Denver Broncos 2017 Three-Round Mock Draft

With the 20th Pick in the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Reuben Foster, Linebacker, Alabama.

This one was too hard to pass up.  Reuben Foster is a player that is quickly dropping down draft boards due to some injury concerns, as well as a few off the field issues.  However, Foster is easily a top-10 talent in this draft.  John Elway has twice taken a chance on players like this in Bradley Roby and Shane Ray in the past.  Both of those players fell due to some minor off the field concerns—similar to Foster—and both have made Elway look fantastic.

On the field, Reuben Foster is an absolute wrecking ball who would fit the Broncos defensive scheme like a glove.  In the Broncos 3-4, he would likely play the weak side Inside Linebacker  spot, currently occupied by Brandon Marshall.  However, this spot belonged to Danny Trevathan in 2015, as Marshall played on the strong side.  An addition of foster would most likely put Marshall back into the strong side role where he was clearly more effective.  Foster’s athleticism alone will make this defense more effective.

A commonly used term in football is offensive weapon.  This describes a player that can line up all over the formation on offense and is a threat to get the ball in multiple capacities.  Foster would be the defensive equivalent to this.  As a defensive weapon, it would allow Joe Woods to show some very unique looks.  He can drop him into coverage, use him as a run stopper, and even line him up as a pass-rusher if needed.  This is how gifted Foster is as a player.  The Broncos missed Danny Trevathan a year ago, and it can be argued that Foster would be a vast upgrade over Trevathan.  His addition would bring the Broncos defense much closer to that 2015 level.

Foster fits that nasty mold that the Broncos had in 2015.  He is the hardest hitter in this draft class, and would really help bring back that intimidation factor that the Broncos lacked a year ago. The off-field concerns are minimal.  He had an incident at the scouting combine where he was sent home after an argument with a nurse, and most recently failed a drug test due to a diluted sample.  Foster claimed that the diluted sample was due to over-hydration after a bout with food poisoning.

Regardless, the Broncos locker room is very strong on the defensive side of the ball, and Foster would have guys like Von Miller and Shane Ray—both of whom have had their own issues in the past—to mentor him along and keep him in line.  His on the field play would be too hard to pass up if he were to fall to number 20, something that is looking more and more likely by the day.  Here is the tape: