INDIANAPOLIS — The Broncos’ new head coach and general manager started the week by ridding the team of much of its past.
Now coach Josh McDaniels and GM Brian Xanders will begin the work of assembling the Broncos’ future at the NFL scouting combine, which runs through Tuesday.
It’s a complicated process that combines hours and hours of film work from players’ collegiate careers with myriad tests and in-depth interviews that will be conducted at the combine, at workouts on college campuses throughout the spring or at individual workouts at the team facility.
Prospects began interviewing with NFL scouts and executives Wednesday. The workout portion of the combine starts Saturday.
“The artwork of it, or the beauty of it, is connecting those traits of toughness and smarts, intelligence, instincts, versatility, production all into the system that we have in place here,” Xanders said.
The Broncos have nine draft picks — one each in the first, second, third, fourth and sixth rounds, and two each in the fifth and seventh rounds. Many of them figure to be used on defensive players. The Broncos’ first pick is at No. 12.
“We’re fortunate to have 17 draft picks in the next two years, which is an outstanding opportunity,” Xanders said Monday. “Every team wants to build its core through the draft.”
The Broncos will be active once free agency starts Feb. 27, but recent roster moves leave the team with plenty of options as staff members evaluate college prospects. The Broncos this week released five players who started on defense in 2008, and at least one player from every defensive position.
Xanders, who met with reporters Monday, would not identify the Broncos’ top priorities, but Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN’s draft expert, said he thinks the team should focus first on rebuilding the defensive line.
“They tried to address that with the Crowders, the Thomases, the Mosses, guys like that, but it just did not work out for Mike Shanahan with those type of moves,” Kiper said, referring to 2007 draft picks Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder, both defensive ends, and tackle Marcus Thomas. Only Thomas was a starter in 2008.
With the expected conversion to a 3-4 defensive scheme, the Broncos will need to add a beefy nose tackle, such as Boston College’s B.J. Raji, who is 6-feet-2 and 334 pounds.
With the move Tuesday to release cornerback Dre Bly, the Broncos might use their first pick on an elite cornerback able to help immediately.
Denver’s main priority on offense is at running back, and after a disastrous 2008 — when injuries forced the Broncos to start five players there — the team might try to find a durable, top-flight tailback.
“They’ve had great success in getting guys late or as undrafted free agents, but they certainly have to think about that,” Kiper said.
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
