The Denver Broncos decided to skip round one in favor of stockpiling picks in rounds 2-4. It’s a move that says the early picks on the Broncos draft board were taken well before their original No. 25 spot, and plenty of the next guys in line are still on the board.

While many are up in arms that the Broncos didn’t select on day one, we have to remember that a lot of quality players are found beyond the first round of the draft.

The Broncos have six of the next 84 selections, and it all begins with the No. 36 pick.

I still like DT Devon Still from Penn State as the Broncos first pick. Still’s gas tank and medical history are red flags, but he dominates when he’s on his game. He had 55 tackles (17 for a loss) and 4.5 sacks his senior year. That’s an impact player on the defensive line and he would force opposing teams to prepare for a new wrinkle on the Broncos defense.

Still tore his ACL and MCL his freshman year of college and then he broke his ankle his sophomore year. He tires quickly and lets up off the gas, but it seems to me that both of these issues are manageable. That’s why the Broncos pay team strength and conditioning coach Luke Richesson the big bucks.

The Broncos could also look at cornerback for their first pick. The controversial Janoris Jenkins from North Alabama is still available. His game isn’t the question mark here. It’s his character and reputation. Jenkins was booted from Florida for being arrested multiple times for fighting/resisting arrest and marijuana possession. Doing it once is one thing, but a repeat offender is a red flag. On the field, Jenkins is a playmaker that can cover in the slot or cover outside, and he’s a threat on special teams as a punt returner.

The Broncos also have Stanford tight end Coby Fleener available. The team signed Jacob Tamme (former Manning teammate) and Joel Dreessen, and they have Virgil Green and Julius Thomas to develop so this is a less likely pick up. Fleener would have the right cards dealt to him, however, first with Andrew Luck and then with Manning.

Georgia offensive lineman Cordy Glenn is still available, and he would have to make the transition to guard for the Broncos. This selection would add depth to the o-line. Glenn moves well for his size, and he’s a 50-game starter in his college career.

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It’s known as Christmas in April. The NFL draft is the biggest thing since the Super Bowl, the impetus for change for many teams, and the stepping stone for yet another pigskin season set to kick off officially in September.

PO is live from New York covering the 2012 NFL draft. I walked by Radio City Music Hall last night and fans were already camped out waiting to get into the venue. There were a few Broncos jerseys, but many more Browns jerseys (read: “Hey, this is the year we turn it around!”).

The Broncos pick at No. 25 tonight which should be around 8:00 p.m. MST.

“Because of where we’re picking and you don’t know how the board will fall, we won’t know who we’re picking until an hour before our pick. Not an hour before the draft, an hour before we pick.” – John Elway (Denver Post)

Day one of the draft covers just the first round.

Many believe (including myself) that the Broncos should and will take a defensive tackle with their first pick. Here’s a quick breakdown of some favorites.

Michael Brockers – LSU – 6’6,” 322 lbs., 40 time – 5.36

Touted as the best DT in the draft, Brockers will likely go well before the Broncos are up to pick. He’s strong and explosive, and uses leverage well. The downside is he occasionally loses track of the ball.

Fletcher Cox – Mississippi State – 6’4,” 298 lbs., 40 time – 4.79

He’s very good at locating the ball and making the drag-down tackle. Also has good lateral agility. His pass rushing technique still needs work.

Devon Still – Penn State – 6’5,” 303 lbs., 40 time – 5.08

Fast off the snap and has great vision to take down backs running through the tackles. Strong, but needs work knocking back opponents with his hands.

Jerel Worthy – Michigan State – 6’2,” 308 lbs., 40 time – 5.08

Quick hands and feet makes Worthy a guy who is constantly in quarterbacks’ hair. Not a lot of sacks and number of tackles is average, but makes a difference off the stat sheet.

Keep it dialed in here all day as we bring you draft day coverage and welcome the newest Denver Bronco, whomever that may be.

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John Elway needs to put together another quality draft class to help Peyton Manning win a Super Bowl in Denver. (Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)

Now that things have quieted down around Dove Valley, The Denver Broncos have shifted their focus to the 2012 NF Draft.

Denver has already made dramatic changes to their starting lineup by bringing in 6 new players via free agency who will see significant playing time next season. The changes will continue in a few weeks when the Broncos draft a horde of young talent who will hopefully fill the remaining holes on the roster and add much needed depth.

