Reason #3: Bringing a splash of Juice
Sure, every successful team needs guys like Alex Palczewski or Nate Adkins. You know what else they probably need? A dash of Marvin Mims Jr. This team was not shy about acquiring explosive players in this draft cycle. With guys like Mims Jr. and Jaleel McLaughlin aboard, the Broncos now have several players at the skill positions with the right kind of "juice". Need to turn a 3-yard run into a 20-yard scamper? McLaughlin can certainly do that. What about taking the top off of the defense with a 50+ yard reception? Mr. Marvin's your guy. After years of misstarts and/or lack of explosive plays, the Broncos have finally found true home run threats in this rookie class.
Let's flip that and look at some of the young defenders. We saw last week how quickly someone like Drew Sanders could flip a game with his athleticism. Riley Moss, on the other hand, showed countless times in college that he had a knack for making game-changing plays. While he and JL Skinner haven't had much time to show their abilities on the field, it's clear that this team went out and found true playmakers on both sides of the ball.
Sure, some draft classes are going to be more mundane than others. You can't expect every class to have this kind of flash. However, the Broncos 2023 draft class is full of playmakers willing to fight for every yard. Considering how poor the offensive execution was last year, there's no telling how much this rookie crop could boost the production this year. When you have to play against high-powered offenses like the Chargers and Chiefs four times a year, there's no way to quantify how important it is to have guys with that ability. If this Broncos team is going to be in shootouts with Patrick Mahomes, then it'd be wise to have plenty of ammo ready.
For the first time in many years, it seems like the Broncos have found rookies who can make plays, stay on the field, and have room to become even more impactful down the road. That kind of fuel is what the team has been lacking since we hoisted our last Lombardi Trophy.