NFL Draft thoughts

[cdumler7]

Well at this point here is how I see it with our ability to trade up. In next year's draft we have traded our 4th rounder and now our 5th rounder. We did get a 5th rounder though from the Baltimore trade. So as it sits we have our 1st, 2nd, 3rd, a 5th, 6th, and 7th for next year. At this time it looks like we will also get a 3rd and 4th round Comp pick. So that takes us to 8 picks for next season.

I point that out as always have to be looking at what we can trade next year as well. Unfortunately unless we are willing to part with either our 2nd or 3rd for next year I just can't see much of what we have to be able to trade up. Right now we have a late 5th round pick and a late 6th round pick that are tradable this year. That doesn't get us much value though. Maybe moving up 5 spots in the 2nd or about 10 spots in the 3rd is all. I could see us maybe thinking about trading our 3rd next year with us having a comp pick in the round but they say usually with trading next year's pick you have to drop them in value a whole round so it would be more like trading a 4th round pick.

 

[randymon]

Smile. I was thinking of throwing in Mbu as well. Seriously though I wouldn't be surprised if Denver went after Lockett not just because of his wr skill but for his excellent return skill. Elway has expressed his desire for improvement in that area and deservedly so. Watching Lockett by the way he runs routes and just the way he moves reminds me of Santonio Holmes and even our own Emanuel Sanders. I definitely think he would be a value pick in 2nd esp for the return threat. Denver really has sucked in that dept. as well as opponent field position far too long. Very critical part of the game to not address and improve on IMO

 

[cdumler7]

Smile. I was thinking of throwing in Mbu as well. Seriously though I wouldn't be surprised if Denver went after Lockett not just because of his wr skill but for his excellent return skill. Elway has expressed his desire for improvement in that area and deservedly so. Watching Lockett by the way he runs routes and just the way he moves reminds me of Santonio Holmes and even our own Emanuel Sanders. I definitely think he would be a value pick in 2nd esp for the return threat. Denver really has sucked in that dept. as well as opponent field position far too long. Very critical part of the game to not address and improve on IMO

That was actually a big talking part when the coaches were hired that Special Teams has to be a priority. After our first practice this past week at the voluntary veterans camp they said special teams was actually the most heated part of the entire day with players competing to get to the ball. Coaches were almost having to tell players to slow down a bit in fear or injury but it sounded like this was the most energy they have had at these camps in the last few years.

 

[cdumler7]

For a good laugh check out this picture of Amari Cooper being selected by the Raiders. He looks like that kid saying "this really sucks."

Amari Cooper Looks Jazzed to Be an Oakland Raider | Bleacher Report

 

[DownSetHutch]

I hate the Chargers.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I hate the Chargers.

Saw they got your boy from the U. Hopefully he is a bust! LOL

 

[DownSetHutch]

I just went back and reviewed film of him and I don't know what I was seeing before. He's hardly makes any tackles and hits like a girl!!

 

[randymon]

Just like to say congrads to Garret Grayson and he couldn`t of gone to a better spot than N.O. and learn behind a Qb likes Brees. He will have an excellent mentor and role model to learn behind for the next 3-4 yrs. He will become a very good pro IMO because of the situation he is going into. Not being thrust in to early and able to learn behind one of the best Qbs` and a very good coach in Payton.

 

[randymon]

Really like 1st 4rds for Denver so far. Got a potential star pass rusher to compliment that D and addressed that O-line with a T,Te, and C. Protecting Peyton involves a great run game and seems like that is exactly the direction their going with these last 3 pks.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

Trevor Seimien? YOu have got to be kidding me.

I have seen him play in person for the last three years, he is terrible. He would have been a good Division II QB, maybe even a good QB at a non Power 5 conference, but he is not NFL material.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

Zaire Anderson from Nebraska signed an FA deal with Denver. This is a FA signing I like for Denver.

Zaire really, really came on in the last six games of 2014. He was good in 2014, but the last six games I really noticed him making a lot of plays. If he can play anything like he played in his last few college games, he has a shot. If he plays like he did in 2013, then nevermind.(He might have been in over his head as that was his first year in Division I football, he was a stud junior college player before that)

 

[randymon]

Zaire Anderson from Nebraska signed an FA deal with Denver. This is a FA signing I like for Denver.

Zaire really, really came on in the last six games of 2014. He was good in 2014, but the last six games I really noticed him making a lot of plays. If he can play anything like he played in his last few college games, he has a shot. If he plays like he did in 2013, then nevermind.(He might have been in over his head as that was his first year in Division I football, he was a stud junior college player before that)

And his position would be?.....

 

[Broncosr0k]

And his position would be?.....

Linebacker

Trevor Seimien? YOu have got to be kidding me.

Rodgers says R-E-L-A-X. The guy is little more than competition for Dysert and will likely never see the field on game day.

