BRONCOS BIG BOARD: How Denver can fill holes left behind after free agency in the NFL Draft
The Broncos were not the NFL’s most aggressive spenders during the first wave of free agency, but general manager George Paton worked to address his team’s pressing needs.
Signing cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller improved the weakest position group. Getting long-term contracts done with safety Justin Simmons and defensive end Shelby Harris ensured top talent remained on the depth chart.
And, as a result, Paton will enter the first round of the NFL Draft on April 29 knowing he does not need to be committed to a specific position.
Still, there is plenty of work to be done with the Broncos’ nine picks. Here is a Big Board that includes positions of need and players who could be good fits for what Paton is trying to build.
* (Number) indicates the round the player is expected to be selected.
Cornerback
The additions of Darby and Fuller could allow the Broncos to target a non-cornerback in the first round. But with Fuller signing a one-year contract and Bryce Callahan entering the final year of his deal, cornerback still warrants the use of a top-100 pick.
1. Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech (1): Always around the football, Farley totaled 25 passes defended in 24 games in 2018-19 before opting out in ’20. Farley is the best cornerback in this class when healthy, but back surgery kept him from working out at Virginia Tech’s Pro Day. It’s possible the Broncos could trade down in the first round and draft him.
2. Elijah Molden, Washington (2-3): At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, Molden is built to be a slot cover man in the NFL and would eventually replace Callahan as the Broncos’ nickel. His toughness and ability to read and react were best shown in 2019 when he produced four interceptions, 17 passes defensed and three forced fumbles.
3. Eric Stokes, Georgia (2-3): His 4.25-second 40-yard dash at Georgia’s Pro Day last week was unofficial, but there’s no doubt Stokes has blazing speed and solid footwork. His physical approach results in a few too many penalties, but he should compete for playing time early in his career.
4. Aaron Robinson, UCF (3-4): Primarily used in the slot at UCF after transferring from Alabama, Robinson would be a solid option if the Broncos want to address the position after the second round. Robinson is a strong, willing tackler but not as twitchy as you would like a slot corner to be.
Safety
After initially declining his 2021 contract option. Paton brought back Kareem Jackson on a reduced one-year deal. Still, finding a long-term complement to Simmons should be a priority.
1. Trevon Moehrig, TCU (1) : If the Broncos get a trade offer that allows them to move back to range of Nos. 15-20, circle Moehrig as an option. His ability to read and diagnose plays allows him to cover a ton of ground, which resulted in seven interceptions and 28 passes defensed in 34 games.
2. Jevon Holland, Oregon (2-3): Unlike other players on this list, Holland isn’t a prototypical strong safety to pair with Simmons. However, he offers additional value as a slot cornerback, which can’t be ignored. Holland opted out of the 2020 season but was a wellrounded player with 110 tackles and nine interceptions in 2018-19.
3. Andre Cisco, Syracuse (3-4): Good luck to pass-catchers running over the middle of the field against Cisco, who regularly delivers big hits. He suffered a torn ACL during pregame warmups in September, an unlucky end to a college career in which he totaled 136 tackles and 13 interceptions in 24 games.
4. Hamsah Nasrildeen, Florida State (3-4): Huge for the position at 6-foot-4, Nasrildeen returned from a knee injury to play in Florida State’s final two games of 2020. His size and movement skills could make him an interesting option to deploy against tight ends, especially Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Las Vegas’ Darren Waller.
Edge rusher
While the Broncos picked up Von Miller’s option, Jeremiah Attaochu signed a two-year contract with Chicago and Malik Reed is entering the final year of his deal. Any edge rusher drafted could be asked to start as early as 2022 after working in a reserve role as a rookie.
1. Jayson Oweh, Penn State (1-2): Zero sacks in seven games last season was a disappointment, but Oweh was still disruptive against the run and pass. He thrives on athleticism and would benefit from entering a rotation early in his career as he works to refine his game.
2. Joseph Ossai, Texas (2-3): While many other projected 3-4 outside linebackers had their hand in the ground in college, much of Ossai’s production (29.5 tackles for loss the past two seasons) came from a stand-up position. He’s a tireless worker which offsets some physical limitations.
3. Jordan Smith, UAB (3-4): Smith’s first step is so explosive, it can seem like he knows the offense’s snap count. Two of his better games at UAB came against Tennessee (four tackles, one sack) and Miami (nine tackles, two for loss), so he wasn’t just dominating Conference USA opponents.
4. Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh (3-4): Jones (nine sacks, 13 tackles for loss) and teammate Rashad Weaver (7½ sacks, 14½ tackles for loss) were an excellent duo for the Pitt, and either could interest the Broncos. Jones might fit best in a 4-3 defense but his strength and explosiveness make him equally intriguing in a hybrid role.
Right tackle
Ideally, the Broncos would find a draft prospect who could compete with Calvin Anderson to serve as the team’s swing tackle. Also important is finding a longterm replacement for right tackle Ja’Wuan James, who needs a strong comeback season to be in the team’s plans beyond 2021.
1. Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State (2-3): It’s possible Radunz will end up at guard in the NFL, but he was an effective left tackle while protecting quarterbacks Easton Stick (fifth-round pick in 2019) and Trey Lance (potential top-five pick this year). Radunz needs to improve his play strength and would benefit from a year of tutelage under Broncos offensive line coach Mike Munchak.
2. Walker Little, Stanford (2-3): One of this draft’s most interesting prospects, Little has played one game the past two years after suffering a seasonending injury in the 2019 opener and opting out of the ’20 season. Prior to that, he became the first true freshman to start at left tackle for Stanford since 2000 and was dominant as a sophomore.
3. Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa (3-4): A former basketball player, Brown has quick, natural footwork that only improved as he spent more time at right tackle. He’s another ideal draft-and-develop candidate. And at 6-foot-8, there is a lot to develop.
4. Alaric Jackson, Iowa (5-6): Jackson started all 42 career games at left tackle for Iowa, including three seasons opposite ’20 first-round pick Tristan Wirfs. Jackson isn’t nearly the same type of prospect as Wirfs, but he is a fundamentally sound player with room to improve.
Running back
Melvin Gordon and Royce Freeman are entering the final year of their contracts. A Day 3 pick would compete with newly signed Mike Boone for reps and be in position to move up the pecking order in 2022.
1. Trey Sermon, Ohio State (4-5): In a dominant three-game stretch against Michigan State, Northwestern and Clemson late last season, Sermon totaled 636 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Sermon will be a solid rotational running back.
2. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (5-6): After leading the FBS with 2,094 rushing yards in 2019, Hubbard ran for only 625 yards in seven games last season before opting out. Hubbard caught 53 passes in three seasons and could be a useful third-down back.
3. Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana (5-6): Mitchell averaged 6.2 yards per carry on 527 attempts at Louisiana and looks the part of a change-of-pace tailback. His pass catching was better than advertised at the Senior Bowl but like most college running backs needs to improve his pass protection.
4. Kylin Hill, Mississippi State (6-7): The Mississippi State coaching staff utilized wheel routes to get Hill (63 catches the past three seasons) in a space with linebackers and an NFL team could use him in a similar manner. Hill also has a tremendous jump cut that gets him upfield quickly.