Let’s take a look at where the Broncos stand at each position right now and how they might address those positions in the draft:

• Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few weeks I don’t need to spend much time talking about the quarterback position. However, the signing of back-up Caleb Hanie has been the source of some angst among the fans recently. At this point I’m not even sure Hanie is going to make the team, so I didn’t read too much into his signing. There is no doubt that Denver will take a quarterback at some point during the draft. That quarterback, along with Adam Weber and Hanie, will compete for the backup position and one of those 3 players won’t make the 53-man roster.
• Willis McGahee is still the man at running back going into 2012. Although his age and the fact he wore down as the 2011 season went along means Denver is going to need a solid #2 to help carry the load. Knowshon Moreno is expected to return from injury and compete for that job, but almost everyone is running out of patience with him. It is a near guarantee that Denver will pick a running back in a few weeks, and I would bet it will happen very early in the draft. Some targets for the Broncos are Doug Martin, Boise State; Lamar Miller, Miami; Lamichael James, Oregon; and David Wilson, Virginia Tech.
• At wide receiver and tight end, the free agent additions of Andre Caldwell, Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen have filled the voids at those positions. The Broncos feel very good with the trio of Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and Caldwell at receiver and they believe they will excel with Peyton Manning behind center. I tend to agree with that line of thinking. I’m not expecting anyone to get drafted at these positions, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see them add someone late to compete in camp and add some depth.
• The offensive line will look very similar in 2012 as it did in 2011. I feel like Denver has a great pair of tackles in Ryan Clady and Orlando Franklin that will anchor the line for years to come. It is important that Manning has talented guys who can protect him on the edge and these two fit that bill. Where I have some concern is right up the middle (this concern exists on both sides of the ball). Look for Denver to draft at least one interior offensive lineman at some point. At the very least they need to bring in a quality backup.
• The front 7 of the defense is where this team needs the most work, and so far this offseason they have lost impact players from this group rather than add them. They did re-sign middle linebacker Joe Mays, but losing Brodrick Bunkley at defensive tackle was a big loss. As of right now, no one really knows who will start at tackle next season. That is not good. I am hoping Ty Warren can return from his injury and assume one of those starting jobs, but there is no mistaking the fact that defensive tackle is the biggest hole on the entire Broncos’ roster. Denver subscribes to the strategy of drafting “the best available player at all times regardless of position”, but they should go defensive tackle with their first pick of the draft. Luckily, this draft is loaded with quality interior defensive linemen. If there was ever a year to be in the market for a tackle, this is it.  In no particular order, the best tackles available are Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State; Michael Brockers, LSU; Dontari Poe, Memphis; Jerel Worthy, Michigan State; Kendall Reyes, UConn; Devon Still, Penn State; and Brandon Thompson, Clemson. I expect that the Broncos will draft one of these players with the 25th pick, and by the end of the draft I will be surprised if they haven’t added at least a couple D-linemen.
• Denver has added a few quality names to their defensive backfield during the free agency period. Safety Mike Adams and cornerback Tracy Porter will help bolster a group that was exposed at times last season. I love the signing of Porter. With Champ Bailey on the other side of the field the Broncos now have a fearsome duo at cornerback. Although Denver does have some talented youth in their backfield with Chris Harris and Quinton Carter, there is no doubt that this is an aging group overall, and the possible loss of Brian Dawkins means they will be missing some valuable experience and leadership. I would like to see the Broncos use multiple draft picks on this group to provide some depth and increase the competition. I would also like to see them extend Porter’s 1-year contract if he plays well early in the 2012 campaign.
• As far as special teams go, Denver will be returning all of their specialists this season and don’t need to address it in the draft. Matt Prater and Britton Colquitt were 2 of the top performers in the league a year ago and they will have a big impact going forward.
• At the end of the draft, I would like to be able to report that the Broncos used most of their picks on the defensive side of the ball and sprinkled in a few offensive selections at quarterback, running back and/or offensive line. The Denver defense needs to take the next step and move into the top half of the league rankings, and a strong showing in this draft can help them do just that.
• In the big picture, the Broncos hopefully have as many as 4 seasons with Peyton Manning at quarterback. Every draft class is important for every team, but this draft is more important to Denver than most. The players brought in this year will be integral if the Broncos are to make a serious Super Bowl run in the next couple of seasons. So set your DVR’s and grab some popcorn; this year’s draft is must see TV for all Denver fans. Go Broncos!

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