Denver Broncos: Nightmare 2021 NFL Draft scenarios

So, we’ve established how the Denver Broncos can screw it up in the 1st round. How about beyond the 1st?

2nd Round Quarterback

There’s a reason that more than seventy percent of presumed starters at quarterback for the 2021 NFL Season are 1st round picks. While not every quarterback taken in the 1st round is a guaranteed star, the chances of finding “The Guy” beyond the 1st are slim.

The Denver Broncos already have Drew Lock, a player who fits the ideal mold of a 2nd round quarterback. Lock’s physical tools and ability are that of a 1st round player but dropped to the 2nd because of his limitations coming out of Missouri in 2019.

As much as we can point to Tom Brady and Dak Prescott as the examples of quarterbacks taken outside the 1st, those two are outliers and should be treated as such. If the Broncos want a quarterback in the draft, they need to identify their guy and make a move to get him.

The 2021 NFL Draft does feature intriguing names at quarterback that will likely be Day 2 picks, including Davis Mills of Stanford and Kellen Mond from Texas Tech. George Paton should stay away from these prospects on Day 2.

Day 2 Wide Receiver

This isn’t as much of a nightmare as the rest of the scenarios mentioned in this article, but unless a talented player is plummeting down the draft, there is no reason for taking a wide receiver in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

The argument could be made that Courtland Sutton could demand monster money from the Broncos, as he is eligible for an extension starting this season. However, Sutton is an integral part of the Broncos’ offense and should be paid as a top twenty receiver in the NFL, if he can return from his ACL injury.

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Furthermore, drafting a Day 2 receiver doesn’t make sense as a “Courtland Sutton Replacement”. The Broncos placed a 2nd round tender on Tim Patrick, who had a career year in 2020. If the Broncos’ plan is to move off of Sutton, Patrick has the ideal build and ability to step right in as a big-bodied weapon.

If Patrick isn’t enough insurance, the Denver Broncos invested their top two picks from the 2020 NFL Draft in Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, two prime breakout candidates for the Broncos in 2021. It simply doesn’t make sense to draft a receiver before the 4th round.

There is no certainty in the NFL Draft, a key part of what makes it so enticing to fans and analysts alike. However, the Denver Broncos should certainly avoid picking these players to ensure a quality draft.