Broncos: 5 options to fill Phillip Lindsay’s shoes in 2021
5. Day three 2021 NFL Draft gem
Although you could point to any number of players for this distinction, one player who could be an excellent Phillip Lindsay replacement through the 2021 NFL Draft is Louisville’s Javian Hawkins.
Hawkins rushed for over 2,300 yards in the past two seasons for Louisville and would provide the Denver Broncos with yet another smaller, more explosive back to add to their rotation.
If the Broncos go more of the “veteran” route among college players, one guy who makes a ton of sense is Missouri’s Larry Rountree.
Rountree has been in the backfield rotation at Missouri since Drew Lock’s last year on campus, and he showed some really nice traits during the week of Senior Bowl practices in Mobile.
While Hawkins is more of the smaller slasher with explosiveness and speed, Rountree is a bigger-bodied back who can help you out in the passing game, do some solid work as a runner, and give your quarterback adequate protection when he’s asked to stand in there and do so.
This year’s running back class — like just about every running back class — has plenty of guys you could use in a rotation at the next level and the Broncos should have no trouble finding help.
The question is — how much help do they want?
The addition of Mike Boone muddies the waters a bit, but the Broncos should be considered serious threats to take a running back early in the 2021 NFL Draft.