John Ross an option for Denver Broncos in the 2017 NFL Draft
Is Washington speedster John Ross a legitimate option for the Denver Broncos in the 2017 NFL Draft? We look at the fit and possibility…
Washington’s John Ross is one of the most explosive players in the entire draft class in 2017. While the Broncos have a clear need at left tackle, would they pass on big men to take the speedster out of Washington?
I recently put together a full first-round mock draft over at NFLMocks.com, and as the board fell, it seemed like Ross was the best option with the 20th overall pick. Here’s the full first round mock draft…
But why would the Broncos take a receiver in the first round? Don’t they have Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders?
Yes, and while Thomas and Sanders are both playing with new contract extensions, one thing that was clearly missing from the Broncos’ passing game for really the last two seasons is a legitimate third option and someone to work from the slot.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you use a first round pick on a slot receiver just because, but you have to really look at the way John Ross can change games with his speed and decide whether or not that can be an asset to your team.
As we saw last year, the Broncos — as good as their defense is — had no answer for the speed of Tyreek Hill. That kind of playmaker was just too much to handle, whether he was returning punts, playing receiver, or carrying the ball out of the backfield.
The same options are available with a guy like Ross, but he’s a more seasoned receiver and has no off-field concerns other than a torn ACL that took away his 2015 season.
Ross is a player the Broncos have talked to in this pre-draft process, and certainly is someone they will have highly ranked on their draft board. Will he be ranked higher than someone like, say, Garett Bolles or Cam Robinson? That’s what we don’t know at this point.
If Ross is the best player on the board with the 20th overall pick, do you try and trade out of that pick, or do you just take him for yourself?
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One way or another, the Broncos don’t have ideal options at left tackle. That much is for sure. If a guy like Ross is on the board with the 20th overall pick, or even Christian McCaffrey for that matter, they have to weigh the possibility of taking a big time playmaker versus taking a tackle that may or may not work out.
There are no ‘sure things’ in the NFL Draft, but I think a player like Ross will translate well to the NFL. Like I said, he can play outside or he can play in the slot. He’s perhaps one of the best prospects in this draft at playing from the slot, and we know from Mike McCoy’s tendencies as a coordinator, that slot receiver position is critical.
That kind of speed is something the Broncos would definitely love to have, especially in the return game. Ross has been proficient as a kick returner for the Huskies and is a threat to score every time he touches the football.
If he could contribute early as a returner and slot receiver, I think we could see a nice fit in Denver for John Ross. The injury concerns need to be addressed by team doctors, but if he checks out medically, he should be a top 15-20 player on everyone’s draft board and thus, should be under consideration when the Broncos are on the clock at 20 overall.