Denver Broncos mock draft: Expert predicts offensive lineman
What will the Denver Broncos do in the 2018 NFL Draft? NFL Network expert Lance Zierlein thinks they will take an offensive lineman in the top five…
Depending who you listen to or what website you read, most Denver Broncos mock drafts involve a quarterback in the first round.
Here at Predominantly Orange, we try and mix that up a little bit from time to time, giving a variety of scenarios the Broncos could explore in the 2018 NFL Draft, including the possibility of taking a position other than quarterback in round one.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein recently put out his first mock draft of the offseason, and predicted the Denver Broncos would pass on both Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen and any quarterback besides Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen, who are projected to go first and second overall in his mock.
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Zierlein predicted in his first mock that the Broncos would take Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson with their top pick, and honestly it’s hard to argue with that pick at all. The Broncos need upgrades on the offensive line, and Nelson might be the best overall player in the draft when all is said and done, regardless of position.
For what it’s worth, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah shares Zierlein’s opinion that the Broncos would take Nelson if given the chance, passing on a quarterback in the first round because he thinks they will fill that hole via free agency.
That’s obviously the word pretty much across the board in league circles and anyone ‘in the know’ right now, that Denver is going to fix the quarterback position first and foremost via free agency, and try and fill two needs rather than just one by drafting a position other than quarterback with that top five pick.
Especially if the Broncos are able to land a veteran that can help them win immediately — Kirk Cousins, Sam Bradford, Tyrod Taylor, etc — this is a move that makes a ton of sense for Denver.