Broncos training camp: 5 players who will shine early

1. Justin Hollins, OLB

One player who hasn’t gotten really any offseason hype?

Second-year outside linebacker Justin Hollins.

Hollins was a fifth-round pick of the Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Oregon, where he was exceptionally productive as a linebacker. As a matter of fact, Hollins was one of only 19 guys in the last 20 years of FBS football to have at least five sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception in one season.

Exceptionally athletic and very strong, Hollins is buried on the Broncos’ depth chart at outside linebacker behind Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, the unquestioned top two edge players on the team.

Hollins, entering his second season in Vic Fangio’s defense and no longer drinking the NFL through a fire hose, could be one of those players whose production on a per-snap basis goes through the roof when things slow down in terms of the mental processing.

Hollins was asked to play both outside linebacker and off-ball linebacker by the Broncos in 2019, and he can probably still do some of those things but I think with the Broncos’ left tackle position sort of in flux entering camp, he can take advantage early and show off his pass-rushing skills, potentially earning that top OLB spot behind Miller and Chubb.