The Denver Broncos added 10 new players to the roster in the 2021 NFL Draft and the class as a whole is getting mixed reviews from the fanbase.
It was general manager George Paton’s first draft with the team and while the class as a whole is void of the kind of superstar name fans were hoping for, and he chose not to take a quarterback, he did find tremendous value with the picks that he did make.
The Broncos focused mostly on the defensive side of the ball in this draft, spending seven of their 10 picks there while also putting an emphasis on players for the future. Of course, a few of these players will be expected to come in and be big contributors right away.
Here is a compilation of grades from multiple analysts and as you can see, most view the Broncos’ class favorably.
So how will the grades here compare to those that are out there?
There will be grades for each player followed by an overall grade for the class as a whole.
First round, No. 9 overall: Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama
It will take some fans some time to get over the fact that Justin Fields was sitting there when this pick was made and until Patrick Surtain steps onto the field and becomes a shutdown corner, that may not happen.
For me, I still think this pick should have been Micah Parsons, but it’s not a bad pick either.
Despite bringing in Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller through free agency, the Broncos still chose to prioritize a cornerback in the first round. It makes sense, with both Darby and Fuller being on one-year contracts.
Surtain was arguably the best corner in this draft, though Jaycee Horn ended up being taken ahead of him. But Surtain is everything you want in a professional cornerback. It helps that his dad was a Pro Bowl corner for many years in the league.
His anticipation is almost hard to believe and his ability in one-on-one coverage will allow the defense to be both creative and versatile as there will be a lot of trust placed on the rookie.
The Broncos had Champ Bailey for many years playing at a Hall of Fame level and while it’s difficult for any player to be the next Bailey, Surtain certainly has the skills to someday get int that conversation.
Grade: A-
Second round, No. 35 overall: Javonte Wiliams, RB, North Carolina
Many fans were looking for the Broncos to add an inside linebacker in this draft and with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah still on the board (who some had a first-round grade on), there was hope within the fanbase that he could be the pick, especially after the Broncos traded up in the round.
Instead, the pick was used on a running back, a position that has been greatly devalued over the years.
But let’s not act like the Broncos had a strong running game coming into the draft. The team let their best running back (yes, he was the best) go to another team, leaving Melvin Gordon as the No. 1 running back and a bunch of question marks behind him.
There is no mystery in what you’re getting out of Williams.
This guy is a powerful, straight-ahead runner capable of running through defenders and usually much more willing to do that than run around them. He will gain those tough yards and add an identity to the team’s rushing attack.
He will be the team’s starting running back sooner rather than later.
Grade: A-
Round 3, No. 98 overall: Quinn Meinerz, OL, Wisconsin-Whitewater
Coming out of a Division III school, it’s likely that most Broncos fans have never heard the name of Quinn Meinerz, but this was a sensational pick.
If you haven’t seen those guys workout video, it really is a must. He is strong as an ox and plays likeit, holding his own against just about any opponent he has faced, including stiffer competition in the Senior Bowl.
He plays with great leverage and has a high football I.Q. to go along with supreme toughness. He was a guard at Wisconsin-Whitewater but has the traits to move over to center, where he actually might be even better.
I don’t see how the Broncos are going ti be able to keep this guy off the field, despite having Graham Glasgow, Lloyd Cushenberry and Dalton Risner as starting interior offensive linemen.
This might have been Denver’s best pick in this draft.
Can you imagine Williams running behind this guy? Yikes.
Grade: A
Round 3, No. 105 overall: Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State
Browning was a top recruit coming out of high school and landed at one of the top programs in the nation. His college career wasn’t as good as many thought it could be, but he still has a high ceiling and could easily be a starter in the future.
He went to the right spot for a linebacker to have his true potential brought out, one in which Vic Fangio is the head coach. He will be more of a rotational guy as a rookie in all likelihood, but could develop into a key defender down the road.
This wasn’t an excellent pick but there’s not much to dislike about it either.
Grade: B
Round 5, No. 152 overall: Caden Sterns, Safety, Texas
Sterns is a developing safety who possesses great ball skills and elite speed. He is a top-tier athlete who was at one time one of the top safety prospects in college football. However, his game is far from perfect.
