The Denver Broncos traded up in the first round five spots to get pass rusher Shane Ray out of Missouri. In case you didn’t know, the dude is an absolute stud and unblockable for offensive tackles.
Here are some highlights.
For the Broncos, this wasn’t necessarily a luxury pick, but it was an interesting one. It was first presented as a legitimate option when Jeff Legwold cashed in on the fall of Ray in the ESPN NFL Nation mock draft this past week on Monday. That sparked the ‘what if?’ conversation among Broncos country, and Ray ended up falling into a spot where the Broncos felt comfortable taking him.
I personally love the pick, as you might know by now.
I had put Ray in as a possible ‘wild card’ selection for the Broncos in my final mock draft for them, and it actually came to pass.
The fact that Ray is joining forces with DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller cannot be understated. Ware has been an incredible role model for Miller, who has had off-field troubles himself but has seemingly turned a corner. As the Broncos progress toward the future, the plan will be to have Ray teamed up on the edges with Miller for the foreseeable future.
The Broncos’ group of linebackers is as fearsome as any in the NFL. They were able to add to the pass rush department after Quanterus Smith was waived this past week, a player that they had high hopes based on the potential he showed in college.
Ray is a phenomenal player, one that fits the ‘kicking and sreaming’ mentality John Elway wants to employ. I absolutely cannot wait to see him in orange and blue.