Requiem
03-09-2007, 03:47 PM
All right guys, I'll be off on Spring Break covering some of the finest states in the Great Plains for the next two weeks and probably will not be on the computer much due to not having internet access, so I thought I'd give you a little mock draft to read, talk and think about in my absence. Not going to discuss trades, it's pretty much a given that Denver will be active in some way or some how but I'm not going to predict that yet. This draft is based off the assumption that Dre' Bly will be a Broncos cornerback so that position will not need to be addressed. Things have cleared up a bit with Travis Henry being our back for the future, and with Mike Bell being a capable back-up. I seriously contemplated putting Lorenzo Booker in as a third-round selection, but I think that Andre Hall has the tools to succeed as a third-down back and a viable receiving option in the backfield on some plays. More or less, investing 25 million dollars in Henry is pretty much a given that we won't be addressing running back very high, and not to mention Mike Bell had a solid role as a rookie.
Okay, without further adieu. . . we'll just get the mock started!
The Denver Broncos, #21 - Selection - Charles Johnson, DE - Georgia
I really struggled with this selection because there are multiple players on the defensive line where Denver could go. Jarvis Moss looks like a Jason Taylor type player who would excel as a rush end in Bates' system and I really think that Anthony Spencer can play with his hands down and be a great pass-rusher for some team in the NFL. I grade Moss higher than Spencer, but I think that both are legitimate selections at this point in time. I expect Adam Carriker, Gaines Adams and Jamaal Anderson to be top fifteen selections.
I'm not feeling the defensive tackle value here, it's quite possible Alan Branch slips into this area and it'd be a great selection for Denver because he is the epitome of what Bates loves to have at tackle, but I just don't think he falls this far. In the end, when Denver lost out on Kerney, they lost out on a position they know is weak. Charles Johnson might be short and not as "athletic" as some of the other ends that tested, but he looked good in drills at the combine and still has a lot of upside. Still not sure if his production this year was due to Moses getting more attention, or him just being a late-bloomer who is bound for NFL domination, but with Courtney Brown not likely to return and myself not being enamored with Ekuban at DE as a long-term option, Charles Johnson gets the nod.
I also wouldn't be surprised if a top wide-out were available that the Broncos take a shot on them, I just really wouldn't. This class is epic for depth and top end talent, and you just never know with Mike Shanahan.
The Denver Broncos, #56 - Selection - Justin Harrell, DT - Tennessee
I'm not the only one who thinks the defensive tackle value in this draft sucks and with the notion that Bates only prefers behemoth tackles inside, the options are really limited in this draft. In the end, it came down to a few players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball but I ultimately went with Harrell. He has the big frame like Bates likes, and has room to put on even more weight. (He's in the 300 range right now) He's tough as nails and displayed this by playing through a torn bicep injury in the game against Florida earlier on this year. It's a risky pick, since Harrell didn't see much time this year, but based on potential alone he's worth it, and a Broncos draft wouldn't be the same without taking one injured player. I seriously believe that Wilkinson will retire and Denver will get their pick back, and right now all we have is Warren and Veal as tackles on this team with legitimate playing time. Denver wants to get bigger on the lines, well - okay, then Harrell's your pick.
The Denver Broncos, #70 - Selection - Doug Free, OT - Northern Illinois
It'll be argued by people on this board that the Broncos are unlikely to invest a first-day selection on depth at tackle. Truth be told, Lepsis is above 30 coming off injury and the Broncos have Erik Pears, and also two-year out of football extrodinaire, Adam Meadows at offensive tackle. If the Broncos were smart, they'd have another tackle for depth and they could actually use some competition as well. It's also been stated that the Broncos want to get bigger on the line too, and some of the off-season moves have been indicative of such.
Enter Doug Free, a four year starter at Northern Illinois who has great size at 6'6 - 322 pounds, but is also mobile and a solid fit for the Broncos ZBS. Has played through multiple injuries in his career and is a tough, physical player. Just a smart player who has the mentality to understand the complexity and intricacy of our system and should have no problem with assignments. I think had Free not played injured this year, he'd have first-round potential, but that didn't happen and he's also from a very weak conference. Either way, if the Broncos are serious about bulking up on the offensive line and have any brains to ensure the protection of Jay Cutler in the future (George just wasn't that guy!) - Doug Free would be an excellent option at #70. Also note that there are a lot of teams looking for tackles and offensive line help, so where Free is in that 4-7 range in terms of tackles, I still think his value is good here. Denver could also consider James Marten out of Boston College or perhaps even Ryan Harris, but I like Doug Free more, because I feel he has the best potential to play left tackle in the NFL.
The Denver Broncos, #86 - Selection - Aundrae Allison, WR - Eastern Carolina
When taking a look at free agency, I noticed Denver surrounded Cutler with two tools to succeed on offense. Daniel Graham and Travis Henry. I'm not sure what Graham's exact role in the offense is going to be, but if he gets more looks as a receiver one could argue that Denver should be fine with Walker, Marshall, Scheffler and Graham as our top receiving options. Notice, I didn't include Smith. I'm not sure what to think about him. If he comes back, he'll be our #3 guy, but I think that depth is an issue here regardless of what most people have to say. Hixon will probably make the roster as a returner and could be guy who appears in 4-wide sets, but Denver needs more quality at this postion and less quantity. (Most people just assume the position is good because of Walker and Marshall's potential, but what do we really have behind them? Rod Smith, (37 and recently had surgery) and some returners and floaters.)
With the depth in this receiver class, I just have a hard time believing that Denver is going to pass a playmaker on offense up. It's already evident that they want to succeed Cutler with all the tools necessary to succeed, and maybe with getting the aformentioned players, there won't be enough balls to go around, but Cutler has the tools to make all the throws and I think we'll see more tosses and more of an airborne approach next season. I really want to draft safety here, but I feel that if Denver really wanted to upgrade the position, they would have pursued Hamlin or Grant already, which they didn't - and I'm not sure how high of a priority it will be since Ferguson and Brandon are coming back from injury, John Lynch is still around and Curome Cox has flashed potential and promise. (To me, I think safety is a big need, but to the Broncos I just don't believe they'll take a guy high.)
I have to go receiver here, and I know that Big Guy at least agrees with me. The question is who? I'm looking for a slot receiver, a guy who has good speed, initial burst and can run well after the catch. A burner too, a guy who can make plays deep and stretch the defense. Getting a guy who could help return would make sense too, so there are really two options. Johnnie Lee Higgins and Aundrae Allison. Higgins is the better returner, but I feel Allison has more potential as receiver and has return ability. If Marshall doesn't pan out (I think he will) we have to really consider a guy who has a higher ceiling that just a #3 guy. I think Higgins' ceiling might be limited to that due to size (although Santana Moss and Steve Smith have sort of proven that it's not everything) and I think that Allison has more upside. He's the pick, and thus ending Day One.
Day two of the draft as it stands is ****. No fourth-rounder, no fifth-rounder - just a sixth and a seventh. It will get better if Wilkinson retires and we get back a sixth, but how uneventful is our day two? Come on, this is where teams are built baby! I couldn't be more pissed that we no longer have Tampa Bay's early fourth. That position was prime for DL, WR, OL, S talent that dropped off and it completely screwed over my initial draft plans. Anyways, on Day 2 I really have no idea where we'll go. Obviously we'll be looking for depth, so why not give it a shot?
The Denver Broncos, #161- Selection - Garrett Wolfe, RB/KR/PR - Northern Illinois
Getting injured in the Senior Bowl and having to leave didn't help his cause, but the kid was an explosive player in college and offers return ability. I had mentioned that Andre Hall could be a situational back on receiving downs, but so could Wolfe and he'd be a returner, something that we need. Obviously, size and durability is an issue, but getting late in this draft what the hell can you expect? Even with Henry and Bell, we could use some more depth at this area and having options at returner (we suck at returns) never hurts.
