struggles? Can`t be the O- line. And to your sophisticated expert analysis on how Trevor doesn`t step up in pocket and drops back and hold ball to long while the tackles had given him the opening,etc,etc. Lets remember one thing which you`ve touched on many times in past and is not rocket science either. The Qb and the line have to develop a "confidence factor" in each other before that relationship can develop with any consistency and trust. When it`s there ( that lane ) only 20 % of the time and when you do trust it you get hammered, your trust in that line waivers and you begin to hesitate and second guess yourself there fore you hold the ball longer and end up taking the sack or forcing the throw. It doesn`t help either that even in shotgun, the O-line is whiffing on their assignment, the D is in his face way to often and the wrs are getting no separation in those first " critical " 5 -10 yds either. Looking at the Saints game, and I don`t have to go back and watch again. I saw what I saw. The O-line caused this game to be closer than it should have been. Nobody else. I agree that Jano and Derby could really help because this line needs it. Big time. Lets just go with your expert opinion so far this season....below avg Qb play, can still have top 5 run game, the O-line just needs more time ( wk 16 still work for ya? )and Denver will repeat !!!
Peace

Well it definitely helps when you are a person with a disease that doesn't let you sleep much. Drives my wife nuts that I don't sleep but a few hours at a time. Part of why I do so many things though to keep my mind busy and sharp. And why I love doing analysis work on games of actually looking at individual players and instead of just calling out an entire unit see if maybe there is just one or two spots that are a weakness and what we can do to maybe correct that. It also helps that my new daughter absolutely loves football. She will ask me to put a Bronco game on my phone at least a couple of times a day so she can watch. So now analysis has actually become a family thing. We just got done as a family watching Sambrailo when he came in the 2nd half and seeing how he did compared to Stephenson. My wife saw Siemian step up in the pocket and started getting really excited that he was doing what I said he should do to buy that extra time and help the tackles out.

And you are right QB and OL have to trust each other. Right now neither are doing anything to help each other though. To put most or all the blame on the OL again is just not actually watching what happens. I'm sorry but watching a game live with the camera angles they have for the games while you can see a decent amount doesn't let you see everything that is going on. Most of the time you cannot see the WR's beyond 5 yards of the LOS until the pass is thrown so you can't sit here and say they are 10 yards down the field and not open. Again why I will always recommend if you really want to see the game the coaches film is so important. Sanders seriously was open most of the game. The problem for Sanders though is he usually lines up on the right side of the offense. Siemian struggles throwing to his right. Pretty easy to see his passing chart and probably 70-75% of his throws go to the left side of the field. If we want this offense to become something more part of that will be Siemian stepping up his game and being able to see Sanders coming open on that right side.

And then yes the RB's are part of the problem. You cannot just run to where the hole is supposed to be in a ZBS. Just go listen to an interview of T. Davis talking about the ZBS and why it isn't so much about being the strongest or fastest RB in the NFL but more about having the vision to know where the hole is going to open up. There was a cut back lane that was seriously 4-5 yards wide that instead Booker ran right into the pile and picked up just 2 yards. That is not on the OL that is on the RB not seeing that the LB's have over ran the play and left a huge hole that could be a huge play for the offense.

And then yes the WR's/TE's are part of the problem. Beyond DT and Sanders those complimentary players have not done a great job of getting open. This is again why I am so excited by Derby because he is one that has that great quickness especially for a guy his size to get open in a hurry. Then we have also seen drops again be an issue. Siemian has thrown some very nice passes to the right guy to only watch them drop it on a key 3rd down throw. We saw it this past game where Green most likely picks up a 1st down and we have 1st down and goal. Instead he drops it and we are put in a bad 3rd down situation where Siemian got sacked on an all out blitz.

