NFL Draft 2015: Denver Broncos Day Three Preview
It’s day three of the 2015 NFL Draft, and the Denver Broncos have put themselves in a position to do pretty much whatever they want. They got a top 10 player on their board in Missouri pass rusher Shane Ray. They got a starting right tackle (or left guard) in Colorado State’s Ty Sambrailo. Then, in the third round, they added an ultra-athletic tight end in Jeff Heuerman, who will compete for snaps with Owen Daniels, Virgil Green, James Casey, and others.
At this point, the Broncos’ needs are minimal. They could look to add more OL, they could look to add a linebacker or safety, they could go receiver, running back, quarterback…
The sky is the limit on day three and nothing is out of the question.
Here’s where the Broncos will be picking when the fourth round opens at 10 AM MT.
4th round, 133rd overall (34th pick, compensatory selection)
5th round, 164th overall (28th pick)
6th round, 203rd overall (27th pick)
7th round, 250th overall (33rd pick, compensatory selection)
7th round, 251st overall (34th pick, compensatory selection)
7th round, 252nd overall (35th pick, compensatory selection)
Next: Broncos Day Two Recap, Analysis
There are so many players that could be on the Broncos radar, I don’t know how I’d fit them all into one list. We’ve gone through extensively some names that I thought the Broncos might go after in the first three rounds, and they picked two of them (Shane Ray and Ty Sambrailo).
Now, sitting here on day three, some of those same names are still available, including guys that were on my first and second round radar.
Broncos Top First Round Options
Broncos Top Second Round Options
Broncos Top Third Round Options
Obviously, I have players that I personally like for the Broncos but if I were to limit them to taking those players, we might have missed out on guys like Malik Jackson or Danny Trevathan in later rounds.
I won’t waste your time with any mock draft scenarios for today, because day three is such a crapshoot, even compared to the first two days. Here are some guys I wouldn’t mind seeing in orange and blue.
T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
Even after taking Ty Sambrailo, there’s a guy out there that might have first round value yet. Clemmings was a popular pick of the Broncos in mock drafts this offseason, and the former defensive tackle is slipping due to injury concerns and being raw. He probably won’t last long on day three, but if he’s there with the next Broncos pick, I would be slightly disappointed if he’s not taken.
La’El Collins, OT, LSU
This is a first round talent, and yes I know that he has said he would sit out this year if not drafted before day three. That being said, if he comes into camp with the Broncos with a shot at starting at left guard for a Super Bowl contending team, he’d be a fool to pass that up. Sitting out a year will not guarantee him a first round slot next year at all. In fact, it might guarantee he won’t go in the first round.
I don’t even know if he could enter the draft next year.
This is such a complicated situation, but the Broncos should draft this guy and take the risk. They have so many picks that if he doesn’t play, they aren’t going to struggle to find 53 guys to fill out a roster.
Bryce Petty or Brett Hundley (QBs, Baylor/UCLA)
I would like the Broncos to take either one of these guys, as I feel they had 2nd or 3rd round qualities. I even opined at one point in time that the Broncos could take a QB (Hundley) in the first round.
Both of these guys are intriguing.
Zach Zenner, RB, South Dakota State
Perfect one-cut zone runner. Zenner would be an ideal fit for the Broncos.
Also: Jay Ajayi (Boise St.), Jeremy Langford (Michigan St.), and David Cobb (Minnesota)
Because, this draft of running backs is…Sick.
Rashad Greene (WR, Florida St.), Tre McBride (WR, William & Mary), Jamison Crowder (WR, Duke)
This is also a really deep class of WRs.
Reese Dismukes, C, Auburn; Shaq Mason, OL, Georgia Tech
I think Dismukes and Mason fit the zone scheme really well as interior players. If there’s a weakness left on the roster, it’s at LG/C.
Pass Rushers
Zack Hodges (Harvard), Davis Tull (UT-Chattanooga) are all still out there, along with plenty of other guys that could be great players. Broncos have a lot of options here of more guys that can get pressure on the QB.
Defensive Meat
I really like Grady Jarrett from Clemson and Xavier Williams from Northern Iowa. Those guys could fit perfectly as nose tackles in Wade Phillips’ scheme.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
Because the Oregon Ducks corner was one of the best defensive backs in the country prior to his knee injury. Draft him, put him on IR, and reap the benefits in 2016.
Safeties Aplenty
If you want a safety, take your pick. All the guys that were the ‘highest’ rated in this class (not a great one) are all still available. James Sample and Gerod Holliman from Louisville, Anthony Harris from Virginia, Adrian Amos from Penn State…The list goes on and on.
There are a lot of guys who could fit with the Broncos.