The Denver Broncos, #214 - Selection - C.J. Wilson, CB - Baylor
Let's get serious! What "if" Dre' Bly gets moved. Let's just draft another corner. I'm not going to lie, I haven't even seen C.J. Wlson play, but he's awesome on NCAA 07. Bad thing is, he's still running his forty, but he's still faster than Hughes out of California. No, but seriously - I think that Denver will be looking to add some depth at corner even if Bly stays.
Okay, without further adieu. . . we'll just get the mock started!
The Denver Broncos, #21 - Selection - Charles Johnson, DE - Georgia
I really struggled with this selection because there are multiple players on the defensive line where Denver could go. Jarvis Moss looks like a Jason Taylor type player who would excel as a rush end in Bates' system and I really think that Anthony Spencer can play with his hands down and be a great pass-rusher for some team in the NFL. I grade Moss higher than Spencer, but I think that both are legitimate selections at this point in time. I expect Adam Carriker, Gaines Adams and Jamaal Anderson to be top fifteen selections.
I'm not feeling the defensive tackle value here, it's quite possible Alan Branch slips into this area and it'd be a great selection for Denver because he is the epitome of what Bates loves to have at tackle, but I just don't think he falls this far. In the end, when Denver lost out on Kerney, they lost out on a position they know is weak. Charles Johnson might be short and not as "athletic" as some of the other ends that tested, but he looked good in drills at the combine and still has a lot of upside. Still not sure if his production this year was due to Moses getting more attention, or him just being a late-bloomer who is bound for NFL domination, but with Courtney Brown not likely to return and myself not being enamored with Ekuban at DE as a long-term option, Charles Johnson gets the nod.
I also wouldn't be surprised if a top wide-out were available that the Broncos take a shot on them, I just really wouldn't. This class is epic for depth and top end talent, and you just never know with Mike Shanahan.
The Denver Broncos, #56 - Selection - Justin Harrell, DT - Tennessee
I'm not the only one who thinks the defensive tackle value in this draft sucks and with the notion that Bates only prefers behemoth tackles inside, the options are really limited in this draft. In the end, it came down to a few players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball but I ultimately went with Harrell. He has the big frame like Bates likes, and has room to put on even more weight. (He's in the 300 range right now) He's tough as nails and displayed this by playing through a torn bicep injury in the game against Florida earlier on this year. It's a risky pick, since Harrell didn't see much time this year, but based on potential alone he's worth it, and a Broncos draft wouldn't be the same without taking one injured player. I seriously believe that Wilkinson will retire and Denver will get their pick back, and right now all we have is Warren and Veal as tackles on this team with legitimate playing time. Denver wants to get bigger on the lines, well - okay, then Harrell's your pick.
The Denver Broncos, #70 - Selection - Doug Free, OT - Northern Illinois
It'll be argued by people on this board that the Broncos are unlikely to invest a first-day selection on depth at tackle. Truth be told, Lepsis is above 30 coming off injury and the Broncos have Erik Pears, and also two-year out of football extrodinaire, Adam Meadows at offensive tackle. If the Broncos were smart, they'd have another tackle for depth and they could actually use some competition as well. It's also been stated that the Broncos want to get bigger on the line too, and some of the off-season moves have been indicative of such.
Enter Doug Free, a four year starter at Northern Illinois who has great size at 6'6 - 322 pounds, but is also mobile and a solid fit for the Broncos ZBS. Has played through multiple injuries in his career and is a tough, physical player. Just a smart player who has the mentality to understand the complexity and intricacy of our system and should have no problem with assignments. I think had Free not played injured this year, he'd have first-round potential, but that didn't happen and he's also from a very weak conference. Either way, if the Broncos are serious about bulking up on the offensive line and have any brains to ensure the protection of Jay Cutler in the future (George just wasn't that guy!) - Doug Free would be an excellent option at #70. Also note that there are a lot of teams looking for tackles and offensive line help, so where Free is in that 4-7 range in terms of tackles, I still think his value is good here. Denver could also consider James Marten out of Boston College or perhaps even Ryan Harris, but I like Doug Free more, because I feel he has the best potential to play left tackle in the NFL.
