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Denver Broncos: Undrafted rookie spotlight on LeVante Bellamy

By Travis Wakeman

KALAMAZOO, MI - AUGUST 31: LeVante Bellamy #2 of the Western Michigan Broncos runs for a 64-yard touchdown against the Syracuse Orange in the third quarter of a game at Waldo Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KALAMAZOO, MI - AUGUST 31: LeVante Bellamy #2 of the Western Michigan Broncos runs for a 64-yard touchdown against the Syracuse Orange in the third quarter of a game at Waldo Stadium on August 31, 2018 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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LeVante Bellamy ranks fourth in Western Michigan school history in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. He is now a member of the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent.

This will be the first in a series of undrafted rookie spotlights done on the undrafted free agents signed by the Broncos following the 2020 draft. In these, I will detail the player’s background and finish with their chances of making the 55-man roster.

The Broncos have as good a history of signing undrafted free agents as any team in the league. Players such as Rod Smith and Steve Watson, both great wide receivers who spent their entire careers in Denver, came to the Broncos as undrafted players.

Chris Harris became one of the best defensive players in team history as an undrafted free agent and more recently, Phillip Lindsay has done things that no undrafted rookie has ever done.

Do the Broncos have a player like that in this group? Time will tell.

Bellamy is certainly one of the better undrafted players the Broncos picked up. He played in 48 games for the Broncos of Western Michigan, racking up 3,720 yards and 35 rushing touchdowns. He saved his best for last, putting together an incredible senior season in 2019.

As a senior, Bellamy ran for 1,472 yards and 23 touchdowns. His 23 touchdowns were tied with SMU’s Xavier Jones for most in the nation. That helped him win the MAC Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards.

What holds him back is his size. Bellamy is only about 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, but he performed well at the scouting combine, posting a 4.5 40-yard dash and an impressive 39.5-inch vertical jump.

He is the type of back that can be utilized well in open space and has the ability as a slashing runner to chew up big chunks of yards. His 23 touchdowns last season also display a nose for the end zone.

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Odds of making 2020 roster (1-10 scale): 6

To make a team as a rotational running back, Bellamy might have come to the right place.

The Broncos have a tremendous combination at the top of the chart with Melvin Gordon and Lindsay. Behind them, Royce Freeman is still on the roster. But it’s all up in the air beyond that.

Khalfani Muhammad and Bellamy would figure to be in competition for a fourth spot if the Broncos choose to keep four running backs. Jeremy Cox is also on the roster but for what it’s worth Ourlads has him listed at fullback, along with Andrew Beck.

Going off of that data, Bellamy has at least a 50/50 chance to make this team if he is competing solely against Muhammad. The Broncos should keep four running backs and there is always the chance they decide to move Freeman, who is a prime trade target.

Also figuring into the favor of Bellamy is that the league has added two roster spots to each team’s active roster, taking that number from 53 to 55. That means that two players who would not have made it under the old rule will make it now.

Bellamy could certainly be one of those players and I like his odds to make the squad, particularly if he can contribute as a kick returner, which he did in college prior to becoming the top running back on the roster.

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