SoCal's Mock Draft

[SoCalBronco]

Obviously, I would like to trade down like 10-15 spots, but I realize that everyone will be trying to trade down. I do anticipate, however, that we will make at least one moderate move down in order to get back into the third round. I am incorporating that into my Mock Draft, so there is a third there.

1. Sam Baker, OT Southern Cal- Very good pass protector and very seasoned player. I think there's a decent chance that he could step in and start at LT, although that is usually rather hard for rookies. He's very smart and has excellent feet. He needs to get stronger and is definitely not a road grader in the run game, but he should be an above average to very good LT for 10-12 years. He's not getting as much pub as Williams or Clady or Otah....he's definitely under the radar (possibly due to having some injuries during his senior year which reduced his effectiveness a bit), but he's a good one with a high floor, especially at protecting the passer.

2. Trevor Laws, DT Notre Dame- Many have already talked about this prospect before, but he's just a solid, lunch pail DT who is smart, hardworker and excels at the technical aspect of the game, even if he doesn't possess a good deal of natural talent. Did a nice job adjusting to different systems at ND, too. I do not expect him to be anything more than an ok starter in the NFL, but we need those kind of guys, esp. at DT where we have almost nothing right now.

3. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers- I really like Rice's blend of vision and power. He's pretty good between the tackles and has great running instincts. I think he would be an ideal system fit for Denver. I don't anticipate Henry lasting more than another year or two here. Michigan's Mike Hart is another solid (but like Rice, not spectacular) Denver system fit, although I have a slight preference for Rice.

4a. Harry Douglas WR Louisville- He's been tremendously productive with the Cardinals, has big time speed and good seperation ability. He also has decent hands (despite not showing that in the various postseason draft related events) and can do things after the catch. Douglas's frame is certainly a problem and he will have some trouble getting off the line, but he's definitely a guy that can serve as a good NFL deep threat, which is something we have been lacking since the departure of Ashley Lelie. He also might be a candidate to help us in the return game.

4b. Jeremy Zuttah OT/OG Rutgers- Perhaps there is something in the water in Piscataway, New Jersey, cause I'm liking their prospects. Zuttah fits the mold of the typical Denver lineman, he's athletic and smart, but showed better than expected strength at the combine and also has seemed to dispel the doubts that people have had this offseason about whether he could play tackle in the league. I think he could play right tackle or guard for us and be pretty effective at either position, so his versatility is definitely a plus.

5a. Andre Fluellen, DT Florida State- This is sort of a boom or bust type of pick. Given the need at the position and this place in the draft, I am willing to take the risk because I have seen what this guy can do. He can get into the backfield and create some problems. Fluellen did have a very poor senior campaign for the Seminoles and I'm not sure why (perhaps Req or Med can discuss this in more detail), but he definitely has the skills to play in the NFL. I also strongly considered another boom or bust talented sleeper DT in Akron's Nate Robinson for this slot. Keep an eye on Nate Robinson on draft day.

5b. Tyler Mehlhaff, K Wisconsin- I don't really like the kicker class this year a whole lot and believe that we missed the boat last year with Crosby (it would have been nice to have had some Day 2 picks last year), but I'll go with Mehlhaff here, since he has a strong leg and a good FG percentage. I have not seen him alot, but I have heard he is pretty good on kickoffs, too.

6. Mike Cox, FB Georgia Tech- Owen Schmitt and Jacob Hester get alot more press than Cox, primarily because they are alot more versatile fullbacks in the sense that they can catch the ball out of the backfield and can also run the football, but I believe Cox is the best blocking fullback out there. He really helped Tashard Choice out alot this year. I was extremely impressed watching him on lead plays against my Hurricanes and in other GT games I watched. I think Cox would definitely be a huge upgrade in the blocking department over the Sapp/Johnson types.

7a. Dennis Keyes, S UCLA- This is a sleeper pick. This is a terrible S class on the whole, but I think Keyes might be able to amount to something. He has pretty good range and is a heady player. I suspect that Denver will address S earlier than this, however, despite signing McCree and Manuel (as they have seemingly been high on Arizona St.'s Josh Barrett).

7b. J. Leman, ILB Illinois- It would appear that Denver is set for the next few seasons at the OLB position with DJ Williams at the weakside spot and Boss Bailey, fresh off his new 5 year, 17.5 million dollar deal, at the strongside spot. Denver has made a rather small investment in the inexperienced but hard working Niko Koutouvides, who has been stuck behind Lofa Tatupu in Seattle. I can see the Broncos adding another 2 down run thumper late in the draft to bolster the ILB position (DEN seems to have better depth behind the starters at OLB in Winborn and Green). I'm not sure whether Leman can play the pro game. He is not very agile, and probably cannot play the sideline to sideline game in the NFL, and would definitely be a liability in pass coverage, but he might be able to get by in a 2 down between the tackles role with his bulk and instincts.

