Denver Broncos: Reflecting back on the 2018 Senior Bowl

Invites are being accepted by players participating in the 2019 Senior Bowl. That led to thinking about the home runs the Denver Broncos hit during last year’s process.

Teams do not want to make it a regular occurrence sending coaches to the Senior Bowl but for the Denver Broncos, it was a tremendous scouting asset prior to the 2018 NFL Draft. This year’s rookie class is one of, if not the strongest points of this regular season.

Denver is not where it needs to be, but to see the instant impact is something amazing to behold.

There were four Denver Broncos drafted by the team who participated out in the Senior Bowl. Isaac Yiadom, Josey Jewell, DaeSean Hamilton, and Troy Fumagalli all were selected from the third to fifth round. Fumagalli is the only one not to see time in 2018.

Seeing one player reach the field and have significant snaps is an accomplishment in and of itself. The Broncos have had three.

The future is bright for Hamilton, Jewel, and Yiadom. Fumagalli is on injured reserve, but his place on the roster is still intact for a few years. Paul Chryst is the head coach from Wisconsin. His brother, Geep Chryst, is the tight ends coach in Denver.

My guess is there’s some good faith in Fumagalli’s talent. Fumagalli never had a competent quarterback to utilize his receiving talents. He is a better blocker than catcher, but certainly, his explosiveness is underrated. Fumagalli is a player to watch come next season when healthy.

Hamilton has not seen the field as much as he hoped. Sustaining injuries in your first season is tough luck. Hamilton became a victim of this and set him back. However, his skillset is unique. He can be a number two wide receiver eventually replacing Emmanuel Sanders or be designated strictly in the slot area.

With how crisp and precise Hamilton’s route running is, the likely outcome is for him to be the slot receiver. He caught his first career touchdown against the 49ers and that will not be the last either.

For the linebacker position, the Broncos have seen steady growth from Josey Jewell (who was on their roster at the Senior Bowl but did not participate). Jewell is not the most athletic guy in the world but the instincts he has make up for any deficiency.

From my vantage point, all Jewell needs is playing time. The more playing time he sees the better he will be over time. The situation requires patience but it will eventually bear fruit. If Denver decides to move on from Brandon Marshall after the season, that might expedite the process.

Issac Yiadom is the last one to see snaps this season. There was a quiet and legitimate buzz around him at the Senior Bowl, and Denver loved what they saw from him. Yiadom’s talent is like wood glue — he sticks to pretty much anything he is covering. His problem so far is finishing.

The technique from Yiadom is sound and impressive. In fact, despite being a mid-round selection Yiadom has starter qualities in a corner. The last few weeks, he has played exceptionally well following the loss of Chris Harris. Yiadom is no Harris, by any means, but it is impressive to see his growth week to week. He is dealing with an injury that will keep him out of the Cleveland Browns game.

Again, the way the Denver Broncos were able to find players they did during the Senior Bowl is impressive. Many kudos should be given to the scouting department, Gary Kubiak, and others. It’s also very refreshing to see it come to fruition on the football field. The Broncos not only drafted four players from the Senior Bowl, but seven of their 10 draft picks have seen game action. That is beyond crazy to think about.