7 (253). Marquiss Spencer, DL, Mississippi State
The Denver Broncos finished out their draft with back-to-back picks on the defensive front, and Marquiss Spencer was the final pick of the 2021 NFL Draft class overall.
At 6-foot-4, over 300 pounds, Spencer has tremendous size as a base defensive end for the 3-4 defensive alignment and intriguing potential to kick inside on passing downs.
At his massive size, Spencer ran a 4.85 in the 40-yard dash, which is extremely impressive (top 8 percentile). His overall athletic metrics are all in the top 25 percent at the defensive line position group so the Denver Broncos are once again banking on athletic upside here from Spencer.
It’s great to see his athleticism shine considering he’s a few years removed from ACL surgery (2018). He played some of his best ball at Mississippi State this past season, racking up multiple sacks against LSU in the season opener and then being named defensive lineman of the week after his performance against Vanderbilt which included an interception.
The Broncos have pretty strong depth on the defensive line, so Spencer faces an uphill battle to make the team in the first place.
Denver Broncos: Day 3 draft picks provide depth, huge upside
The Denver Broncos had another successful day of the 2021 NFL Draft on day three, adding plenty of depth and upside on offense and defense.
I think he’s a strong practice squad candidate unless he makes himself uncuttable in training camp and in the preseason.