Denver Broncos: Team targeted a tackle but missed out in NFL Draft
By initial analysis, it appears that the Denver Broncos have come away from the 2021 NFL Draft with a good group of players.
In the first round, they stayed put at the ninth pick and selected Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
In the second round, they traded up five spots to select North Carolina running back Javonte Williams. That might have been the questionable call of the draft to some, but they stuck to their board.
With the next two picks, they selected guard Quinn Meinerz and linebacker Baron Browning. The Denver Broncos originally had pick 114, but that was included in the trade to move up five spots in the second round.
In the fifth round, they had two selections. At 152, they took safety Caden Sterns, and at 164 took safety Jamar Johnson.
Denver originally had pick 191 but that selection was involved in the trade of Teddy Bridgewater.
At 219, they took wide receiver Seth Williams. With their final selections, cornerback Kary Vincent Jr., and defensive linemen Jonathan Cooper and Marquiss Spencer were headed to Denver.
But the team had their eyes on a tackle they were unable to get
While they took offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz, he is going to compete to be the backup center to last year’s pick at the position: LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry.
The position that appeared to be neglected was tackle. The fact of the matter is that you won’t always get every single player you hope to.
In the team’s post-draft press conference on Saturday, general manager George Paton acknowledged that the team wanted several offensive linemen that unfortunately were taken just before the Broncos’ picks.
According to Benjamin Allbright, the Denver Broncos had their eyes on Michigan tackle Jalen Mayfield. Mayfield was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 68th overall selection, three picks before the Broncos’ original third-round pick, number 71 overall.
The result of the move by Atlanta? A trade down by George Paton, all the way down to 98, where they took Meinerz.
Oh, what could have been.
There will probably be more moves in the coming days. The Broncos do like Calvin Anderson on their offensive line and he may be their solution if Ja’Wuan James goes down with injury again.