The Denver Broncos, #86 - Selection - Aundrae Allison, WR - Eastern Carolina
When taking a look at free agency, I noticed Denver surrounded Cutler with two tools to succeed on offense. Daniel Graham and Travis Henry. I'm not sure what Graham's exact role in the offense is going to be, but if he gets more looks as a receiver one could argue that Denver should be fine with Walker, Marshall, Scheffler and Graham as our top receiving options. Notice, I didn't include Smith. I'm not sure what to think about him. If he comes back, he'll be our #3 guy, but I think that depth is an issue here regardless of what most people have to say. Hixon will probably make the roster as a returner and could be guy who appears in 4-wide sets, but Denver needs more quality at this postion and less quantity. (Most people just assume the position is good because of Walker and Marshall's potential, but what do we really have behind them? Rod Smith, (37 and recently had surgery) and some returners and floaters.)
With the depth in this receiver class, I just have a hard time believing that Denver is going to pass a playmaker on offense up. It's already evident that they want to succeed Cutler with all the tools necessary to succeed, and maybe with getting the aformentioned players, there won't be enough balls to go around, but Cutler has the tools to make all the throws and I think we'll see more tosses and more of an airborne approach next season. I really want to draft safety here, but I feel that if Denver really wanted to upgrade the position, they would have pursued Hamlin or Grant already, which they didn't - and I'm not sure how high of a priority it will be since Ferguson and Brandon are coming back from injury, John Lynch is still around and Curome Cox has flashed potential and promise. (To me, I think safety is a big need, but to the Broncos I just don't believe they'll take a guy high.)
I have to go receiver here, and I know that Big Guy at least agrees with me. The question is who? I'm looking for a slot receiver, a guy who has good speed, initial burst and can run well after the catch. A burner too, a guy who can make plays deep and stretch the defense. Getting a guy who could help return would make sense too, so there are really two options. Johnnie Lee Higgins and Aundrae Allison. Higgins is the better returner, but I feel Allison has more potential as receiver and has return ability. If Marshall doesn't pan out (I think he will) we have to really consider a guy who has a higher ceiling that just a #3 guy. I think Higgins' ceiling might be limited to that due to size (although Santana Moss and Steve Smith have sort of proven that it's not everything) and I think that Allison has more upside. He's the pick, and thus ending Day One.
Day two of the draft as it stands is ****. No fourth-rounder, no fifth-rounder - just a sixth and a seventh. It will get better if Wilkinson retires and we get back a sixth, but how uneventful is our day two? Come on, this is where teams are built baby! I couldn't be more pissed that we no longer have Tampa Bay's early fourth. That position was prime for DL, WR, OL, S talent that dropped off and it completely screwed over my initial draft plans. Anyways, on Day 2 I really have no idea where we'll go. Obviously we'll be looking for depth, so why not give it a shot?
The Denver Broncos, #161- Selection - Garrett Wolfe, RB/KR/PR - Northern Illinois
Getting injured in the Senior Bowl and having to leave didn't help his cause, but the kid was an explosive player in college and offers return ability. I had mentioned that Andre Hall could be a situational back on receiving downs, but so could Wolfe and he'd be a returner, something that we need. Obviously, size and durability is an issue, but getting late in this draft what the hell can you expect? Even with Henry and Bell, we could use some more depth at this area and having options at returner (we suck at returns) never hurts.
The Denver Broncos, #214 - Selection - C.J. Wilson, CB - Baylor
Let's get serious! What "if" Dre' Bly gets moved. Let's just draft another corner. I'm not going to lie, I haven't even seen C.J. Wlson play, but he's awesome on NCAA 07. Bad thing is, he's still running his forty, but he's still faster than Hughes out of California. No, but seriously - I think that Denver will be looking to add some depth at corner even if Bly stays.