2016 NFL Draft: S Elijah Shumate visits Denver Broncos

According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, Notre Dame safety Elijah Shumate visited the Denver Broncos as they prepare for the 2016 NFL Draft…

The Denver Broncos are looking to add depth to the safety position in this year’s draft, so they’re getting a closer look at a potential target in the 2016 NFL Draft, Notre Dame’s Elijah Shumate.

Shumate is a former big-time college recruit to Notre Dame who is entering the NFL with the expectation that he would probably be a late-round pick. The Broncos have a lot of day three picks, so they might dip into the talent pool at Notre Dame for help at safety again after losing former Golden Domer David Bruton to the Washington Redskins this offseason.

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Currently on the Broncos’ roster, only Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward remain at the safety position. The Broncos will certainly be looking to add to their number there in the draft, possibly early and late. For some reason, I love adding guys to the safety position, and while Shumate has been a liability at times in coverage, he’s a big, strong, hard hitter that could make a way onto the field as a special teams player early on.

This is the kind of guy who will grind his way onto an NFL roster, but he has to prove more than capable in just zone coverages if he’s going to be a long-term fit at the next level.

The Broncos have 30 pre-draft visits, so bringing in a guy like Shumate shows they want to have some background done and get to know his football IQ, see if he can add not only depth on defense but special teams as well.