Broncos Draft Prospect: TE Nick O’ Leary, FSU
By Tylor Walden
With the departure of Julius Thomas, the Broncos were in need of a tight end to start free agency. They went out and signed three of them on the first day. However, Nick O’ Leary is one tight end coming out of college that could be an interesting pick for the Broncos.
I have talked about Nick O’ Leary becoming a dark horse candidate for the Denver Broncos during the draft, and the more I look at what he has done during his time at Florida State, I continue to be more impressed. First off, it can be said that most pass catchers wear gloves to get a better grip on the football. Nick O’ Leary is an old-school type player who does not wear gloves, but can still catch the football with great efficiency. He rarely dropped the catch during his time in college.
He also has a knack for fighting for extra yardage. Once the football is in his hands, he will not stop until he is on the ground. And with his ability to shed tackles and fend off hits, he can keep going for an extra two or three yards, which makes him such a lethal short yardage player. Nick O’ Leary thrives for the red zone. With his ability to go up for the football and to beat even linebackers and safeties, he would be a huge threat from twenty yards out or less from the endzone.
While he may not be a vertical threat, that may not be necessary in the Broncos new offense. With the Broncos transitioning to a zone-blocking scheme, Nick O’ Leary would be a great addition. He could be lined up to block either from the tight end or fullback position and win against players, leading the room for the running back to gain some valuable yards.
Because of the scheme the Broncos are going to run in their offense starting this season, there is no doubt that Nick O’ Leary could be a vital piece for the Broncos offense in the near future. He has the abilities to produce at a high level in Denver. If he falls to the Broncos in the third round, he would be such a great addition to the team.