2020 Broncos' Season, Draft Prospects

The NFL Draft is Thursday, you might have heard. It will be exciting to have a sporting event to look forward to, one that is live and usually full of twists at that. As we careen toward Round One, it's fun to speculate on what there might be for the Broncos, who currently hold the 15th pick. There is talk of them trading up, and at one point talk of adding a second first round pick. So let's consider a few of the names that might be out there for the Broncos in Round One.

The Broncos got their quarterback of the future and present in Drew Lock last year. They are set at tight end and made free agent moves to address defensive line and running back. So there are two obvious areas they figure to target in round one, and one possible surprise. So let's look at the candidates.

Wide Receiver:
The Broncos have an obvious need at receiver. Courtland Sutton is a stud, and the No. 1 for the team. Behind him there is Tim Patrick and DaeSean Hamilton, Diontae Spencer, Fred Brown and Juwann Winfree. So there's some potential for one to break out, but with a loaded receiver class it makes sense for the Broncos to take a big swing for Lock. There are three obvious first round candidates whether the team stays at 15 or jumps up.

* CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma: Lamb is a physical freak and most, including myself, have him atop the receiver rankings. If the Broncos move up, then it could be to grab Lamb. It's easy to see him as a weapon on the outside for the Broncos for many year.

*Jerry Jeudy, Alabama: Jeudy is an exceptional receiver and those that don't have Lamb at the top of their receiver board likely have Jeudy. The hottest rumor is that the Broncos are most sold on Jeudy and moving up is to assure themselves that they get him. Could this be a smokescreen? Sure, it's happened before. But I also think Jeudy would be a great pick and a great weapon to choose from.

* Henry Ruggs III, Alabama: The other possible is Ruggs, Alabama's other super stud receiver. We know he's fast, but that hasn't always translated into greatness in the NFL. If the Broncos stay at 15, he makes more sense. If they move up, I doubt it's to take Ruggs.

Offensive Tackle:
Do the Broncos have to take a tackle? No, they don't. The team has Garrett Bolles, who's had an uneven career but seemed better down the stretch. They also have Ja'Waun James, who if he can stay on the field should be solid. And yet, there are some great tackles in this draft, and I think the Broncos could improve their line by going OT in round one. And with a lot of depth in the receiver class, Round 2 or trading into the back of the first could enable them to get a receiver later. So let's consider some OT candidates.

* Tristan Wirfs, Iowa: Wirfs seems to be atop most rankings following the combine, and some mock drafts have him going as high as pick No. 4 to the Giants. So the question is if he falls and if the Broncos can get up to get him. Talk is they have looked at moving to nine (Jaguars) and 10 (Browns), and either spot would guarantee a Top 3 OT likely, but possibly not Wirfs. The Giants (four) and Cardinals (eight) could snag a tackle.

* Andrew Thomas, Georgia and Jedrick Wills, Jr., Alabama: These are the other two potential picks the Broncos could make if they want to go tackle. There's an outside chance they have Meckhi Becton higher, but I think most arguments are about these top three. I am torn because I think having a solid left tackle could benefit the offense greatly, but it's not a sexy pick.

Cornerback:
The only other position I think could be in the Round One discussion is cornerback. The Broncos have A.J. Bouye for a couple years, and Bryce Callahan should return. But the question is do the Broncos want to do more? The Lions have made no secret the No. 3 pick is available. So would the Broncos potentially move up there? If they did, or if they are more sold on needing a corner than we realize, who could be the pick.

* Jeff Okudah, Ohio State: The conventional thinking was the Lions would snag Okudah with the third pick. If Denver trades up there, I think there's a chance this is who they go with. If the Broncos traded up to nine and Okudah fell, I think he could be a potential pick there, too. He is doubtless the best corner prospect in the draft.

* C.J. Henderson, Florida: Henderson is the only other corner I could see Denver taking in the first round. He's graded as a mid-first prospect, so he could go at 15. If the board fell the wrong way, I could see the Broncos switching it up here. Still, I think it's more likely Denver addresses corner in the second or third round.


Prediction: I think the rumors of the Broncos moving up are true. While getting a top tackle could be a good long-term investment, I think Denver will move up and end up with Jerry Jeudy. Either way, we'll find out Thursday night.