The NFL draft class is subpar
You will see many mock drafts that have the Broncos selecting Pitt’s Kenny Pickett with the No. 9 overall pick. You will see just as many reports from draft analysts talking about how this is not the year to draft a quarterback.
With all of the talk about Pickett’s hand size notwithstanding, he just does scream franchise quarterback. None of the quarterbacks in this particular class do.
If the Broncos wanted to draft a guy such as Carson Strong or Desmond Ridder in the second round to build into a potential option down the road, or a guy like Bailey Zappe even later, that would not be the worst thing.
But a quarterback in the first round this year would be a bad move. It would also make not taking one last year even more curious.
In last year’s draft, though Paton had acquired Bridgewater via trade, there were still some interesting names on the board including Mac Jones and Justin Fields. Many fans inside Broncos Country were absolutely flabbergasted when Fields wasn’t chosen.
With basically the same situation in front of them heading into 2022, and with no quarterbacks on the board seemingly as ready to play as Jones or with as much potential as Fields, drafting a player like Pickett or Malik Willis would be curious, to say the least.