So the entire offense is having issues. Not all of it though is talent based. Kubiak for example called out Siemian for not doing a good job of stepping up into the pocket and for holding onto the ball too long. Stepping up into the pocket is an easy fix that he can actually practice this week even with his bum shoulder. IF I were him that is all I would do for the next few days between watching film and rehab is just have a coach snap me footballs, do those 5-9 step drops and then work on climbing the pocket. If I am the OL it all depends who is starting after the break. If Garcia is still a starter I practice those twist/stunt plays over and over as they get him every time. Know that teams are going to do that to you and recognize when it is happening. If Stephenson is starting at RT then I tell him to work on keeping his base square instead of lunging at people. Some of the issues on the OL are not all talent issues. They are technique and just not recognizing what the defense is doing. Like I said there was one play where Green and Okung just let a guy run right by them and both just looked at each other thinking the other one had that guy. The starting unit needs to sit down and figure out how they are going to communicate in those situations.

If I am the coaches I am working on some more max protect type plays. I am looking at the 2-TE sets a lot more in the playbook now that Derby is getting a bit more comfortable and being creative of who goes out in a route and who stays in to help block. I am looking at the RB's out of the backfield in the passing game as again teams are ignoring them and I am telling Siemian that if you get in trouble just go automatically to your check down guy. I am also changing some route concepts with the WR's as again that quick slant to the left is one that teams have keyed on all season long and it has lead to some really bad interceptions. I again don't put that on Siemian.

I could go on but just some little adjustments that while this offense won't be great any time soon this season can at least make us average. We can be a bit more consistent and give our defense more of a chance. This is a good team but like the rest of the good teams a few little things here and there are all that separate them.

 

[Draft Crazy]

I doubt he makes it to us on the waiver wire but Christine Michael was just cut by Seattle.

Not sure how much interest i have. He bombed out of Seattle twice and Dallas in which both at the time really were desperate at RB. Never thought Michael was that good in college.

Not saying I wouldn't take a flyer on him, but he just doesn't excite me.

I still think our issue is more so of the OL then our running game. Obviously with CJ out we lack some depth there, and he does make sense.

 

[cdumler7]

Not sure how much interest i have. He bombed out of Seattle twice and Dallas in which both at the time really were desperate at RB. Never thought Michael was that good in college.

Not saying I wouldn't take a flyer on him, but he just doesn't excite me.

I still think our issue is more so of the OL then our running game. Obviously with CJ out we lack some depth there, and he does make sense.

As our 3rd RB I'm willing to put in a waiver claim. I'm not calling for him to come in and be our starter. And honestly I agree he was very overrated coming out of college. In fact probably not the greatest fit in the ZBS as part of his problem from what I understand is football intelligence which as I have said is a bit part of the ZBS. Can't just run to a hole and hope that it opens up. You have to see the entire field and make those quick decisions to run to a spot that you can see opening up even before it sometimes actually opens. This is where CJ is so missed. Thankfully I have heard his rehab is right on track and they are thinking maybe a week 17 return for him!

 

[randymon]

Well it definitely helps when you are a person with a disease that doesn't let you sleep much. Drives my wife nuts that I don't sleep but a few hours at a time. Part of why I do so many things though to keep my mind busy and sharp. And why I love doing analysis work on games of actually looking at individual players and instead of just calling out an entire unit see if maybe there is just one or two spots that are a weakness and what we can do to maybe correct that. It also helps that my new daughter absolutely loves football. She will ask me to put a Bronco game on my phone at least a couple of times a day so she can watch. So now analysis has actually become a family thing. We just got done as a family watching Sambrailo when he came in the 2nd half and seeing how he did compared to Stephenson. My wife saw Siemian step up in the pocket and started getting really excited that he was doing what I said he should do to buy that extra time and help the tackles out.

And you are right QB and OL have to trust each other. Right now neither are doing anything to help each other though. To put most or all the blame on the OL again is just not actually watching what happens. I'm sorry but watching a game live with the camera angles they have for the games while you can see a decent amount doesn't let you see everything that is going on. Most of the time you cannot see the WR's beyond 5 yards of the LOS until the pass is thrown so you can't sit here and say they are 10 yards down the field and not open. Again why I will always recommend if you really want to see the game the coaches film is so important. Sanders seriously was open most of the game. The problem for Sanders though is he usually lines up on the right side of the offense. Siemian struggles throwing to his right. Pretty easy to see his passing chart and probably 70-75% of his throws go to the left side of the field. If we want this offense to become something more part of that will be Siemian stepping up his game and being able to see Sanders coming open on that right side.

