Denver Broncos First Round Draft Need

The Denver Broncos led the NFL in rushing and they set a franchise record for most yards on the ground in a single season. That doesn’t mean all is gravy, however.

Willis McGahee is an older back, and he can’t handle 18-20 carries per game for much longer. Many teams who thrive in the league operate on a dual-back system. That’s why the Broncos will likely be stocking up on backs in the upcoming draft and free agency.

The question is how soon do they pick up a running back in the draft?

The Broncos would likely be able to get RB Chris Polk out of Washington at the No. 25 spot, but do they even want to go there with their first round draft pick.

Remember first round running backs don’t necessarily succeed. You don’t have to look any further than 2010’s No. 12 overall pick Knowshon Moreno. Meanwhile, Michael Turner (the NFL’s third leading rusher in 2011) was drafted in the 5th round in 2004.

Is the positional need that great for the Broncos to risk taking a running back with their first round pick? Probably not.

Many fingers point to the Broncos improving the defensive line and the secondary in the early rounds of the draft.

One doesn’t have to look any further than Tom Brady’s six touchdown passes in the divisional round of the playoffs to know that more depth is needed on defense, particularly in an aging secondary.

With that said, how would you like the Broncos to use their first pick in the 2012 draft?

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