UDFAs I would be interested in:

Glenn Sharpe CB Miami (Fla.)- You didn't think I'd go a whole mock draft without a Hurricane did you? Actually, I think Sharpe is a HUGE SLEEPER, that's not homer, either. He's had really tragic luck, in fact, I'd say that he's even more unlucky than Willie Middlebrooks, which is saying something. After being involved in "the play" several years ago, he's been largely snakebitten. But Sharpe has battled back from injuries and from time to time has been a really solid man-to-man corner. He's got his timed speed back from his pre-two ACL tear days, but I'm not sure if his game speed is back. He is a very hard worker and would be a solid addition as a dime corner. Given that Foxworth will be taking the first train out of dodge next year in order to get a chance to start, I don't think bringing in a corner (either really late in the draft or as a UDFA) is a bad idea.

De'Cody Fagg WR Florida State- He had the misfortune of blowing out his knee at the combine and will probably be on the shelf for a year. It is pretty sad. I've always been very intrigued by this prospect, as he has a great build and might be a pretty decent developmental possession WR prospect (must improve his hands and concentration, though). I would be in favor of giving Fagg a UDFA contract and putting on him on the IR for a year. He has some real upside as a king sized possession WR with some good coaching (and assuming he regains full health).

[Ray Finkle]

Like them all but Baker....The one armed man from the fugitive showed more fire and skill....

[Northman]

Personally, im not that enamored with your mock. Taking a RB way too high and WR way too low. Laws is really the only legit name there in my opinion and there are far better Lineman we can get instead of Baker. I doubt we will trade down now that Brandon has gotten himself injured unless someone gives up a lot in the process but i dont see that happening either. You've done your homework as usual but a LOT of them seem like reaches to me.

[Kaylore]

SoCal, could you approximate where each of these selections is made?

[BroncoBuff]

You forgot Owen Schmitt and Durant Brooks ;D

I totally agree with trading down, but EVERYBODY wants to trade down, so we'd prolly have to take less than point-chart value. You mentioned my musings on Kentwan Balmer at #12 as high ... and I agree. But Baker would be high too, anywhere above 25. Besides, is Baker better than Ryan Harris? Harris was a 2nd round talent we got high in the 3rd because of his back surgery .... Baker is a low-1st / high-2nd round talent. Wouldn't he be redundant? I'd rather just take a RT like Cherilus or Branden Albert.

I dunno ... the more I look at this, the more I wanna move down, even for less than chart value. And I NEVER wanna move down ...

We could still get Baker, Balmer, Cherilus or maybe even Albert at 20-30, and pick up two picks to use on Brooks and Schmitt in the process ;D

[wabbit]

Like them all but Baker....The one armed man from the fugitive showed more fire and skill....

Geez, that's harsh.

I like it SoCal.

Not sure if the Broncos can muster that 3rd rounder given that Denver is in a kind of twilight zone @ 12, but you never know.

I'm on board with either Clady or Williams, so I would imagine the Broncos have to stay put at #12 to get a shot at either one.

[CBF1]

The problem I have with your draft is that you call every guy, good, not great or just above average. This is what we already have on this team.... a bunch of average guys. We need impact players that can make a difference, not throwing a bunch of cr ap against the wall and hope something sticks.

[SoCalBronco]

The problem I have with your draft is that you call every guy, good, not great or just above average. This is what we already have on this team.... a bunch of average guys. We need impact players that can make a difference, not throwing a bunch of cr ap against the wall and hope something sticks.

I know we yearn for a bunch of all-pros in one draft, but we have to deal in reality. I can't tell you guy X that I want in the 2nd and guy Y I want at 4b and guy Z I want in the early 5th are going to be huge studs who will all be pro bowlers. It would be inaccurate to do so. Otherwise, they wouldn't be there. With each prospect there are flaws. There's nothing wrong with adding a number of good, solid players. We just can't get 5 or 6 huge playmakers in one draft, its extremely hard to do. Reality is part of the picture. There are players in those rounds that should be decent to good players and good fits for us...that's the best we can reasonably expect. Keep in mind that we are also at the mercy of the draft class as well. This is not a great draft at DT or S for example, so to expect some huge stud at those spots is not realistic, you want to try to add someone that can help you out, but you can't say, oh he's going to dominate here when its a shallow class. You try to find the best you can and move on.