And then yes the RB's are part of the problem. You cannot just run to where the hole is supposed to be in a ZBS. Just go listen to an interview of T. Davis talking about the ZBS and why it isn't so much about being the strongest or fastest RB in the NFL but more about having the vision to know where the hole is going to open up. There was a cut back lane that was seriously 4-5 yards wide that instead Booker ran right into the pile and picked up just 2 yards. That is not on the OL that is on the RB not seeing that the LB's have over ran the play and left a huge hole that could be a huge play for the offense.

And then yes the WR's/TE's are part of the problem. Beyond DT and Sanders those complimentary players have not done a great job of getting open. This is again why I am so excited by Derby because he is one that has that great quickness especially for a guy his size to get open in a hurry. Then we have also seen drops again be an issue. Siemian has thrown some very nice passes to the right guy to only watch them drop it on a key 3rd down throw. We saw it this past game where Green most likely picks up a 1st down and we have 1st down and goal. Instead he drops it and we are put in a bad 3rd down situation where Siemian got sacked on an all out blitz.

So the entire offense is having issues. Not all of it though is talent based. Kubiak for example called out Siemian for not doing a good job of stepping up into the pocket and for holding onto the ball too long. Stepping up into the pocket is an easy fix that he can actually practice this week even with his bum shoulder. IF I were him that is all I would do for the next few days between watching film and rehab is just have a coach snap me footballs, do those 5-9 step drops and then work on climbing the pocket. If I am the OL it all depends who is starting after the break. If Garcia is still a starter I practice those twist/stunt plays over and over as they get him every time. Know that teams are going to do that to you and recognize when it is happening. If Stephenson is starting at RT then I tell him to work on keeping his base square instead of lunging at people. Some of the issues on the OL are not all talent issues. They are technique and just not recognizing what the defense is doing. Like I said there was one play where Green and Okung just let a guy run right by them and both just looked at each other thinking the other one had that guy. The starting unit needs to sit down and figure out how they are going to communicate in those situations.

If I am the coaches I am working on some more max protect type plays. I am looking at the 2-TE sets a lot more in the playbook now that Derby is getting a bit more comfortable and being creative of who goes out in a route and who stays in to help block. I am looking at the RB's out of the backfield in the passing game as again teams are ignoring them and I am telling Siemian that if you get in trouble just go automatically to your check down guy. I am also changing some route concepts with the WR's as again that quick slant to the left is one that teams have keyed on all season long and it has lead to some really bad interceptions. I again don't put that on Siemian.

I could go on but just some little adjustments that while this offense won't be great any time soon this season can at least make us average. We can be a bit more consistent and give our defense more of a chance. This is a good team but like the rest of the good teams a few little things here and there are all that separate them.

Big smile. I love ya man,seriously. I think if couch Qb/ coach like yourself see's all that, that Denver's coaches and players should read your posts then? You seem to have it all figured out and it seems pretty Damn simple when you lay it all out like that. You need to make some calls cause all I see is a crappy O line and obviously I'm way off . Seriously, send this post to Kubiak and maybe we can turn this team around Bro

 

[cdumler7]

Big smile. I love ya man,seriously. I think if couch Qb/ coach like yourself see's all that, that Denver's coaches and players should read your posts then? You seem to have it all figured out and it seems pretty Damn simple when you lay it all out like that. You need to make some calls cause all I see is a crappy O line and obviously I'm way off . Seriously, send this post to Kubiak and maybe we can turn this team around Bro

I actually did send off an email to the team about Siemian not stepping up in the pocket and later that day Kubiak talked about that very thing. So my message must have gotten through. No I'm sure they are seeing much more than I am. I don't think the OL is quite as bad as you see it. I might be too homerish though on some of that. To me Okung looked much better against the Saints and looked much more like he did at the start of the season. He was great in the run game. I haven't totaled it up yet but when we ran to the left I would bet we were averaging close to 5 yards a carry. Which actually is about average for what the Saints had been giving up when teams ran to that left side so maybe it was more of a match up thing but even with that Okung looked better pass protecting.

