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Denver Broncos: Second-year players ready to contribute

By Sayre Bedinger

PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 16: Troy Fumagalli #81 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs into the end zone untouched for a second half touchdown as the Badgers beat the Brigham Young Cougars 40-6 at LaVell Edwards Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 16: Troy Fumagalli #81 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs into the end zone untouched for a second half touchdown as the Badgers beat the Brigham Young Cougars 40-6 at LaVell Edwards Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /
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AUBURN, AL – SEPTEMBER 2: Linebacker Jeff Holland #4 of the Auburn Tigers celebrate with defensive lineman Marlon Davidson #3 and defensive back Daniel Thomas #24 after a sack against the Georgia Southern Eagles during the second half of an NCAA college football game at Jordan Hare Stadium on Saturday, September 2, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
AUBURN, AL – SEPTEMBER 2: Linebacker Jeff Holland #4 of the Auburn Tigers celebrate with defensive lineman Marlon Davidson #3 and defensive back Daniel Thomas #24 after a sack against the Georgia Southern Eagles during the second half of an NCAA college football game at Jordan Hare Stadium on Saturday, September 2, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /

Jeff Holland, OLB

The Broncos have a pretty special undrafted gem from their 2018 class that not many outside of Denver know about or talk about here.

Jeff Holland was an offseason standout and has a very similar athletic profile to that of Shaquil Barrett when he came out of Colorado State.

I’m not saying Holland is going to step in and be Barrett, but I think he might add a bit more as a pass rusher and I think the Broncos are going to count on him as their top reserve off the edge behind Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.

There’s time for Dekoda Watson or Justin Hollins to steal that role, but Holland was brought along nicely as a rookie and wound up making some really nice plays late in the season, including a couple of standout rushes against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns.

No player in the 2018 NFL Draft had as many pressures off the edge in 2017 as Holland did at Auburn, at least not among Power 5 defenders.

He needs to find a way to be a more complete edge player, but Holland should be ready in year two to be that first guy off the sideline.

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