Official NFL draft thread

[randymon]

Not really. Just always wanted to be the "MAN" to start one. Wanted to see what it felt like. Pretty non- eventful. Not what I thought. No goose bumps or fanfare or woody even. Oh well, WTF. Lets see how she rolls!!! Less than 30 mins till draft, getting anxious and looking for some crazy action in the 1st rd!!!

 

[crush7k]

The Raiders select Khalil Mack no. 5 overall.

I think Dennis Allen wants his version of Von Miller whom he coached in 2011 in Miller's rookie. The frame is comparable, but Von was a freak in the workouts running in the 4.4's for his 40. Mack's still a good LB prospect though, and you could see him used how Miller was his rookie year by Allen.

 

[BobGnarly]

 

[TDs3nOut]

Not sure how much I like the Roby pick. Certainly understand the appeal of adding a CB who can play. He has nice size and apparently played very well as a Junior, though not so much as a Senior. Hated watching all those clips of missed tackles after the pick! At least the Seahawks didn't use the last pick on Van Noy, who I was hoping that we'd take. Not that I know as much as our FO, of course.

 

[cdumler7]

Those clips are a very small picture of Roby. I was probably one of the biggest Roby haters on this board a month ago from all that I was reading about him and starting to hear his name mentioned for the Broncos. I figured out very quickly don't believe everything you read. I started actually watching some of his games and quickly figured out this kid has a chance to be a superstar. He has the speed, size, aggressiveness, and quick hips to be a top corner in this league.

Now I will say he does have some negatives but when you are drafting at 31 it is hard to find somebody that doesn't. He isn't the safest pick at this point but he really is a big time boom or bust type guy which I think the Broncos needed to take a chance on. He is truly a press coverage/off-man type guy. Not a whole lot of zone as the Buckeyes trusted him pretty much on an island the last 2 years. Sometimes will get beat on double-moves as his aggression gets the best of him. Set the All-time pass break up record at Ohio State though so has some great ability on the ball.

The nice thing is the Broncos won't be asking him to cover #1 receivers year one. They can ease him into it and if nothing else the next few years the Broncos have a great 1-2 punch at Corner with Talib and this kid. I really think next year we are going to lose Harris as he will price himself out of Denver so good to get this kid now and give him a year to develop into that #2 Corner for us and possibly #1.

 

[randymon]

Of all the guys drafted before him, they show all these positive clips and then whwn Denver drafts Roby.....they show two negative clips and bam! Done.What a crock of shit. I like pk, fits need and like cd said ,could be a superstar or not but like his attitude and swagger and hope he brings it to the field come game day. Looking forward to day 2. We should see some names we all like and hopefully bolster some key spots. Goodnite Gents and see ya at 4:00 pst

 

[TDs3nOut]

Of all the guys drafted before him, they show all these positive clips and then whwn Denver drafts Roby.....they show two negative clips and bam! Done.What a crock of shit. I like pk, fits need and like cd said ,could be a superstar or not but like his attitude and swagger and hope he brings it to the field come game day. Looking forward to day 2. We should see some names we all like and hopefully bolster some key spots. Goodnite Gents and see ya at 4:00 pst

I thought it was very strange that espn chose to show only "lowlights" after the pick, since it more conventionally shows only highlights! I realize, of course, that the clips shown aren't characteristic of Roby's entire career at tOSU. Hope he turns out to be a great choice.

 

[cdumler7]

I had somebody describe him, and I think it fits, as a more aggressive DRC. DRC had all the physical tools you are looking for in a corner but in college relied on those physical skills to get by on. Then came to the pros and tried to do the same and succeeded some but failed a lot too. That is until he came to the Broncos with the promise that they were going to coach him up on his weaknesses. Then DRC goes out and gives us a top-10 Corner performance this past season. I like the chances of the Broncos doing the same with Roby. He has #1 Corner skills he just needs coached up.

The great thing is this season he will only be asked to be a #3 Corner on our team so he doesn't have to be elite day 1 for us.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I had somebody describe him, and I think it fits, as a more aggressive DRC. DRC had all the physical tools you are looking for in a corner but in college relied on those physical skills to get by on. Then came to the pros and tried to do the same and succeeded some but failed a lot too. That is until he came to the Broncos with the promise that they were going to coach him up on his weaknesses. Then DRC goes out and gives us a top-10 Corner performance this past season. I like the chances of the Broncos doing the same with Roby. He has #1 Corner skills he just needs coached up.

The great thing is this season he will only be asked to be a #3 Corner on our team so he doesn't have to be elite day 1 for us.

We definitely have a recent history of getting guys who have performed below their ability to raise their level of play, so I think you make a good point.

Isn't Roby quite a bit bigger than DRC?

Given that Harris is coming back from injury, and Roby's first round pedigree, it's not clear to me that he shouldn't be asked to be more than a #3 this year. Seems to me that we could live with that, but it's not unreasonable to expect that as a minimum.

 

[cdumler7]

We definitely have a recent history of getting guys who have performed below their ability to raise their level of play, so I think you make a good point.

Isn't Roby quite a bit bigger than DRC?

Given that Harris is coming back from injury, and Roby's first round pedigree, it's not clear to me that he shouldn't be asked to be more than a #3 this year. Seems to me that we could live with that, but it's not unreasonable to expect that as a minimum.

I do expect more than that from him. I honestly expect him to be the #2 by the end of the year and really the Broncos start getting where Talib just plays one side while Roby plays the other. Talib likes to shadow #1 receivers but he also has never been with a backfield quite like this where he doesn't have to do that every game. I would ease Roby in though and have Talib start that way for the season. If he wants to continue doing that then so be it.

As for the size part of DRC and Roby I guess it depends what you are looking at. DRC is 6'2" and only weighs somewhere between 182-190 lbs. (very small for a guy his height). Where Roby is 5'11" 192. So muscle wise Roby has him beat which is probably why he doesn't shy quite as much away from tackling as DRC does. He is not quite as fast but darn close to that of DRC so actual just natural physical skills they line up pretty well.

 

[MrDoc420]

Of all the guys drafted before him, they show all these positive clips and then whwn Denver drafts Roby.....they show two negative clips and bam! Done.What a crock of shit. I like pk, fits need and like cd said ,could be a superstar or not but like his attitude and swagger and hope he brings it to the field come game day. Looking forward to day 2. We should see some names we all like and hopefully bolster some key spots. Goodnite Gents and see ya at 4:00 pst

randy....you took the words right out of my mouth. Merrill Hoge was backstage running player clips.

I'm sure of it

 

[MrDoc420]

Considering that Shozier, Fuller and Verrett were gone, I like this pick.

Would've been down with Van Noy too. He'll probably be one of the first players gone today.

 

[Broncosballer32]

WalterFootball.com: 2014 NFL Draft: Cornerback Rankings


Bradley Roby*, CB, Ohio State
Height: 5-11. Weight: 194.
40 Time: 4.39.
Projected Round (2014): 1.

5/5/14: At the Combine, Roby put his great skill set on display. He has the physical talent to be a No. 1 corner if he lands with good coaching, but his bad tape from the 2013 season is holding him back from being a sure-fire first-round pick. Still, WalterFootball.com knows there are a lot of teams that believe they can fix Roby's flaws, and thus, he could easily go in the first round. Some believe that Roby could even go as early as the middle of the first round. He didn't help himself with a run in with the police in April, but there are disputed sides to that story.

In 2013, Roby had 62 tackles, 13 passes broken up and three interceptions. It was an ugly season that hurt his draft stock significantly, but he still entered the 2014 NFL Draft.

Roby was ejected against Iowa for targeting and had a mixed outing against Northwestern. Roby blocked a punt in the end zone for an Ohio State touchdown versus the Wildcats, but also was burned for 41-yard and 67-yard pass plays. That was the third game in 2013 that he had problems in pass coverage.

A week earlier, Roby was torched by Wisconsin wide receiver Jared Abbrederis. Abbrederis kept the Badgers in the game as he went over 200 yards receiving, including one touchdown at Roby's expense. Abbrederis would've beaten Roby for more points, but Joel Stave couldn't get him the ball. Stave had a terribly thrown pass intercepted by Roby. In the ground game, Roby had some tackles and slapped away a couple of quick slants. It was still an ugly outing that hurts his draft stock significantly.