Paradis has been the one constant on that OL. He is the one guy that if he went down for an extended time honestly I would hit the panic button on this offense. Love watching his game and his reach blocking ability is maybe best in the league this year.

And Schofield when just staying at the RG spot has done pretty well. I wouldn't call him a star but starter quality. Our issues really have been Garcia and whoever we put out at the RT spot. Sambrailo healthy didn't do terrible for the 2nd half in this last one but he wasn't perfect either. He does the exact same thing that Stephenson does in getting caught leaning forward trying to get a bit more punch but then letting defenders run by them. He just did it at a lower rate than Stephenson. I did like the Broncos made a nice adjustment of sending extra help to Sambrailo's side. I wish they would have done it earlier to help Stephenson out. I really do think we will see a lot more max protect after the Bye week and send maybe 2-3 guys out in routes and just hope they can get open.

And honestly for me in actually learning the game of football it has been building connections with smarter people about the game than myself. I have a guy that I talk to every once in a while and read everything he writes when it comes to the OL. I have learned so much just about what they look for on a given play of footwork, bend of the knees or hips, hand placement, communication, styles of blocking, and so on. I really didn't pay much attention to the OL before the last few years as I was a WR when I was playing and so that was the unit I always focused on most. They were my comfort zone. I figure though if I want to make a go of this actually writing and making a bit of a career out of analyzing the Broncos I need to learn to go deeper into the game. I am a work in progress when it comes to learning this game we all love.

 

[Dr Cyanide 28]

i didn't think i would find someone more obsessed than myself

 

[Draft Crazy]

I actually did send off an email to the team about Siemian not stepping up in the pocket and later that day Kubiak talked about that very thing. So my message must have gotten through. No I'm sure they are seeing much more than I am. I don't think the OL is quite as bad as you see it. I might be too homerish though on some of that. To me Okung looked much better against the Saints and looked much more like he did at the start of the season. He was great in the run game. I haven't totaled it up yet but when we ran to the left I would bet we were averaging close to 5 yards a carry. Which actually is about average for what the Saints had been giving up when teams ran to that left side so maybe it was more of a match up thing but even with that Okung looked better pass protecting.

Paradis has been the one constant on that OL. He is the one guy that if he went down for an extended time honestly I would hit the panic button on this offense. Love watching his game and his reach blocking ability is maybe best in the league this year.

And Schofield when just staying at the RG spot has done pretty well. I wouldn't call him a star but starter quality. Our issues really have been Garcia and whoever we put out at the RT spot. Sambrailo healthy didn't do terrible for the 2nd half in this last one but he wasn't perfect either. He does the exact same thing that Stephenson does in getting caught leaning forward trying to get a bit more punch but then letting defenders run by them. He just did it at a lower rate than Stephenson. I did like the Broncos made a nice adjustment of sending extra help to Sambrailo's side. I wish they would have done it earlier to help Stephenson out. I really do think we will see a lot more max protect after the Bye week and send maybe 2-3 guys out in routes and just hope they can get open.

And honestly for me in actually learning the game of football it has been building connections with smarter people about the game than myself. I have a guy that I talk to every once in a while and read everything he writes when it comes to the OL. I have learned so much just about what they look for on a given play of footwork, bend of the knees or hips, hand placement, communication, styles of blocking, and so on. I really didn't pay much attention to the OL before the last few years as I was a WR when I was playing and so that was the unit I always focused on most. They were my comfort zone. I figure though if I want to make a go of this actually writing and making a bit of a career out of analyzing the Broncos I need to learn to go deeper into the game. I am a work in progress when it comes to learning this game we all love.

If you ever want to help with some things on my draft site, hollar at your boy!

 

[Draft Crazy]

i didn't think i would find someone more obsessed than myself

I thought it was just an Iowa thing.

