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Broncos snag Clemson receiver in Bucky Brooks’ mock draft

By Sayre Bedinger

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Jacob Phillips #6 of the LSU Tigers tackles Tee Higgins #5 of the Clemson Tigers during the first half in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Jacob Phillips #6 of the LSU Tigers tackles Tee Higgins #5 of the Clemson Tigers during the first half in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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The Denver Broncos could target any number of wide receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft. Bucky Brooks predicts they will add another playmaker for Drew Lock.

Depending on how many mock drafts you have read in the last couple of days, you might have seen at least five different receivers projected to go to the Denver Broncos.

We put together a mock draft over the weekend involving a familiar name, Henry Ruggs III.

We’ve now seen a couple of mock drafts where the Broncos manage to get Ruggs’ Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy.

There are also other mock drafts where the Broncos get Laviska Shenault in the first round, some are still holding out hope for Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, and TCU’s Jalen Reagor has been thrown into the mix every now and again.

Although the Broncos’ offense certainly needs an element of speed, they will undoubtedly look at the whole package when it comes to potentially taking a receiver in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and that’s why Clemson’s Tee Higgins has to be considered a legitimate option.

And Bucky Brooks of NFL.com believes Clemson star receiver Tee Higgins is a realistic option at 15.

Brooks has the Broncos taking Higgins in his first mock draft of the 2020 NFL Draft season, and explains that he thinks the selection of Higgins would help ‘accelerate Drew Lock’s growth’ as the Broncos’ franchise quarterback.

So who is Tee Higgins?

Well, in a long line of great Clemson receivers to play under head coach Dabo Swinney, Higgins may be the best. He may not be the highest-graded prospect, but he may be the best receiver to ever don a Clemson uniform, at least in terms of his production.

The 6-foot-4 receiver caught 28 touchdown passes at Clemson, a school record, and posted over 1,100 yards this past season along with 14 touchdown catches, proving himself as one of the best receivers in college football at the catch point and after the catch.

With such a wide catch radius, it’s hard to defend Higgins even though he doesn’t have the top-end speed that will blow people away.

For the Broncos, Higgins would be a fun first-round option. He’s been a first-round prospect for pretty much everyone throughout the evaluation process and his background in basketball shows in his ability to win jump-ball situations with defensive backs.

The question is — is he too similar to Courtland Sutton as a player for the Broncos? Part of the goal of taking a receiver in round one would be for the Broncos to diversify their offense a bit. Does Higgins do that? I think the addition of Pat Shurmur as offensive coordinator elevated his stock for Denver a bit.

He would be great beating defenders on slant routes and screen plays, and I think Higgins’ ability to win deep downfield with his combination of length and leaping ability make up for his lack of elite deep speed in a way.

Next. Broncos mock draft: Finding depth in the Senior Bowl. dark

There is plenty to like about this potential pairing for Pat Shurmur and the Broncos’ offense. Higgins is a young quarterback’s dream in that he’s going to bail out plenty of throws that might not be right on the money, and he’s a big-time weapon in the red zone. If having a guy like Higgins around means more one-on-one opportunities for guys like Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant, sign me up.

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