The Denver Broncos have a presence at the 2022 Senior Bowl and could be on the lookout for some of the draft’s top quarterback prospects.
After an exhaustive head coaching search that took general manager George Paton and his hiring committee all over the country, the Denver Broncos top decision-maker (not John Elway, for those who still don’t know that) got boots on the ground in Mobile, AL, for the week of festivities and practices at the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
While a large number of prospects from the 2022 Senior Bowl will make sense for the Denver Broncos in terms of their variety of needs, the quarterback position is always going to be in focus until it’s not.
Denver Broncos targeting QBs at the 2022 Senior Bowl?
The Denver Broncos are not going to leave any stones unturned as they approach a QB search yet again in the 2022 offseason.
In 2021, George Paton was flying around to a variety of pro days, looking at Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields before ultimately passing on QBs altogether.
This offseason, he has even more of a chance to see these guys in person as it seems like COVID rules will be at least a bit relaxed compared to last year, and Paton will also have his head coach to go along with him this time around.
Nathaniel Hackett was brought into Denver from the Green Bay Packers program not just for his connection to Aaron Rodgers. Maybe not for his connection to Rodgers at all.
Hackett being hired independently of what happens this offseason with Aaron Rodgers means that a rookie QB is an option for the Denver Broncos, regardless of what the masses of NFL Draft Twitter think about this class.
So what quarterbacks could the Denver Broncos be targeting from the 2022 Senior Bowl? Let’s take a look at four names specifically.
Denver Broncos Senior Bowl QB target: Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
For those who like to keep track of this stuff, the Denver Broncos did speak with Kenny Pickett at the 2022 Senior Bowl.
Pickett is coming off of a breakout season at Pitt where he went from being a day three draft pick to potentially being the top quarterback off the board.
He threw for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions, adding another five touchdowns as a runner. He increased his yards per attempt from 7.3 to 8.7 and his air yards per attempt from 6.8 to 9.7.
Pickett’s hand size is an issue that has come up as they are apparently just over eight inches, which would be historically low for an NFL quarterback prospect.
Regardless of his hand size (Pickett plays with two gloves on), Pickett was able to improve consistently throughout his time in college and then obviously take a huge leap this past season.
One of the traits that new head coach Nathaniel Hackett said he looks for in a quarterback is toughness, and The Draft Network’s Joe Marino says that toughness is something Pickett has in spades.
I’m not saying that Pickett is Joe Burrow, but his late ascent and some of the things he does well are reminiscent of the same things we fell in love with regarding Burrow his final year at LSU.
Even if you are getting a version of Burrow or someone with comparable intelligence and toughness, that might be worth taking a shot on.
It’s worth noting that George Paton flew to see Pickett in person this past season.
Denver Broncos 2022 Senior Bowl QB target: Sam Howell, North Carolina
One of the top quarterback prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft class is North Carolina’s Sam Howell.
Howell got off to a roaring start for the Tar Heels in 2019 and 2020 when their roster was loaded with fellow future NFL players, including Denver Broncos star rookie Javonte Williams.
In 2021, there was a mass exodus of NFL talent, and Howell suffered a bit for it.
Even though Howell took a bit of a step back this season in terms of his overall stock, there’s still a lot to like about this near clone of Baker Mayfield.
Howell is a stockier QB prospect with a lot of arm talent and the ability to push the ball vertically with relative ease. There are a ton of throws available to be watched of Howell just launching the ball downfield with pinpoint accuracy to a receiver.
His accuracy to all levels of the field is solid, and one aspect of his game that was really unlocked in 2021 was his mobility and ability to be pretty dangerous as a runner. he had over 800 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2021.
With his ability to throw the ball vertically and make plays with his legs, I actually like his fit with the Denver Broncos a lot more now than I did a few weeks ago before this new coaching staff was hired.
It’s worth noting, as with any of these QB prospects, that George Paton also saw Sam Howell in person the same day he saw Pickett as the two were playing against each other in a November contest.
Denver Broncos 2022 Senior Bowl QB target: Carson Strong, Nevada
One of the players at the quarterback position that many in Broncos Country are starting to get on board with is Carson Strong, the strong-armed signal-caller out of Nevada.
Strong has been playing a lot of good football the past few seasons for the Wolfpack, showing off his outstanding arm talent to all levels of the field.
More than just a strong arm, however, Strong does a lot of NFL-types of things before and after the snap. He makes adjustments at the line of scrimmage, and he does a good job of going through progressions and reading coverages.
He plays with anticipation and has excellent ball placement in addition to being able to rocket the ball downfield.
The biggest concern most people seem to have with Carson Strong is the fact that he needs medical checks done on the long-term health of his knee. He has had multiple procedures but that hasn’t really been an issue recently.
Others have major concerns about his mobility, which isn’t great. Strong is not the most fleet of foot but he compensates for that with outstanding pocket presence and maneuverability when pressure is bearing down.
Watching him get out on boot-fakes at the Senior Bowl should give everyone all the confirmation they need — this guy is a fit for the Denver Broncos.
Denver Broncos 2022 Senior Bowl QB targets: Malik Willis, Liberty
Malik Willis spent the last two years as the starting QB for Liberty after transferring from the Auburn program.
He followed Hugh Freeze to play for the Flames and he wound up seeing his NFL Draft stock absolutely skyrocket as a result.
Willis is built like a tank, a solid 6-foot-1, 225 pounds.
As far as high ceilings go at the QB position in this draft class, Willis’ has got to be the highest. His combination of arm talent and athleticism is unmatched this year and he certainly has the production to match.
Despite his flaws, which at this point are mainly decision-making and consistency, Willis is a playmaker who helped get Liberty into the top 25 this past season.
He’s known for his love of the game, intangible qualities like leadership and football character, as well as his toughness as a runner when a play needs to be made.
When you watch Willis play, he makes some jaw-dropping plays that most quarterbacks simply can’t dream of making.
There is not enough consistency in his game at this point and there are too many questionable decisions on his tape for him to be a clear-cut top overall pick, but he’s got first-round talent and physical traits.
Would the Denver Broncos take a shot on him in round one? Maybe. They did meet with Willis at the Senior Bowl and they got the chance to see him play in person when the Liberty Flames took on Matt Corral and the Ole Miss Rebels.
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We’ll see if he’s done enough to impress the Denver Broncos’ brass and their new coaching staff soon enough.