 

[cdumler7]

i didn't think i would find someone more obsessed than myself

Well I always like to surprise people. Honestly for me I grew up with a grandpa that was obsessed with the game and passed that on to me. We used to go spend hours in the backyard playing catch. He groomed me to be a WR where he would make me run the exact same route over and over working on just how I would step at the top of the break. He worked with me on my hand placement. Then when all that was done he had a bunch of sand dunes on the farm that he would have me go run. I keep saying have but I always loved doing it and it just developed in me a love for the game and really a love for the little details that make a player great.

 

[cdumler7]

If you ever want to help with some things on my draft site, hollar at your boy!

Oh you know I will! As exciting as the season is you know nothing is more exciting than that of the draft and really the entire off season. I love seeing how teams go about forming a roster.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Christine Michael a Packer.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Oh you know I will! As exciting as the season is you know nothing is more exciting than that of the draft and really the entire off season. I love seeing how teams go about forming a roster.

Lets talk in about a month. I would gladly take your help... Right now I basically am stuck doing everything and with a FT job I get a bit burnt out on it.

What would you be interested in??

Rankings? Profiles? Mocks? Columns?

 

[Draft Crazy]

Wake Forest FR S Jessie Bates. Love this kid.
Ball hawk, physical and can tackle. Rare S who can cover and tackle. Don't forget about him.

Also Tenn S Evan Berry (Brother of Eric) not the same level Eric is (not many are) but a great athlete.

 

[Mingo]

I can see Scott and Carl putting together a website.

Kenneth Oglubode of the Buffs is rapidly becoming one of my favorite college players.

 

[Dr Cyanide 28]

Lets talk in about a month. I would gladly take your help... Right now I basically am stuck doing everything and with a FT job I get a bit burnt out on it.

What would you be interested in??

Rankings? Profiles? Mocks? Columns?

im game to help on mocks. like each take 2 divisions or something. idk

 

[Draft Crazy]

Sounds good to me.

 

[Dr Cyanide 28]