I disagree with the proposition that we already have a bunch of above average to good players on the team. No we don't. If this were true, we wouldn't be in the cluster**** that we are and we wouldn't be staring down the barrel of a gun at a number of positions. I'd say about 8-10 of the starting 22 would be in that category, leaving 12-14 being below average to average. We need several more of those good players. We're building a foundation here...a strong base, as it were. We can't get 5 all pros in the draft at one time. That doesn't happen in real life. A year like 2006, where you get a big time franchise QB, a Pro Bowl WR, a great recieving TE, a really good pass rusher and a very nice offensive lineman all in one shot comes around once every two decades.

[CBF1]

I am just tired of all the crap we have been drafting over the years.... 2006 does not count ofcourse. Way too many wasted 1st thru 3rd round picks. And way too many guys that have been injured in the past.

I am just hoping for 2 starters and maybe 2 special teams guys that can grow with the team and contribute in the near future...that would be a successful draft for us.

[That One Guy]

There's so many teams that seem to want to trade down that the only real benefit in doing so is to make yourself feel better about the player you draft. If you're at 12 and the player you want isn't expected to go until 25... but you don't get hardly any value for moving into that range... why do so? Would you move back for half value just to be able to silence the critics that would say you reached? This draft is very low on high end talent so unless there's a team that REALLY wants a specific player, there will be no premium paid to move up this year.

Someone previously put it best when they said you don't trade down to take a player, you trade down because someone else has offered you a deal that really makes it worth your while. Simply take the best player available at 12 if there's not a very nice package on the table from someone else wanting our spot. If they do their work and pick accurately, noone will be knocking them for reaching in a few years. If they pick another schmuck, they'll get criticized and the team will pay for another wasted 1st rounder.

[JCMElway]

There's so many teams that seem to want to trade down that the only real benefit in doing so is to make yourself feel better about the player you draft. If you're at 12 and the player you want isn't expected to go until 25... but you don't get hardly any value for moving into that range... why do so? Would you move back for half value just to be able to silence the critics that would say you reached? This draft is very low on high end talent so unless there's a team that REALLY wants a specific player, there will be no premium paid to move up this year.

Someone previously put it best when they said you don't trade down to take a player, you trade down because someone else has offered you a deal that really makes it worth your while. Simply take the best player available at 12 if there's not a very nice package on the table from someone else wanting our spot. If they do their work and pick accurately, noone will be knocking them for reaching in a few years. If they pick another schmuck, they'll get criticized and the team will pay for another wasted 1st rounder.

Well said. And in the past few years Shanny and his staff have done just that. However, this team has quite a few holes, so the Broncs may move down simply because they need one or two more picks to fill all their needs.

[Broncoman13]

Sorry buddy, don't like it.

With exception of Laws I think we're 5 or 6 deep in terms of the talent pool in this year's draft on each pick.

Breaking down the first three: Baker is probably the 5th or 6th rated OT in this class. There will be a run on OTs so he'll likely be a 1st round pick, but he should be a 2nd. Long, Clady, Williams, Otah, Albert, and perhaps even Godser C should go in front of him.

At DT you're looking at Laws who by most accounts is the 5th or 6th rated DT. Now, I share your opinion of him and think he's a DT that brings a lot to the table. Don't look at his tackle #s and assume he's a beast at DT though. He played a lot of DE b/c he can't maintain his weight and b/c he's a disruptive kind of player. In short, I'd love the pick @42... but would we be better served to get a top LB, WR, or RB prospect here instead? What if Devin Thomas were to fall here? Dan Connor? Do you think Shanny will be looking for that speed back he's fallen in love with in the past? In which case both Charles and Johnson become possibilities! I guess my point is that in the 1st and 2nd rounds I'd like to see us get guys that are top 1 or 2 at their positions. If Kenny Phillips was there at 42 I'd rather see the Broncos get him. In the first, Albert, Clady/Williams, Dorsey/Ellis, etc.

With the 3rd round pick I think you'll have to go after your DT's. In fact, I think you'll have to do that with an extra 3rd and a 4th as well! I think we're looking at guys like Red Bryant, Dre Moore, Frank Okam, DeMarrio Pressley, or Marcus Harrison.

We're sitting at a spot in the draft that would be ideal if LB, CB, and RB were our top needs. Especially if it were CB in the first as I think all of the top guys will be available at #12. At RB you can get guys like Stewart and Mendenhal at #12. LB, Connor, Rivers in the 1st and Mayo, Lofton, Wheeler in the 2nd. All are starting caliber players. In fact, I think Mayo is going to be a stud! He'll never make it, but if he were to fall to #42 I'd jump all over it! Niko should be alright, but I'd like to have somebody pushing him as well.

The later round picks are all good. I agree with BB though. Need a little Brooks and Schmitt in your mock!

[Killericon]

No Running Backs!

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

This draft is very low on high end talent .


where did you get that idea. This is an extremely good draft except at the sexy position (QB) and one of the positions the Broncos need most - DT. OL, RB, WR and even DE are the best classes in years.

