It’s certainly not the anticipation of the regular season, but there’s football happening right now in the Spring, and my heart is nearly pounding out of my chest in anticipation for this year’s NFL Draft.
The Denver Broncos have a whopping 10 selections to work with as they approach this year’s draft, and there are plenty of rumors floating around as to what they might be doing, wanting to do, or what players they might have their eye on.
One rumor in particular to keep your eye on…
The Broncos Likely Will Draft a QB
Mike Klis, now of 9News in Denver, called the Broncos drafting a quarterback a ‘virtual certainty’ and the matter is not ‘if’ but ‘when’ John Elway will decide to pull the trigger on a new signal caller.
The Broncos have to face the reality of their situation — this could very well be Peyton Manning’s final year with the team. In fact, it wouldn’t shock anyone. However, Manning did say at his press conference on Tuesday that he doesn’t view this year as a ‘farewell’ tour.
Take that for what it’s worth.
Brock Osweiler continues to progress through the Broncos’ system as the backup but what exactly does this team have in the (can you even believe this?) fourth year signal caller out of Arizona State.
Luckily, the Broncos drafted Osweiler as a 21-year old rookie who was extremely green coming out of the ASU program, and he’s got exciting physical abilities but we’ve never had any reason (really) to see him on the field except for in preseason action. The fact that he’s going into a contract year and the Broncos don’t really know what they’ve got in a guy that they expected to be the future QB of their team is something that they might feel needs to be addressed.
If Osweiler leaves after this season, and Manning decides to retire, it would put the Broncos in a position where they have no starting quarterback on the roster unless they keep Zac Dysert around, who spent all of last year on the practice squad.
My personal favorite quarterback from this draft is Garrett Grayson, and I think he’s on the Broncos’ radar. I could see him being their 2nd round pick, and I wouldn’t be upset with that at all.
If the Broncos do plan to go after Grayson, it wouldn’t surprise me to see them trade Osweiler. If they plan on taking a later-round quarterback, then keeping Osweiler around is the wise move.
This will be a huge situation to watch.
Cedric Ogbuehi the Favorite at 28?
The Broncos are built to win now, so taking an injured player in round one seems like a bit of a stretch. That said, yesterday Peter King put out his mock draft and said the Broncos ‘love’ the former Texas A&M star right tackle, who hurt his knee in the team’s bowl game four months ago.
Not only did King mock the Broncos Ogbuehi, but Dane Brugler at CBSSports.com updated his mock draft as well with Ogbuehi penciled in at 28 overall.
In the same article by Mike Klis linked above, he said the expectation is that the Broncos will draft an offensive tackle with their first pick, which means the future is in question for Michael Schofield unless the ‘tackle’ the Broncos pick can also play guard.
From what I know, Ogbuehi is pretty much strictly a right tackle. He has some medical concerns but the potential is there for him to be a top flight player at his position for a long time.
Shane Ray a Realistic Possibility Now?
If the Broncos are willing to take an injured player in round one, would they be willing to take one with some off-field baggage as well?
Missouri’s star pass rusher and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Shane Ray was given a traffic violation and marijuana possession citation after ESPN Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold ‘drafted’ him to the Broncos in the NFL Nation mock draft. He says that’s a situation where the Broncos might still look at Ray as the clear best player available on their board.
“Add in Ray’s toe injury to close out this past season — he did not work out at the combine because of it and did not have the on-campus workout people expected — and it all means what was an unlikely scenario just a day ago may now actually be one the Broncos may have to consider Thursday night.”
Another situation the Broncos might have to consider?
Randy Gregory a Possibility Too?
Andrew Mason of DenverBroncos.com put out his top 100 players for this year’s NFL Draft, and coming in at no. 10 overall on the list was Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory.
I’ve previously written that the Broncos should look at Gregory and seriously consider taking him if he is available with the 28th pick, and I would even consider jumping ahead of some other teams if he falls into the 20s, even.
Gregory (like Ray) is a special talent off the edge and you can never have enough pass rushers in this league. The Broncos used a much higher (2nd overall) premium selection on a player who was in stage 1 of the NFL’s drug program (Von Miller) and while Miller has had his moments and slip-ups, the Broncos are probably glad to have him around.
I don’t know that Gregory is as special a talent as Von Miller, but it’s another option to consider. Here’s what Mason said about him:
“Positive marijuana tests lead to a downgrade. If he drops into the 20s, the risk-reward ratio could be right, and he could be a bargain.”
Speaking of Andrew Mason…
He mocked the Broncos Mississippi State inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney.