Today’s the day — the 2015 NFL Draft — and the Denver Broncos have a few big decisions to be made. What will John Elway do with the team’s first round pick?
There are so many options, it’s hard to even really account for all of them. The Broncos could go for a variety of positions, including offensive line, defensive line, edge rusher, inside linebacker, and according to Mike Klis, wide receiver. That being said, here’s a list of players the Broncos could be considering with their first round pick, whether they decide to stay put or trade up.
**Note — these players were chosen within reason of realism. Example: I will not put Brandon Scherff on this list, even though he’d be my top target for the Broncos.
These prospects are listed in no particular order.
1. T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
Clemmings is a former defensive tackle that has a nastiness to his game. He’s extremely athletic and perhaps the best right tackle prospect in this entire draft. He’s considered raw by many, but huge upside.
2. Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State
Seasoned offensive line prospect who plays with power and athleticism. He’s also extremely versatile. Erving played tackle and center at an All-American level as a member of the Seminoles.
3. Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL)
Flowers has a lot of work yet to be done on his technique, but can play guard or tackle and has perhaps the nastiest disposition on the field of any offensive lineman in this draft not named Brandon Scherff. He could be long off the board by the time the Broncos pick.
4. Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
Fisher is an athletic tackle/guard prospect that is seasoned enough to start right away as a rookie. He would be a candidate for multiple vacancies on the Broncos’ offensive line, and would be a great scheme fit.
5. Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Perhaps the best pure left tackle prospect in the draft, Peat has the nastiness to play over on the right side. Played in a power run offense at Stanford, a pro-style scheme. He should be able to pick up on any NFL offense with ease and start right away as a rookie.
6. Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
Highly regarded right tackle prospect that suffered an ACL injury in the Texas A&M bowl game. He is on the mend, but reportedly the Broncos like him a lot and he could eventually slot in as the starting right tackle.
7. Laken Tomlinson, OL, Duke
Perhaps the best guard prospect in this entire draft. Tomlinson is considered a fringe first round pick but one of the safest players in the draft.
8. Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
Big, athletic linebacker prospect that reminded me a lot of Dont’a Hightower, a former first round pick out of Alabama. McKinney would fill a void for the Broncos in the middle of their defense and could be a tackling machine.
9. Preston Smith, DL, Mississippi State
Versatile, disruptive defensive lineman. Smith can rush the passer from a variety of spots and with multiple different techniques. Still raw in plenty of areas, but the upside is there for him to be a great pro.
10. Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
Never a play that Kendricks doesn’t pop into the frame defensively. He is a phenomenal athlete at linebacker, hits with a purpose, and fills up the stat sheet unlike most ‘backers in this draft.
11. Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DL, UCLA
Possibly my favorite defensive line prospect in this entire class. Odighizuwa disrupted every single play I saw from him on tape. He would be a phenomenal first round selection.
12. Malcolm Brown, DL, Texas
All-American defensive tackle that can occupy blockers and penetrate. He broke out this past year and should have a long NFL career ahead of him. He’d be a great nose tackle for the Broncos and Wade Phillips’ scheme.
13. Jordan Phillips, DL, Oklahoma
Massive nose tackle prospect that has been compared to former Bronco captain Terrance Knighton. Phillips has questions about consistency and his back (injury), so taking him in the first round would come with risks.
14. D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
Ultra-athletic but undersized tackle, Humphries would be an awesome fit in the Broncos’ offensive scheme under Gary Kubiak. He played pushing 290 pounds dripping wet at Florida but a former top recruit has so much talent, he’s the top tackle on some boards.
15. Randy Gregory, Edge, Nebraska
Talented, but troubled. Gregory looked like a contender for the top pick in the draft after the 2013 season. He had a bit of a down year in 2014 and failed a drug test at the Combine. No one was surprised. Still, he’s a top 10 talent. If he falls to the Broncos, they’ll have to make a tough decision if they’re going to pass on him.
16. Shane Ray, Edge, Missouri
Ray was caught just days before the draft with possession of marijuana. There are questions of whether or not he can hold up against the run and his character off the field, but he is a phenomenal pass rusher, and I can’t understate that. This dude knows how to close out games, and he plays with a nastiness unlike many of the rushers I evaluated in this class.
17. Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Apparently, this is a name to watch. I didn’t come up with it myself, but the Broncos face losing Demaryius Thomas next offseason potentially. Perriman struggled with drops but has insane size/speed.
18. Danny Shelton, DL, Washington
Big plodder in the middle of your defense. The Broncos could be looking him in the face at pick 28, but he would fall there because of his utter lack of speed (5.6 in the 40 yard dash) which is historically terrible.
19. Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor
There’s talk of Petty going in the late first round, and the Broncos are a team that could be a sleeper for a QB. You just never know.
20. Eddie Goldman, DL, Florida State
Another defensive tackle prospect for the Broncos to consider, Goldman has plenty of size to be a great fit as a nose tackle but can he penetrate the offensive line consistently?
21. Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon
Top level five technique prospect who is more bark than bite at this point. Need to see some progression in consistency from him but there are some people who have him ranked as a top 10 player in this draft.
22. Eli Harold, Edge, Virginia
Talented athlete who plays the edge position and occasionally will win due to that explosiveness. Not refined in his ability to bend the edge but the skills are there for him to be great — someday.