Peter King predicts the Denver Broncos get two first-round picks

In Peter King’s annual mock draft, the Denver Broncos end up with two first-round picks and two leaders on both sides of the ball.

It’s finally the week of the 2019 NFL Draft. The offseason has blown by and we now are merely a couple of days from finding out what players the Denver Broncos will be bringing in to continue resetting the foundation of this team.

The 2018 class was outstanding, and the Broncos have a chance to build on that with another strong draft class. How will they do it?

According to Peter King of NBC Sports/FMIA, they are going to continue building this new era of Broncos football with not one but two first-round picks.

Why is King’s mock draft worth reading into a little bit? Well, King is connected around the NFL. His projections — like everyone else’s — are subject to the unpredictable process that is the NFL Draft, but his information is good and he has great sources in the NFL.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at King’s picks for the Broncos. He thinks they make a selection at 10 before trading up with the Rams at 31 to make a second selection.

"10. Denver: Devin Bush, LB, Michigan“There’s not a perfect player on the board for Vic Fangio’s defense, but so many teams need a rangy sideline-to-sideline linebacker (Pittsburgh would love for him to drop to 20, but I don’t see it), and many think Bush would be a great compliment to edge-rushers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. Four or five teams between 10 and 20 would have serious interest in Bush if he falls past 10.”Peter King"

For a quick bit of context here, Devin White (LSU linebacker) was off the board, as was Iowa tight end TJ Hockenson. Ed Oliver was the third overall pick.

As many of us know, the Broncos would probably love to trade down in this situation. Devin Bush is probably not a top 10 player in this draft, though he’s a very good one and as King notes, there will be a lot of interest in Bush within picks 10-20.

The Broncos do need an off-ball linebacker but taking one at 10 — even Devin White — scares me a little bit. I would love for the Broncos to move down here, and I think they would have to in order to make the move King predicts next.

"31. Denver: Drew Lock, QB, MissouriPROJECTED TRADE: Denver sends the 41st pick and a 2020 second-rounder to the Los Angeles Rams for this choice.“Feel bad about predicting this. Sometimes in mock drafts, you want to get a player in the first round because you think he’s going to be a first-round pick, and you wedge him in and make the logic fit after that. I do not think the Rams want to pick at 31, and feel they can use a trade-down to get a two or three back after dealing fourth and second-round picks to Kansas City in 2018 for cornerback Marcus Peters. Denver likes Lock, and might be able to snag him as a two-year learner behind Joe Flacco while retaining the ability to use the 71st pick this year on a potential starter at a need position, like Texas A&M tight end Jace Sternberger. A move like this wouldn’t surprise me, but I also think the way Denver GM John Elway’s talking, he could punt on a young quarterback until the richer QB draft of 2020.”Peter King"

Here, King sends the Broncos a player many in the fan base would love to have. Drew Lock is a leader, has a high football IQ, has one of the strongest arms in the draft, and is athletic. He is reminiscent of Jay Cutler as a player without the attitude issues.

Lock would be a fantastic fit for the Broncos and John Elway really likes him, but I think King is onto something here in thinking Elway would like to add Lock in addition to another player in the first round.

I don’t think that player is necessarily Devin Bush, though it could be. The Broncos have used at least one of their top two picks on defensive front seven players (never an off-ball linebacker) in the top two rounds. Bush would fit that criterion, and Vic Fangio is obviously a linebacker guy.

I think if the Broncos want to move around and get two first-round picks, they would go with Lock and either Dalton Risner, Noah Fant, or a defensive lineman like Jerry Tillery perhaps. They could also look at a center like Garrett Bradbury if he’s available.

There are so many options, so many scenarios that make sense. If Bush is truly the best guy available to the Broncos at 10, however, I think they would trade down and I also think they would be a candidate to move into the first round for a second selection in the top 32.