[peacepipe]

No Running Backs!this mock has us drafting Quentin Griffith #2 in the 3rd. A 5'9" 205 lb ray rice.

[NaptownChief]

De'Cody Fagg WR Florida State- He had the misfortune of blowing out his knee at the combine and will probably be on the shelf for a year. It is pretty sad. I've always been very intrigued by this prospect, as he has a great build and might be a pretty decent developmental possession WR prospect (must improve his hands and concentration, though). I would be in favor of giving Fagg a UDFA contract and putting on him on the IR for a year. He has some real upside as a king sized possession WR with some good coaching (and assuming he regains full health).




I sure hope somebody picks him up and he makes it just so I can keep chuckling like an immature 10 year old everytime they call his name. ;D

[Beantown Bronco]

socal:

If that is how you have the draft going down, who would you see as the Broncos punter on opening day?

[Mediator12]

where did you get that idea. This is an extremely good draft except at the sexy position (QB) and one of the positions the Broncos need most - DT. OL, RB, WR and even DE are the best classes in years.

I agree with most of that. WR lacks True #1 WR prospects, but is severely deep in #2 and #3 WR quality players. This is one of the worst DE classes I have seen in years. Outside Of Gholston, Groves, and Harvey there are no pure pass rushers here. Groves and Gholston might end up being OLB's as well. I see a lot of LDE's that will not be everydown players at the next level. Last years DE class was much deeper and more balanced IMHO.

[That One Guy]

I agree with most of that. WR lacks True #1 WR prospects, but is severely deep in #2 and #3 WR quality players. This is one of the worst DE classes I have seen in years. Outside Of Gholston, Groves, and Harvey there are no pure pass rushers here. Groves and Gholston might end up being OLB's as well. I see a lot of LDE's that will not be everydown players at the next level. Last years DE class was much deeper and more balanced IMHO.

Exactly. Across the board there's almost no sure fire, he's the best at his position type players. QB has Ryan at the top and I'll be suprised if another QB goes in the top 20-25. That sounds like Alex Smith all over again where the guy is getting picked because of the notion that "you have to rebuild around a franchise QB" so even if there aren't any in the draft, teams will want there to be so bad they'll create one.

At RB, every RB has questions. Mcfadden is the Reggie Bush of this year after his combine numbers but there's still some questioning whether he'll be the best RB in this class.

At WR, it's downright terrible. Some could argue that a 5'7 or 5'8 could be the best WR. Now, most have him at 2nd or 3rd but when the notion is being mentioned of him at our pick, that'd make him the 1st WR taken.

OL is very good but it's basically strung out between the very top and the middle of the 2nd where you could get a player that could contribute as a rookie. That kinda alleviates the demand for the very top tier guys.

DT has HUGE question marks on it. Dorsey is top rated but oft injured. Ellis is the new darling pick but his production doesn't really hold up to his potential. After those two, it falls off even more.

DE is pretty rough. Long is the obvious top prospect but he's a 3-4 DE... yippie, he's a stud at a position that doesn't really contribute anything statistically. One of the least appreciated positions in football. After that you have Gholston a prototype OLB and Harvey who should be a very good DE. Other than Gholston or Long (if put in a 4-3 environment), not really anyone you're going to begin building your D around.

LB is decent but there's no Willis. Connor was the original leader of the pack but he's fallen hard. Now we basically have Rivers at the top and that speaks for itself.

DBs as a whole are good for the first round but they all seem clumped up together. Cromartie has basically come out of nowhere and seems to be racing up the board. Mckelvin I believe is still generally accepted as the top CB but, again, there's no "Holy Cow!!" type prospects at the top.

Kenny Phillips should go in the first but he'll be the only safety and could be benefitting from the top S in a terrible class. If he comes out last year, he's not sitting so well.

You'll have to ask BB or Kaylore for K and P but for the rest, none of that screams "we need to trade up!" unless MAYBE someone like Gholston. Otherwise all the way through you have things like with the OTs, Clady is ranked higher than Williams and Albert but Clady's a rock while Williams is consistent and Albert probably has the highest ceiling of the 3. Depth and overall quality are good but high end, gotta trade up to get em type talent is very low.

At least that's my opinion...

[Mediator12]

Obviously, I would like to trade down like 10-15 spots, but I realize that everyone will be trying to trade down. I do anticipate, however, that we will make at least one moderate move down in order to get back into the third round. I am incorporating that into my Mock Draft, so there is a third there.

1. Sam Baker, OT Southern Cal- Not Fond of him at all anywhere near round one. My problem is not his high Floor, it's his non-existent ceiling. Guy has been the same player for 3 years. He may have peaked and have nowhere to go IMHO.

