Denver Broncos shocked the NFL Draft world by selecting the wide receiver in the first round, but there is still work to be done on day two.
The addition of Jerry Jeudy sent shockwaves to the entire AFC West and possibly the NFL as the Denver Broncos help out young quarterback Drew Lock by getting a new weapon alongside Courtland Sutton.
Jeudy will become a player that is expected to garner lots of attention in year one, but his skill set is poised for an impact. This leaves Denver looking for more offense and defensive players to add to their squad on day two of the 2020 NFL Draft. One has to wonder if the Broncos will be aggressive on day two of the draft. With them not trading up to get Jeudy it opens a possible door to be aggressive in the second round.
There are multiple players the Denver Broncos can target in the second round and third round. The offensive line figures to be of intrigue with help up front. LSU Tigers center Lloyd Cushenberry is still available, but the question remains how long?
With Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz off the board in the first round that leaves Cushenberry as the next best option for help at center. With Connor McGovern elsewhere, the Broncos very well might look at center early on in day two. Cushenberry is a strong, athletic center that can play guard as well. Versatility has been a huge selling point for Denver in years past with linemen.
With the center mentioned, the tackle position has entered this discussion of possibilities for Denver on day two. Ezra Cleveland, Josh Jones are two big-name tackles still on the board. Denver has a question that needs answering. The future of Garett Bolles is still being decided. This means tackle might very well be at the forefront early on day two.
Cleveland is an athletic project that comes from Boise State. He is slated to be a left tackle at the next level. Jones is a four-year starter and a team captain. John Elway has made it an emphasis in the past addressing locker room guys. These are just a few available.
Transitioning to the defensive side of the football, there are numerous options for the Denver Broncos. This boasts potentially the best talent and they will have their shot of a great player at pick 46 and maybe acquire another second pick also.
Xavier McKinney, Jeremy Chinn, Grant Delpit, and Antoine Winfield are the top safeties on the board. Trevon Diggs, Kristian Fulton, Jaylon Johnson, and Amik Robertson are a few of the top cornerbacks remaining.
Ross Blacklock and Neville Gallimore are the top interior defensive linemen Denver can possibly target on day two. A.J. Epenesa, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Julian Okwara are the three top edge rushers remaining, and both Epenesa and Gross-Matos could have been first-round picks. Lastly, Zack Baun, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Logan Wilson, Willie Gay, and Malik Harrison are some of the top linebackers available on day three.
The wild card, of course, is if the Denver Broncos double dip with back-to-back picks and take a wide receiver. This seems unlikely; however, if there is ever a year to do it is, in fact, this draft. A potential scenario is if Laviska Shenault is sitting there ripe for taking in round three.
Adding Shenault with Jeudy would potentially be a dream scenario for a wide receiver corps that gets upgraded instantly. But, it does not appear to be the direction on round two. The direction for Denver should be aggressive and try for two second-round picks on day two.
Again, Denver needs to come away with three to four impact starters on day one and day two. Day one was a grand slam, but with day two here today the Denver Broncos need to continue to be aggressive but steer more towards the defensive side of the football.
This is of course if they miss out on Cushenberry. I’d rank Cushenberry, Matt Hennessy, and Jeremy Chinn near the top of the list of players that need to be sought after by Denver early on day two.
Let us see how it unfolds today.