Denver Broncos add defensive firepower in 7-round mock draft
By Noah Smith
With the Denver Broncos standing pat at the Trade Deadline, it’s never too early to think about roster building.
The Denver Broncos are one of the youngest rosters in the NFL and are starting to come together as a unit. Adding talent is never a bad thing though.
We’re going to look at a 2021 mock draft scenario for all seven rounds for the Denver Broncos.
Note: I took a few things into account, the first of which is that Drew Lock will be the quarterback going into 2021. Barring a drastic change, the Broncos will be rolling with Lock into the 2021 NFL Season, so no quarterbacks were taken.
Additionally, I am assuming that Denver’s notable Free Agents will be retained for the 2021 Season.
Round 1, Pick 14. Micah Parsons, LB Penn State
6’2″, 245 lbs
Key stats (career): 191 Tackles, 99 Solo, 18 Tackles-for-Loss, 6.5 Sacks, 5 Passes Defended, 6 Forced Fumbles, per Pro Football Reference
Micah Parsons is one of the top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. Parsons has elite athleticism and excellent size for the position. Parsons also shows the instincts and awareness to play in coverage.
Micah Parsons is at his best when playing downfield and attacking the line of scrimmage. His 18 career tackles-for-loss suggest that he is excellent at diagnosing plays at the line-of-scrimmage, and flies to the ball quickly.
The emergence of Josey Jewell this season doesn’t make off-ball linebacker an absolute necessity for the Denver Broncos. However, when a top-five talent falls into your lap, you take him. No questions asked.
Parsons is a slam-dunk prospect with no true character concerns. Parsons opted out of the 2020 College Football Season due to COVID-19 concerns, but this should not be enough for teams to question his commitment to football.
Here’s what others have to say about Micah Parsons:
Number three overall prospect on The Draft Network.
"Parsons has played every role under the sun in Happy Valley, showcases the range, pass coverage ability and pressure upside to play any off-ball role on the defense. The Draft Network"
He’s the number five overall prospect on Pro Football Focus.
"Modern athleticism with throwback size is a combination that will be coveted by every single scheme in the NFL. Pro Football Focus"