 

[cdumler7]

Alright so draft is over. I have to say that this is the first draft since Elway's first one in 2011 that I left saying "Great work!" My wife keeps reminding me of how ticked I was in 2012 with just about every single pick we made and how I was yelling at the tv. Heck I even tweeted Elway right before we picked Osweiler to please not take Osweiler as all the announcers kept saying how much Elway loved this kid. This draft though I felt like we got players that really fit our system, are the type known to play to the very end and give their all, are leaders on the field, in the locker room, in the weight room, and for the most part want to be leaders off the field as well. Elway wasn't kidding after he saw the team quit during the Indy game that he needed to find some players known for wanting to go out kicking and screaming.

Just some final thoughts...I still can't believe we got Shane Ray. This is the 2nd year that Elway has taken a player with a little bit of character concern in the 1st round. Roby worked out pretty darn well for us last year and while some gave us a bad grade for picking Ray this year it has nothing to do with what he can do on the field. On the field this kid is easily a top-10 player in this draft. Can't wait to see him in training camp.

I would say the OL competition at Camp could be the best of any position group. Adding Sambrailo and Garcia to what we have already added this off season just makes me excited to see who the top-5 are come actual season. The great thing about Garcia and Sambrailo is both of them can honestly play all 5 positions on the OL. Kubiak always talks about he wants to get the 5 best guys on the field so getting guys with some versatility is key. My early guess of how this all shakes out is Clady-Schofield-Gradkowski-Vasquez-Sambrailo. I'm just excited that we finally have a bit of a youth movement on the OL. Also glad to see Ramirez get a chance somewhere else. Everything I have read about the guy is he is a stand up guy but honestly he was a liability on our OL and would have really struggled to make our team this year.

My two concerns for this upcoming season now are ILB and NT. I know we drafted a kid in the 6th round for the NT position but he is honestly a project player. He has some major upside but right now I don't see him on our roster. I think he is a PS kid for this upcoming season with a good shot to make the roster next year. At ILB the coaching staff must really trust that Marshall and Trevathan can hold up for an entire season or believe in our depth. I do have hope that Lamin Barrow can develop into a quality rotation guy for us but last year he just stunk.

The one guy that should be just shouting for joy tonight is that of Brock Osweiler. This draft was a huge showing of the team's thoughts on him moving forward in my opinion. I would like to see them get an extension done just to make sure he doesn't decide to go elsewhere next year. Elway and company talked after day 2 that they never had a plan to take a quarterback in the first 2 days of the draft as they completely believe in Osweiler being their guy. That is huge coming from guys like Elway and Kubiak. Has me a bit more excited to see his growth heading into this training camp.

Overall like I said I actually really liked this draft. I think this is Elway's 2nd best draft behind his first one but part of that was having an easier time with picking early every round. The fact that I think Elway found 4 starters in the 1st 4 rounds of this draft (not all this year) and some nice rotational pieces should set us up going forward. My only concern with this draft is Shane Ray and Hueurman both have some foot injuries that I worry could limit their production. Sometimes you got to take a chance though.

 

[cdumler7]

Here is our UDFA list...

Zaire Anderson LB Nebraska
Kalon Davis OL Clemson
Dillon Day OL Mississippi St.
Matt Miller WR Boise St.
Chuka Ndulue NT Oklahoma
Connor Rains OL Wyoming
Kyle Roberts OL Nevada
Jordan Taylor WR Rice
Josh Watson DL Clemson

Probably the one that stands the best chance is Zaire Anderson. He is the one ILB that we actually brought in through this draft process. Very good player that really came on strong at the end of the season for Nebraska.

 

[WalkerBoh]

I can't believe not a single team drafted Collins. I'd think he would be worth the gamble with a 7th rounder. I was hoping Denver might try that with one of the 7th rounders we had.

 

[randymon]

Zaire Anderson looks good. Both Wrs are big boys with Taylor having 3 productive yrs with Rice I believe. Def went for size on O-line. Height wise anyway. Ya never know.

 

[randymon]

I can't believe not a single team drafted Collins. I'd think he would be worth the gamble with a 7th rounder. I was hoping Denver might try that with one of the 7th rounders we had.

Collins from???

 

[TDs3nOut]

Here is our UDFA list...

Zaire Anderson LB Nebraska
Kalon Davis OL Clemson
Dillon Day OL Mississippi St.
Matt Miller WR Boise St.
Chuka Ndulue NT Oklahoma
Connor Rains OL Wyoming
Kyle Roberts OL Nevada
Jordan Taylor WR Rice
Josh Watson DL Clemson

Probably the one that stands the best chance is Zaire Anderson. He is the one ILB that we actually brought in through this draft process. Very good player that really came on strong at the end of the season for Nebraska.

Interesting that four of those guys are OL. Given that we also drafted two OL, we have Schoefield and Paradis as "red shirts", and we signed Smith and Gradkowski, it looks like ten guys competing for three spots. I think you are right that there should be quite an open competition in camp among OL.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Collins from???

La'el Collins (LSU I believe).