2. Trevor Laws, DT Notre Dame- Love this kid. He is a football player and rarely gets manhandled out of his gap. Not many DT's in this class have his football consistency and drive. His technique is very good already and his time to impact should be quick. Perfect round 2 selection for need and value.

3. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers- I think this kid is flying way below the radar with all the juniors getting hyped. He is a perfect zone runner that moves the chains and his vision is lights out. Plus, he is tough for being small and can do all the little things like read blitzes.

4a. Harry Douglas WR Louisville- Boom or Bust candidate to me. His numbers are reflective of that offense more than him being uncoverable. His deep speed is in serious question, but he does go over the middle very well. Just not sold on his ability to beat next level CB's on a consistent basis like he did in Conference USA.

4b. Jeremy Zuttah OT/OG Rutgers- His versatility and ability make this a real solid selection. He plays mean and has a ton of experience. Played very well against George Selvie of USF. Like him here, way more than Sam Baker in round one for the exact same reasons. May be tapped out potentially, but he is a value to DEN here.

5a. Andre Fluellen, DT Florida State- This is sort of a boom or bust type of pick. Fluellen definitely has got talent, He just struggles to be consistent and healthy. He is a little undersized, but that is not the problem. He has got to get better mentally to even think about contributing at the next level, and DEN has plenty of those types of players already. Good Value for a fifth rounder though at a position of need again.

5b. Tyler Mehlhaff, K Wisconsin- No Opinion.

6. Mike Cox, FB Georgia Tech- Old school FB that may not be in DEN's offense anymore. Quite possibly could go undrafted, and therefore why bother here?

7a. Dennis Keyes, S UCLA- This safety class is a nightmare overall because a lot of the top prospects lack Playing time in college and were all over the secondary. Not a lot of tape on them. Keyes has played safety and still grades around UDFA, so why even go there?

7b. J. Leman, ILB Illinois- Extra Depth at a position with very little going into camp. His injury to his ankle could keep him from getting drafted, but worth a flier I guess.

UDFAs I would be interested in:

Glenn Sharpe CB Miami (Fla.)- You didn't think I'd go a whole mock draft without a Hurricane did you? Actually, I think Sharpe is a HUGE SLEEPER, that's not homer, either. He's had really tragic luck, in fact, I'd say that he's even more unlucky than Willie Middlebrooks, which is saying something. After being involved in "the play" several years ago, he's been largely snakebitten. But Sharpe has battled back from injuries and from time to time has been a really solid man-to-man corner. He's got his timed speed back from his pre-two ACL tear days, but I'm not sure if his game speed is back. He is a very hard worker and would be a solid addition as a dime corner. Given that Foxworth will be taking the first train out of dodge next year in order to get a chance to start, I don't think bringing in a corner (either really late in the draft or as a UDFA) is a bad idea.

De'Cody Fagg WR Florida State- He had the misfortune of blowing out his knee at the combine and will probably be on the shelf for a year. It is pretty sad. I've always been very intrigued by this prospect, as he has a great build and might be a pretty decent developmental possession WR prospect (must improve his hands and concentration, though). I would be in favor of giving Fagg a UDFA contract and putting on him on the IR for a year. He has some real upside as a king sized possession WR with some good coaching (and assuming he regains full health).

Both UDFA's are interesting prospects, but most teams do not sign UDFA's who can not play in camp. They could get Fagg later when he can pass a physical.

[Northman]

Sorry buddy, don't like it.

With exception of Laws I think we're 5 or 6 deep in terms of the talent pool in this year's draft on each pick.

Breaking down the first three: Baker is probably the 5th or 6th rated OT in this class. There will be a run on OTs so he'll likely be a 1st round pick, but he should be a 2nd. Long, Clady, Williams, Otah, Albert, and perhaps even Godser C should go in front of him.

At DT you're looking at Laws who by most accounts is the 5th or 6th rated DT. Now, I share your opinion of him and think he's a DT that brings a lot to the table. Don't look at his tackle #s and assume he's a beast at DT though. He played a lot of DE b/c he can't maintain his weight and b/c he's a disruptive kind of player. In short, I'd love the pick @42... but would we be better served to get a top LB, WR, or RB prospect here instead? What if Devin Thomas were to fall here? Dan Connor? Do you think Shanny will be looking for that speed back he's fallen in love with in the past? In which case both Charles and Johnson become possibilities! I guess my point is that in the 1st and 2nd rounds I'd like to see us get guys that are top 1 or 2 at their positions. If Kenny Phillips was there at 42 I'd rather see the Broncos get him. In the first, Albert, Clady/Williams, Dorsey/Ellis, etc.

With the 3rd round pick I think you'll have to go after your DT's. In fact, I think you'll have to do that with an extra 3rd and a 4th as well! I think we're looking at guys like Red Bryant, Dre Moore, Frank Okam, DeMarrio Pressley, or Marcus Harrison.

