Broncos could target Lloyd Cushenberry to be starting center

LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry has already been a top target for the Denver Broncos in many mock drafts. When will the team have to draft him?

The Denver Broncos undoubtedly will have a focus on the offensive side of the football (again) in the 2020 NFL Draft, and one area of the roster that has to be addressed is the interior offensive line.

Starting center Connor McGovern is a pending free agent, and starting right guard Ron Leary may not be far behind with a huge 2020 cap number and a low dead money hit.

If the Broncos have to replace two starters on the interior offensive line (center, right guard), it’s a safe bet to assume they will replace one in the 2020 NFL Draft, which is absolutely loaded on the offensive line.

One player who has been part of many Broncos mock drafts up to this point is LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who is slowly but surely working his way up to the top of this year’s list of interior offensive linemen.

Cushenberry has been a steady player for the reigning National Champion LSU Tigers and with an NFL-ready frame, athletic makeup, and intelligence to make calls on the line. He was a fourth-year junior so he’s participating in the 2020 Senior Bowl where he stood out on day one of practices.

The Broncos were confident enough last year to put a guy like Dalton Risner right into the starting lineup after the NFL Draft, basically the day he walked into the facility with his work boots and all.

I don’t see any reason they won’t be willing to do it again, and it will be upsetting if the Broncos don’t come away from this draft class with at least two linemen capable of starting either day one or at some point this season.

They Broncos cannot rely on their current tackle depth behind Garett Bolles and Ja’Wuan James, and with Bolles entering a contract year, he needs someone to come in and push him regardless.

Cushenberry would be an outstanding second-round pick for the Broncos, provided they use their top pick on a wide receiver or defensive player. Heck, even if the top pick is a player like Tristan Wirfs, the Broncos would be doing extremely well to take Cushenberry in round two and just solidify those three interior spots on the offensive line.

The fun mock draft scenarios shall continue, but if you’re putting together Broncos mock drafts, stop thinking that Lloyd Cushenberry is going to fall to round three and start hoping he will still be there for Denver in round two.