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Denver Broncos: 3 most underhyped rookies in 2020

By Sayre Bedinger

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - NOVEMBER 24: Albert Okwuegbunam #81 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates after catching a pass for a touchdown during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - NOVEMBER 24: Albert Okwuegbunam #81 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates after catching a pass for a touchdown during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Justin Strnad Denver Broncos
WINSTON SALEM, NC – SEPTEMBER 22: Justin Strnad #23 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons breaks up a pass to Alize Mack #86 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during their game at BB&T Field on September 22, 2018 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

1. Justin Strnad, LB, Wake Forest

From my seat, no Denver Broncos rookie is being underhyped more than Wake Forest linebacker Justin Strnad, the team’s fifth-round pick.

After the 2020 NFL Draft, there were legitimately Broncos fans wondering why the team didn’t select a linebacker.

Perhaps Strnad was listed as an outside linebacker by some outlets and Broncos fans wanted a traditional inside linebacker, but either way — this was not a pick met with a ton of fanfare if you didn’t do any pre-draft homework on the guy.

Strnad was injured in the 2019 season and missed all but seven games of his senior season with the Demon Deacons.

Even just playing in seven games, Strnad was able to average about 10 tackles per game and showed off his versatility with 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, and four pass breakups in those seven games as well.

That kind of versatility was evident all throughout Strnad’s career at Wake Forest as a former safety turned linebacker whose coverage abilities are very exciting translating to the next level.

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