We're sitting at a spot in the draft that would be ideal if LB, CB, and RB were our top needs. Especially if it were CB in the first as I think all of the top guys will be available at #12. At RB you can get guys like Stewart and Mendenhal at #12. LB, Connor, Rivers in the 1st and Mayo, Lofton, Wheeler in the 2nd. All are starting caliber players. In fact, I think Mayo is going to be a stud! He'll never make it, but if he were to fall to #42 I'd jump all over it! Niko should be alright, but I'd like to have somebody pushing him as well.

The later round picks are all good. I agree with BB though. Need a little Brooks and Schmitt in your mock!


REP. Great post Oskie and i totally agree with what you say here. The draft is really deep at some positions that we need.

[Drek]

What I'm expecting in this draft:

First, we won't be able to trade down. So we're going to be stuck basically where we're at in each round. So going from that I'm expecting these kinds of selections:

1. Rashard Mendenhall, we liked Maroney at 15 two years ago (just not as much as Cutler at 11), Mendenhall is the rich man's version and he'll be there for us at 12. We don't have any real financial commitments at RB now that Henry has restructured, Shanahan doesn't think Young or Hall are 20 carry backs, and Henry is looking like a very short term answer at best. I think we would've jumped on Stewart instead but will take Mendenhall since he's the healthier one (which makes me happy).

2. Limas Sweed, just strikes me as Shanahan's type of guy. Great athletic ability, played for a big school, and is going to slide because he was hurt. Shanahan will talk about how "we had him ranked as the #1 WR on our board" and "lucky to get a talent like this here, just slid because of a collegiate injury" etc. etc.. Standard fare for us.

4a. Dexter Jackson, strikes me as the kind of guy we've been looking at a lot in recent drafts. Real athletic, obvious special teams role, but unsure if he can translate as a position player in the NFL. Devin Hester, Domenik Hixon, Maurice Jones-Drew, all three guys who didn't necessarily profile as every down position players but who all had obvious special teams skills. We drafted one and were very interested in the other two. I think this time it might actually work out for us and he'll be there for our first 4th round selection.

4b. Jon Sullivan, center out of Notre Dame fits our blocking system and our scouting systems both well. He's a multi-year starter from a pedigree school, very similar reasoning could be applied to drafting him as to why we took Ryan Harris, Tim Crowder, Chris Myers, etc.. I also think we'll see interior OL addressed earlier than OT in this draft since we'll move Kuper outside and let Myers walk.

5a. Stanford Keglar, think he's a possibility but guys like him, Gary Guyton, Ezra Butler, they could fit as well. A pretty combine type to add some depth at linebacker. Might be a total bust, but I think thats the type of guy we'll lean towards.

5b. Tyler Polombus, local school guy who seems like a real good fit for what we draft at the tackle positions. Long, pretty agile, but not strong enough to profile well at the NFL level. Give him a few practice squad seasons and a lot of cheese burgers and we might have something, but I see another Erik Pears (i.e. a good backup) as his future.

Use the last three picks for a punter, kicker, and some scrub who won't make it out of camp in whatever order you want. In this draft we should hit punter in round 4, Durant Brooks is the only one worth taking and thats about where he should go, and kicker in the late 5th, where we can still get Mehlhaff, but I don't see us doing either and instead burning picks on some small school mediocrities.

We'll also send Foxworth out of town for Robertson, which is a bad overpay if you think Fox is worth even close to a 3rd rounder, but its what the FO will pass off as improving the DL.

[chaz]

2. Limas Sweed, just strikes me as Shanahan's type of guy. Great athletic ability, played for a big school, and is going to slide because he was hurt. Shanahan will talk about how "we had him ranked as the #1 WR on our board" and "lucky to get a talent like this here, just slid because of a collegiate injury" etc. etc.. Standard fare for us.\

He's sliding out of the top ten because of the injury, not out of the top forty.

[Drek]

He's sliding out of the top ten because of the injury, not out of the top forty.

When did being the 4th best receiver (at best) in a fairly mediocre class make you a top 40 lock?

Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, and Desean Jackson will all go before him. The WR talent in this draft isn't good enough at the high end to produce four 1st round picks, unless someone grossly overpicks a guy in the top 12 or so.

[mattob14]

When did being the 4th best receiver (at best) in a fairly mediocre class make you a top 40 lock?

Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, and Desean Jackson will all go before him. The WR talent in this draft isn't good enough at the high end to produce four 1st round picks, unless someone grossly overpicks a guy in the top 12 or so.

Thomas and Jackson should go before Sweed, but Kelly may fall hard. There are rumors (I know, never trust the rumors this time of year, but it is coming from Mayock) that Kelly's knees are worse than has been let on and there are teams taking him off their draft boards.

