The Denver O Welcomes “Big O”

This is to be my first “pick analysis” so to speak. I plan on doing this for a few of the picks. So here goes.

With one of their two picks in the second round, the Denver Broncos selected a defensive tackle, Orlando Franklin. While Franklin is in fact an offensive tackle going to a team with what is seen now as a desperate need at DT, I personally like the pick. At 6’6″ 315, I have no problem describing this guy as a tree with feet. He’s huge and although labeled a guard in college Franklin played all 13 games last season as the left tackle for the Hurricanes. He is projected to play opposite Ryan Clady as a tackle in the NFL.

While some people tend to think that he has lazy qualities, I think the Denver coaching staff can whip this guy into shape and make him at the very least a top backup at his position. But behind his laziness lies a mean, mean man. I went out and watched some videos on Franklin and I like what I saw. Sure the videos were clips of his successes, but you’d be hard put to find some videos of players failing. Something that caught my eye especially was a clip where he pancaked Marvin Austin of North Carolina on the goal line. With arms a little under 3 feet long, this guy’s range is exceptional. This will make keeping defenders at a distance easy. It will mabe easy for him to see other potential blocks or blitzing backers that need picked up.

Last year, Franklin led the Hurricanes with 61 pancakes and was a 2nd Team All ACC lineman. He helped the Miami offense to the second and fourth most yards in school history. As the saying goes, “it all starts up front”, and with Orlando Franklin up front, good things seem to happen.

On top of all this, he has Jon Gruden’s endorsement who was quoted in the Palm Beach Post

"“You want to improve the toughness of your offense, you want to improve your inside running game, bring this guy along.”"

A Superbowl winning coach likes him? That alone is almost good enough for me.

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