Albert Breer and Kalyn Kahler combined for a first-round mock draft on SI.com, and sent an Ohio State star to the Denver Broncos.
The Denver Broncos still have 10 games left this season, starting with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, but if the season ended today they would be picking seventh overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
It’s so early in the season that it doesn’t even seem reasonable to be thinking about the Broncos having back-to-back top 10 NFL Draft picks, but it’s never too soon for a new NFL mock draft.
Usually, the most interesting mock drafts are put together by people who are plugged into the league, even though the draft process is so unpredictable. These people with connections around the league may not be able to pinpoint picks, but they may have some intel as to which direction teams are looking to go and there are some things we can read into when a person like Albert Breer puts together a first-round projection.
With the Broncos picking seventh overall, Breer projects they will take the second Ohio State defensive lineman off the board. That Ohio State defensive lineman is not Nick Bosa, brother of Los Angeles Chargers star Joey Bosa, but Dre’Mont Jones, a three-year starter for the Buckeyes who is having a big-time breakout season as a senior.
Fans clamoring for a quarterback might be bored by this pick or even a little put-off but make no mistake about it — Jones is a superstar in the making.
One of the best interior pass rushers in the upcoming class, Jones has an awesome combination of length, quickness, hand punch, and closing ability.
The Broncos actually do have a need on the defensive front with Domata Peko and Zach Kerr slated for free agency, as well as Shelby Harris requiring a new contract at some point in the near future.
Here’s a quick highlight of Jones getting after the Oregon State quarterback earlier this season. He had a defensive touchdown against TCU, showing off his rare athleticism for a player of his size.
He’s already got 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in his junior season, and he’s not even halfway done.
This is a special interior rusher and while there’s no guarantee he enters the NFL Draft, his stock may never be higher. The opportunity to put him on the same line as Bradley Chubb and Von Miller could be enticing for the Broncos especially if quarterback Justin Herbert is already off the board like he is in this scenario.