[Northman]

Thomas and Jackson should go before Sweed, but Kelly may fall hard. There are rumors (I know, never trust the rumors this time of year, but it is coming from Mayock) that Kelly's knees are worse than has been let on and there are teams taking him off their draft boards.


I dont think your far off either. Talk to some Bills fans and showed them Icon's and I's mock and they were angry that we had Kelly as our first pick even though Icon had picked him before the combine and injury issue. Never the less, the consensus is his stock is dropping rapidly.

[mattob14]

I dont think your far off either. Talk to some Bills fans and showed them Icon's and I's mock and they were angry that we had Kelly as our first pick even though Icon had picked him before the combine and injury issue. Never the less, the consensus is his stock is dropping rapidly.

At the end of round 2 or 3 he could be a steal for someone, but arthritic knees and a reconstuction don't usually do much to boost a player's stock. It's too bad, too, because he could be a nice WR in the NFL.

[Drek]

Thomas and Jackson should go before Sweed, but Kelly may fall hard. There are rumors (I know, never trust the rumors this time of year, but it is coming from Mayock) that Kelly's knees are worse than has been let on and there are teams taking him off their draft boards.

I agree, Kelly could slide should the knee problems be substantiated, but even then it'd have to be inconceivably severe to be worse than the injury flags already surrounding Sweed.

If a team is going to pull Kelly off their board because of alleged knee problems then they probably already have Sweed off their board as it is.

[footstepsfrom#27]

Anything that keeps us from getting a shot at either Clady or Williams is a mistake IMO, so I say no to trading down. If we get one of those guys and can figure out how to get Jerrod Mayo after that I'll be happy no matter what happens the rest of the way. That would fill two huge holes (not buying the new MLB is gonne be that great) and that's more than we normally do.

[Broncos_OTM]

Obviously, I would like to trade down like 10-15 spots, but I realize that everyone will be trying to trade down. I do anticipate, however, that we will make at least one moderate move down in order to get back into the third round. I am incorporating that into my Mock Draft, so there is a third there.

1. Sam Baker, OT Southern Cal- Very good pass protector and very seasoned player. I think there's a decent chance that he could step in and start at LT, although that is usually rather hard for rookies. He's very smart and has excellent feet. He needs to get stronger and is definitely not a road grader in the run game, but he should be an above average to very good LT for 10-12 years. He's not getting as much pub as Williams or Clady or Otah....he's definitely under the radar (possibly due to having some injuries during his senior year which reduced his effectiveness a bit), but he's a good one with a high floor, especially at protecting the passer.

2. Trevor Laws, DT Notre Dame- Many have already talked about this prospect before, but he's just a solid, lunch pail DT who is smart, hardworker and excels at the technical aspect of the game, even if he doesn't possess a good deal of natural talent. Did a nice job adjusting to different systems at ND, too. I do not expect him to be anything more than an ok starter in the NFL, but we need those kind of guys, esp. at DT where we have almost nothing right now.

3. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers- I really like Rice's blend of vision and power. He's pretty good between the tackles and has great running instincts. I think he would be an ideal system fit for Denver. I don't anticipate Henry lasting more than another year or two here. Michigan's Mike Hart is another solid (but like Rice, not spectacular) Denver system fit, although I have a slight preference for Rice.

4a. Harry Douglas WR Louisville- He's been tremendously productive with the Cardinals, has big time speed and good seperation ability. He also has decent hands (despite not showing that in the various postseason draft related events) and can do things after the catch. Douglas's frame is certainly a problem and he will have some trouble getting off the line, but he's definitely a guy that can serve as a good NFL deep threat, which is something we have been lacking since the departure of Ashley Lelie. He also might be a candidate to help us in the return game.

4b. Jeremy Zuttah OT/OG Rutgers- Perhaps there is something in the water in Piscataway, New Jersey, cause I'm liking their prospects. Zuttah fits the mold of the typical Denver lineman, he's athletic and smart, but showed better than expected strength at the combine and also has seemed to dispel the doubts that people have had this offseason about whether he could play tackle in the league. I think he could play right tackle or guard for us and be pretty effective at either position, so his versatility is definitely a plus.

5a. Andre Fluellen, DT Florida State- This is sort of a boom or bust type of pick. Given the need at the position and this place in the draft, I am willing to take the risk because I have seen what this guy can do. He can get into the backfield and create some problems. Fluellen did have a very poor senior campaign for the Seminoles and I'm not sure why (perhaps Req or Med can discuss this in more detail), but he definitely has the skills to play in the NFL. I also strongly considered another boom or bust talented sleeper DT in Akron's Nate Robinson for this slot. Keep an eye on Nate Robinson on draft day.

