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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Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy (99) likes to crush quarterbacks and would look nice in a Broncos uniform. Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

The Denver Broncos hold the 25^th overall pick and 6 picks total in the 2012 NFL draft. 6 picks is a decent amount when compared to some other teams out there (Oakland Raiders; 3 picks), but Denver will have a tough time moving up in the early portion of the draft since they pick rather late within each round. Because of this, it is likely that any draft trades involving the Broncos will be ones in which they move back and acquire more picks. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad strategy because the Broncos need to bring in as much new talent as they can manage, but this isn’t what the average Denver fan is looking for. The fans want big names that can make an immediate impact, and to accomplish that Denver needs to keep their top picks.

I expect that the Broncos will hold steady in the first round and draft the best player available at the 25^th pick. So in my mind, the only question is who will they take at that spot? The biggest areas of need for this team are along the defensive line, the defensive backfield, and at running back, so I would guess that they go in one of those directions. Let’s look at some of the options that may be available when the Broncos are on the clock:

Devon Still, DT, Penn State

This draft is heavy with talent at the defensive tackle position. I think it makes a lot of sense for Denver to take advantage of that and find a guy to anchor their line for years to come. One of the top tackles on any draft board is Devon Still. Still excels as a pass rusher even though he is an interior lineman, and he has above-average quickness despite his massive 6′-5″ and 307-pound frame. His biggest strength is stuffing the run and occupying blockers, and he is at the very top of some draft boards at the DT position.

Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

Cox would also be an impactful player for the Broncos’ defense. He is known for his impressive motor, his versatility, and his ability to wear down opposing offensive linemen. He has been a force in the brutal SEC conference even though he weighs in at less than 300 pounds and has some room to add bulk. Cox could be a terror at the next level and would look real nice in orange and blue.

Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

I have Denver selecting Worthy in my latest mock draft, but I wouldn’t be surprised with any of the first 3 players on this list if they go with a defensive tackle. Worthy is a 6′-3″ 310-pound All-American who absolutely destroys offensive lines and is the definition of a defensive anchor. He is above-average in almost every measureable out there, and I think he would match up very nicely with Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller in the defensive front 7.

Michael Brockers, DT, Louisiana State

Brockers is widely regarded as one of the best DT’s out there and isn’t expected to be available at #25. He measures at 6′-5″ tall and 306 pounds, and he too is from the rugged SEC conference. Brockers possesses the best combination of power, size, and athleticism of any defensive tackle in the draft and has the potential to be a star at the next level.

Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

Thompson is known more for his pass rush rather than his run stopping, and although he is impressive in his own right, he just doesn’t seem to be as effective as the other defensive tackles on this list. He has a ton of upper-body strength but his “short arms” limit his range a bit.

Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Poe has an impressive burst off the line of scrimmage and has quick feet. What makes that impressive is that he comes in at a whopping 6′-5″ tall and 350 pounds! He is an absolute load and has a ton of upside despite the fact many experts question whether or not he can improve his technique enough to be effective in the NFL.

Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse

At 6′-5″ tall and 265 pounds, Jones has the prototypical body of an edge pass rusher. He is very strong and has a good motor, and he has extremely long arms which gives him an impressive range and makes him more disruptive.

Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Despite his checkered past, Jenkins is the 2nd best cornerback in the draft and probably won’t make it to the 25th pick. He is coming from a Division II school because he got kicked off the team at Florida, but he still has the ridiculous talent that made him a top recruit in the SEC. He is on the small side at 5′-10″ tall and 191 pounds, but he makes up for it with his speed and toughness.

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Kirkpatrick is another rare specimen who has impressive size, speed and strength. He grabbed 12 career interceptions and can win one-on-one battles with his strength and 6′-2″ stature. He typically rates as the 3rd best corner available by the experts and comes into the NFL as a 2nd team All-American.

Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Dennard may be the best cornerback available when the Broncos pick at 25 since Jenkins and Kirkpatrick are expected to be gone by then. He is known as a physical player who possesses great technique and is a superb tackler. He finished his career as a 1st team All-Big 10 player and won the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year Award.

Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Barron is the best safety in the draft and Denver needs to improve that position with Brian Dawkin’s injury issues and Rahim Moore’s disappointing rookie campaign. He knows how to throw around his 6′-2″ and 218-pound body and is known as a big hitter. Barron has above-average strength for a safety but lacks top-tier speed.

Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

As far as running backs go, there is Trent Richardson and then there is everyone else. But with that said, Lamar Miller is a tough runner with exceptional acceleration and speed. He also has good hands and vision and excels at the cutback.

David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

David Wilson is more likely to run through a defender where Miller will outrun them. He runs extremely hard and can be explosive at the line of scrimmage. He isn’t known as a blocker or a pass-catcher, but he has the skills to get him rated as the 2nd best running back in the draft by some experts.

So who do you think the Denver Broncos will take with their 1st pick? I’ve already stated I believe they will go with a defensive tackle, and I think Jerel Worthy is the odds on favorite.

Make sure to follow @MileHighMonday and @Predomorange on Twitter so we can talk Broncos football year round.