When watching his game film, the amount of missed tackles and how he looked in attempting to make them is a bit ridiculous. That is something that needs to be a focus of his from day one in the NFL as he will have to get better at that.
Grade: C
Round 5, No. 164 overall: Jamar Johnson, Safety, Indiana
It’s usually tough to sell the idea of using two picks in a row on the same position (the Broncos did it last year with their first two picks) but in this case, I loved it.
The Broncos have a great combination at safety in Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson, but Jackson is playing on a one-year deal and could easily be gone next year. That means one of these young safeties could be groomed as his replacement.
I like Johnson better than Sterns and think he will end up being the better player.
Johnson also has tremendous ball skills and his anticipation is beautiful. He shows great traits for a coverage safety but like Sterns, needs to become a better tackler.
Grade: B+
Round 6, No. 219 overall: Seth Williams, WR, Auburn
Williams brings good measurables at 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds and can provide a big target on the outside capable of winning jump balls or 50-50 balls.
He caught 17 touchdown passes at Auburn and averaged 16.1 yards per catch there, so he could be a good red-zone target at the next level. However, he has much to work on too, as you would expect for a sixth-round pick.
Williams doesn’t run great routes and doesn’t seem to give 100 percent effort on every play. There are times when he almost looks afraid to get hit when catching the ball in traffic.
The Broncos adding a wide receiver late in this draft made sense as more competition at that position was needed. But Williams will likely have a hard time making the roster as a rookie and will most likely begin his career on the practice squad, unless he becomes some sort of special teams moster this summer.
Grade: C+
Round 7, No. 237 overall: Kary Vincent Jr., CB, LSU
To think that the Broncos were able to land this guy in the seventh round is crazy and you will have a hard time finding a draft analyst that had a seventh-round grade on him. Here, he had a second-round grade.
So why did he fall so fra? That’s hard to say, but his size at 5-foot-10 would likely be part of it. Still, he was one of the fastest players at any position in this draft and he has some of the better ball skillsof any defensive back in this class.
Vincent has amazing anticipation and can make plays on the ball against bigger receivers, despite his lack of size. The value that Paton was able to find here is astonishing.
Grade: A
Round 7, No. 239 overall: Jonathon Cooper, Edge, Ohio State
Cooper was picked right about where he should have been. He was never able to show what he could be capable of during his college career but there is enough there to warrant a draft pick as he is better in run support than most will credit him for and he can become a situational pass rusher with the skills he currently possesses.
The Broncos don’t have great depth at defensive end behind starters Shelby Harris and Dre’Mont Jones, so he could fight for a roster spot this summer.
Grade: B
Round 7, No. 253 overall: Marquiss Spencer, DE, Mississippi State
Like Cooper, Spencer could play his way onto the roster with a solid summer, but he”s a developmental project and would have to have a really impressive camp to do so.
He’s more likely a practice squad player who the team will hope it can develop for the future. But this far down in the draft, all picks are pretty much dart throws so it’s tough to say it was a bad pick.
Grade: B
How does this class grade out?
As stated before, this class may lack a superstar name in the minds of many, but the value that Paton found throughout the draft after moving around the board with trades is something he should be commended for.
It’s always easy to be positive about everything related to the team you cheer for but if you have followed my writing, you know I have no issue being critical of this team. However, this was a fantastic draft for the Broncos.
Surtain could become one of the best cornerbacks in the league and it’s easy to be excited about what Williams will bring to the rushing attack. The picks of Meinerz and Vincent should both be in the running for the biggest steals of this draft and both could provide tremendous value to the team for years to come.
There wasn’t really a pick that made you say “what are they doing”? and each of the first six selections has a chance to be a big part of the team as early as next season.
It wasn’t a perfect draft, though it’s hard to say what would have been, but this was a good three days for the Broncos.
It should also be noted that it was a great draft for Drew Lock, who the team showed a lot of confidence in by not only passing on Fields, but shying away from the idea of trading up to get a quarterback. Lock is the guy for this season and he should be.
Overall grade: A high B+