Denver Broncos pick Jake Butt in 5th round of 2017 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos went into day three of the 2017 NFL Draft needing some help at TE, and used their 5th rounder on Michigan’s Jake Butt…

The Denver Broncos have been maneuvering around the draft board all of day three, and with the top pick of the fifth round — their first pick of the day — they come away with an absolute steal in Michigan tight end Jake Butt.

Butt was easily a top 100 player, if not much better than that, prior to tearing his ACL in Michigan’s bowl game against Florida State. He took out an insurance policy prior to the draft and has actually already made himself some nice money:

Here’s a little bit of Lance Zierlein’s scouting report on Butt leading up to the draft:

"In-line tight end with strong, natural hands and the toughness to make a living in the middle of the field as a chain-moving safety blanket. While he’s shown ability to operate as an intermediate target as well, he might lack the athleticism and separation to uncover against NFL safeties and some linebackers in man coverage."

This is a very exciting weapon for the Broncos to add to their offense. He was a mismatch in the red zone for Michigan and has the ability to play both in line and split out. He’s not overly polished as a blocker nor does he have blazing speed like some of the tight ends in this class, but this kid can really play.

Two-time All-American who will be a great fourth option now in the Broncos’ offense with Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and Carlos Henderson. I love the way this guy plays, and I think the Broncos and their fans are going to absolutely love this pick for more than just his name.

This is a potential dominant NFL tight end who, when healthy, will be a major asset.