Roby was suspended for the Week-1 game against Buffalo because of some legal trouble in the offseason. Week 3 against California may have hurt Roby's stock even more than his off-the-field issues. He was beaten on a number of receptions, including on a touchdown. Roby dropped an interception and was nearly beaten for another touchdown, but got lucky that Golden Bears wide receiver Bryce Treggs dropped the pass.

8/17/13: Roby was a real play-maker for the Ohio State defense in 2012. The junior made big improvements as a second-year starter. Roby totaled 63 tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss, 17 passes broken up and two interceptions. He is fast and very instinctive.

Roby broke into the starting lineup as a redshirt sophomore in 2011. He totaled 47 tackles, four tackles for a loss, three interceptions and a forced fumble. Roby is an instinctive cover corner who has a knack for big plays.

The senior hurt his draft stock with an arrest in the summer for a bar fight. There is the possibility that Roby could have a suspension at some point during the 2014 season. In the past two drafts cornerbacks, Janoris Jenkins and Tyrann Mathieu, with off-the-field issues have fallen to the second day of the draft. Roby doesn't have as bad of a history as either of those two, but character red flags will be something Roby has to repeatedly address in the lead up to the 2014 NFL Draft.


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Not sure I am in love with the pick. I am not that displeased by it. I thought the Broncos needed a strong inside LB. Seems to me the DBs had been thoroughly addressed this off season.

There are a lot of ILBs left and perhaps that is the thinking.

Here are the ILBs. Not sure how many are still available.

WalterFootball.com: 2014 NFL Draft: Inside Linebacker Rankings

Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin
Height: 5-11. Weight: 248.
40 Time: 4.83.
Projected Round (2014): 2-4.

Carl Bradford*, OLB/ILB, Arizona State
Height: 6-1. Weight: 243.
40 Time: 4.76.
Projected Round (2014): 2-4.

Christian Jones, OLB/ILB, Florida State
Height: 6-3. Weight: 240.
40 Time: 4.74.
Projected Round (2014): 2-3.

Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford
Height: 6-2. Weight: 245.
Projected 40 Time: 4.85.
Projected Round (2014): 2-4.

Lamin Barrow, ILB/OLB, LSU
Height: 6-1. Weight: 237.
40 Time: 4.64.
Projected Round (2014): 3-5.


Those are the best available, and they are pretty much projected to be in the 2-5 round area. So, it is not that bad of a pick when they got Roby. That speed really sticks out. 4.39 is nothing to sneeze at. So, there is real upside with him. I do not like what I read about him in regards to being burned and other stuff.

The upside is there.

 

[Broncosr0k]

Seems to me the DBs had been thoroughly addressed this off season.

If we had kept DRC and grabbed Talib I would agree but we basically were in the same position we were in after letting Champ walk. CB was a definite need for this team.

We have Talib, who has yet to finish a full season.
We have Chris Harris coming back from injury; I think he is our safest CB in terms of 2014 production.
We have Kayvon Webster, who went through rookie growing pains. Is that where he peaks or will he grow more.
We have Tony Carter, he also has had ups and downs.

We needed at least depth if not another starter.

I thought the Broncos needed a strong inside LB.

They could use a complete ILB. Elway has already mentioned fixing the coverage on obvious passing downs by dropping a safety down instead of using a ILB. At 31, all the great ILBs were gone.

Here are the ILBs. Not sure how many are still available.

To my knowledge they are still available. There are a few other names that could also work at ILB. As to some of those candidates, Borland and Skov are two-down thumpers. We already have that in Irving and 2-down thumpers are common. I will be incredibly disappointed if we grab a thumper in the next 2 rounds.

 

[Broncos6482]

Don't know much about Roby, but I'm very glad the Broncos addressed corner with their pick. From what I've read, he's got a lot of talent but has some character issues. Hopefully those are a thing of the past.

One thing I really liked is that the guy commenting on the picks for the Kansas City Star said that Roby had the potential to be the best corner taken in this draft. That made me happy.

 

[Morpheus]

There is a lot of upside to the Roby pick.

His measurables are outstanding, size, speed, quick hips, aggressiveness.

He fits in well with the Broncos need to get more aggressive on the defensive side of the ball, and even though ESPN (Every Stupid Person's Network) tried to cast him in a negative light with the clips they showed, he has a nose for the ball and is good against the run and makes plays on the ball.

His negatives are things that can be fixed. He can be coached up, his off field issues are a concern but his DWI (Driving while Impaired, Not DUI) was because he fell asleep in his car outside of a bar. Hey, at least he did not drive.

He was also arrested for getting in a bar fight with a bouncer in Indiana. Having listened to an interview, he sounds like he is remorseful and didn't come off like a knucklehead. Actually sounded somewhat intelligent. Good leadership form a veteran player can ensure he stays focused and out of trouble.

I would like to think the Broncos are the type of organization that does make players better people.

Obviously we will see if he stays out of trouble and if he develops into the player we need him to be. My guess is he will have a real chance to start this year over Kayvonn Webster or Tony Carter. Webster is inconsistent and got burned a lot last year and Carter is not a very good open field tackler.



Possibly move Harris back to the slot if he is healthy, Talib and whoever shines in camp this year. I like how the secondary is potentially shaping up, especially with TJ Ward at Safety. At least we added depth with our first round pick.

Damn, really wish camp was not closed to the public. Those one on one and 7 on 7 drills are my favorite to watch at camp.

 

[Morpheus]

I am hoping we grab a Center/O lineman with our 2nd round pick.

 

[Broncos6482]

I am hoping we grab a Center/O lineman with our 2nd round pick.

I'd be ok with that or an inside linebacker.

Here's my question: I keep seeing wide receiver listed as a need for the Broncos. Could someone explain to me what I'm missing here because I don't see any way that wide receiver is a need for the Broncos? I have a hard time imagining how a rookie wide receiver could even make this team.

 

[randymon]

randy....you took the words right out of my mouth. Merrill Hoge was backstage running player clips.

I'm sure of it

Lol! We all know how much Hoge loves Denver. Wouldn`t doubt it

 

[cdumler7]

I'd be ok with that or an inside linebacker.

Here's my question: I keep seeing wide receiver listed as a need for the Broncos. Could someone explain to me what I'm missing here because I don't see any way that wide receiver is a need for the Broncos? I have a hard time imagining how a rookie wide receiver could even make this team.

People keep listing WR to the Broncos because we lost Decker yet they seem to forget we replaced him with Sanders. It could also be that D. Thomas, J. Thomas, and Welker all have expiring contracts after this season. I doubt either of the Thomas' get away from us though as the team has already said they are priority to resign after this season. This is why I also don't understand the need for a receiver. I would use a later round pick on a guy if anything as just about anybody left would sit on the bench most of the year anyway barring some kind of injury.

Right now I have to think the next pick has to be some kind of OL player or Inside Linebacker/Coverage Linebacker. I see a lot of names that I still really like left on the board so we shall see what happens with this next pick.

Who is everybody rooting for for the next pick?

For me my short list is...

Kyle Van Noy (no way he makes it to us though)
Morgan Moses (again pipe dream)
Jeremiah Attoachu
Joel Bitonio
Kouandjio (why can't any of these guys have normal names like Smith)
S'ua Filo
Louis Nix III
Timmy Jernigan
Stanly Jean-Baptiste
Keith McGill (wouldn't mind doubling up at Corner as I think we are truly that thin at the position plus McGill can play safety as well)
Marcus Martin (probably favorite inside guy who has a nasty streak about him plus can play all 3 inside positions very well)
Richburg (why not take the home grown kid)
Donte Moncrief (one of the few receivers I would love to see the Broncos look at here in the 2nd)
DeMarcus Lawrence (decent pass rusher)

That would probably be my short list right now. There are a few other names that intrigue me but can't think of them off the top of my head. My guess is at least 3 or 4 of these guys are available at our pick.