1. Zach Cunningham ILB Vanderbilt
Todd Davis is average, and Zaire Anderson/Corey Davis are just fillers imo. Zach Cunningham is my favorite offline LB in this class and offers extreme versatility with his size, speed, ability to get of blocks, and coverage ability. He is very efficient in his routes to the ball and for being so tall, he just slips off blockers with a slithering snake-like ability. Given his height, that is something one would be concerned about as he loses leverage, but he plays with great pad level and can knife around those guys. His length really makes him a huge plus in zone and man coverage and could really help this defense in its struggles against pass catching RBs and TEs.His game against Georgia was as good as any LB I have seen this season. He needs to get stronger and better and finishing his tackles, but the upside is Jamie Collins like.
2. Jarron Jones DL Notre Dame
Inconsistent and have had multiple injuries that have lead to ineffectiveness. However Jones is still one of the most disruptive lineman in the country. This year’s class does not compare with last year at DL, but Jones is by far one of the best and just going to get better. Run stuffing DL are a dime a dozen in today’s NFL, but guys who can effect the pass game while being stout in the run game are what change defenses. Jones literally destroyed Kaaya and the Miami offense when they played 2 weeks ago. I also am a fan of Montravius Adams but I feel Jones is a better gap type player and a better fit for what Wade likes to do.
3. Chidobe Auwuzie CB Colorado
One of the smoothest and more physical corners in this class whom I wouldn’t be shocked if he rocked up after the senior bowl and combine. He can literally do it all. Zone, Man, Press, Play off, blitz, tackle, set the edge. Auwuzie is antone winfield 2.0. Whoever gets this kid is going to be stoked. He has prototype size and instincts for the position as well. Roby is a FS soon as is Doss, Webster is leaving, and Talib is getting older. This is a fantastic CB class and we would be wise to add talent to one of the most important positions on our roster.
3ci. Vincent Taylor DT/NT
The big 12 is not known for defense, but defensive studs do play there. Taylor falls in this category. He is very disruptive, strong, and disciplined. Very good punch and pressing the center. Also does a great job of anchoring against the run and getting his hands up in the air to take away passing lanes. He destroyed a future NFL center in WVU’s Orlosky and has a knack for blocking kicks, which being 6-3, indicates some great athleticism on his part. Needs to get stronger and not a plug and play (which defensive lineman outside the top 20 is?) but I see a future starter.
3cii. Demetrious Cox S Michigan State
Athletic freak… Michigan State has a very bad team this year, and unfortunately are playing Cox all wrong. He should be much closer to the line of scrimmage then he is. This is my Ward replacement in the near future but should be a special teams ace day one given his athletic profile. A very very deep class at safety and CB so I am going to take talent over need. I am really leaning towards him returning right now because this is a great S class and with another year growing and refining his technique and the game slowing down for him, he could be a future top 40 selection (that good of an athlete). For now though, I will put him here and hope.
4. Braden Smith OG Auburn
One of my favorite players in the entire Draft, Braden Smith is mean and tenacious and just the type of player you want for a more smashmouth based offensive scheme. He does look semi-slender so I am not sure how much stronger he can get, but he already is very strong and likely just needs refinement on technique. He plays very low with a good center of gravity and has a great initial punch that can really knock a defender back. Given what appears to be good arm length, he does a good job keeping his mitts on opposing dlineman. He is the best player on the Auburn offense and a huge reason for their success on the ground all season. He is too stiff and rigid to play tackle (where he was recruited) but his athleticism is a plus at guard.
5. Andreus Knappe OT UCONN
One of my favorite tackles in this class. He does not offer the athleticism to ever be a LT in my mind, but he is a mauler with fantastic length and tenacity. Does a decent job of staying balanced and not reaching when in space, which is key for any zone scheme. He will get burnt by some speed rushers on the right from time to time, but with better technique he can learn to handle them better. Also just has the frame to be great. 6’8" with a tremendous wingspan, if he gets his mitts on you you are gonna have a bad time. He is still very raw because he has only been playing a few years (kid is from Denmark) but he looks to be a high upside RT with a skillset that could really help the Broncos offensive line.
6. Scott Orndoff TE Pittsburgh
I don’t know how people aren’t talking about this kid, but one of my favorite sleeper TEs in this class that just screams Kubiak TE. He just dominated Clemson this last week and has shown a versatile skillset in his ability to block, run (yes I said run.. the shovel pass that pitt uses is something denver should look into as it really messes with those safeties and lbs) and receiving ability. He has the size you look for in a TE (6’6" 250) and tough mentality to to stick his nose in run blocking and tough catches over the middle. He isn’t an elite athlete, but he is savvy enough to find a spot in zone or use his body to block out defenders and make plays on the ball. Complete TE that should get more buzz as the draft gets closer.
7. Jamaal Williams RB BYU
Not sure how realistic this selection is, but I am a big Jamaal Williams fan. He is older, playing for a smaller program, and this looks to be a solid RB class so maybe he falls, but from what I see on tape this is one of the better RBs in the class. He does run a little up right and isn’t super shifty, but he has great balance, good burst, and great cut back ability. His vision and feel for running is one of the things that really stands out to me and would be an excellent addition to our RB core. He does show flashes in pass catching and pass blocking but what RB coming in doesn’t need work here? Him leaving the program earlier (alcohol incident, dang mormons lol) might be a flag to some teams, but him coming back and playing like this is more a show of maturity to me then anything. We will see if he is here, but if he is we should pounce.
7c. Janarion Grant WR/KR/PR Rutgers
Being I haven’t been really watching much film on WR yet (besides some of the smaller quick guys like Dede Washington, Ryan Switzer, and John Ross) I am just going to plug in an athlete here. Grant was having a phenomenal season before it was cut short against Iowa where he suffered a pretty gruesome injury. Grant is not huge (5’9") and not a great route runner as of now, but man he is elusive and fun to watch i the open field. Denver has a great defense and great special teams… but we have really been missing that return element that would take the entire team to the next level with consistent returns with the chance of breaking one. Grant is raw and has not played on a good team, so maybe over time he could develop into more than just a return ace, but end of round 7 and considering the state of Denver’s roster (we are pretty good guys) getting this type of weapon late is worth the selection.

 

[Dr Cyanide 28]

@cdumler7 and @Draft Crazy , if you guys ever want to start up a bronco site called "Broncos' Mile High ArmChair GM" im game haha