5b. Tyler Mehlhaff, K Wisconsin- I don't really like the kicker class this year a whole lot and believe that we missed the boat last year with Crosby (it would have been nice to have had some Day 2 picks last year), but I'll go with Mehlhaff here, since he has a strong leg and a good FG percentage. I have not seen him alot, but I have heard he is pretty good on kickoffs, too.

6. Mike Cox, FB Georgia Tech- Owen Schmitt and Jacob Hester get alot more press than Cox, primarily because they are alot more versatile fullbacks in the sense that they can catch the ball out of the backfield and can also run the football, but I believe Cox is the best blocking fullback out there. He really helped Tashard Choice out alot this year. I was extremely impressed watching him on lead plays against my Hurricanes and in other GT games I watched. I think Cox would definitely be a huge upgrade in the blocking department over the Sapp/Johnson types.

7a. Dennis Keyes, S UCLA- This is a sleeper pick. This is a terrible S class on the whole, but I think Keyes might be able to amount to something. He has pretty good range and is a heady player. I suspect that Denver will address S earlier than this, however, despite signing McCree and Manuel (as they have seemingly been high on Arizona St.'s Josh Barrett).

7b. J. Leman, ILB Illinois- It would appear that Denver is set for the next few seasons at the OLB position with DJ Williams at the weakside spot and Boss Bailey, fresh off his new 5 year, 17.5 million dollar deal, at the strongside spot. Denver has made a rather small investment in the inexperienced but hard working Niko Koutouvides, who has been stuck behind Lofa Tatupu in Seattle. I can see the Broncos adding another 2 down run thumper late in the draft to bolster the ILB position (DEN seems to have better depth behind the starters at OLB in Winborn and Green). I'm not sure whether Leman can play the pro game. He is not very agile, and probably cannot play the sideline to sideline game in the NFL, and would definitely be a liability in pass coverage, but he might be able to get by in a 2 down between the tackles role with his bulk and instincts.

UDFAs I would be interested in:

Glenn Sharpe CB Miami (Fla.)- You didn't think I'd go a whole mock draft without a Hurricane did you? Actually, I think Sharpe is a HUGE SLEEPER, that's not homer, either. He's had really tragic luck, in fact, I'd say that he's even more unlucky than Willie Middlebrooks, which is saying something. After being involved in "the play" several years ago, he's been largely snakebitten. But Sharpe has battled back from injuries and from time to time has been a really solid man-to-man corner. He's got his timed speed back from his pre-two ACL tear days, but I'm not sure if his game speed is back. He is a very hard worker and would be a solid addition as a dime corner. Given that Foxworth will be taking the first train out of dodge next year in order to get a chance to start, I don't think bringing in a corner (either really late in the draft or as a UDFA) is a bad idea.

De'Cody Fagg WR Florida State- He had the misfortune of blowing out his knee at the combine and will probably be on the shelf for a year. It is pretty sad. I've always been very intrigued by this prospect, as he has a great build and might be a pretty decent developmental possession WR prospect (must improve his hands and concentration, though). I would be in favor of giving Fagg a UDFA contract and putting on him on the IR for a year. He has some real upside as a king sized possession WR with some good coaching (and assuming he regains full health).
wasnt faggs injury concern that he might not EVER come back from it?

[Cito Pelon]

Baker and Laws sounds pretty good to me as the top two picks, with the proviso they are acquired with a trade down from 12.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

I don't know about Baker, SoCal. Looks like he is this year's Mr. Manboobs. :)

[s0phr0syne]

(That's Ellis...)


...Right?

[Rohirrim]

http://media.scout.com/media/image/33/335734.jpg
Sam Baker

[BroncoBuff]

http://media.scout.com/media/image/33/335734.jpg
Sam Baker
Baker is the mobile, nimble, quick-footed LT type, no doubt. But I don't think he'd be an upgrade over Ryan Harris, here's why: Harris was a high 3rd round pick last year despite having undergone back surgery just two months before the draft. So purely on talent, Harris was at least a 2nd round value ... maybe higher. JUST IMAGINE: Where would Sam Baker - a late 1st/early 2nd round talent - be ranked now had he had just undergone back surgery? I'll tell you where - early third round.

So as long as Harris' back is okay, Baker would be redundant. As would any other pure LEFT tackle (Clady, Williams).



Fun Fact: Baker's Dad is the Commissioner of the Arena Football League...

[elsid13]

(That's Ellis...)


...Right?

yes it is

[oubronco]

Anything that keeps us from getting a shot at either Clady or Williams is a mistake IMO, so I say no to trading down. If we get one of those guys and can figure out how to get Jerrod Mayo after that I'll be happy no matter what happens the rest of the way. That would fill two huge holes (not buying the new MLB is gonne be that great) and that's more than we normally do.

or Brandon Albert