North squad offensive tackle Cole Toner of Harvard (79) fails at holding back South squad defensive end Noah Spence of Eastern Kentucky (97) when he sacks North squad quarterback Kevin Hogan of Stanford (8) in the first half during the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game on Jan. 30, 2016, in Mobile, Ala. (Brynn Anderson, The Associated Press)
Broncos general manager John Elway has formed the heart of the Broncos through the draft with much of his best work recently done by taking chances on players with small off-the-field issues.
In 2014, Elway drafted cornerback Bradley Roby with the No. 31 pick. Roby was projected to be selected in the top half of the first round, but fell partly because of a couple run-ins with the police during his time at Ohio State and leading up to the draft.
In 2015, Elway drafted outside linebacker Shane Ray. Another talented defense prospect that fell to No. 23 partly due to a misdemeanor marijuana citation just weeks before the draft.
Both played key roles in the Broncos championship season. Roby as the youngest member of the no-fly-zone. Ray as a speedy pass rusher behind two All-Pros in DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller. Elway saw through their mistakes and picked up the talent that other teams missed. So who could be the next gem in the same mold for the Broncos?
NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock named two more defensive guys with checkered pasts that could be next in line: Ole Miss defensive linemen Robert Nkemdiche and Eastern Kentucky outside linebacker Noah Spence.
Spence was banned by the Big 10 for multiple failed drug tests from the drug ecstasy during his time at Ohio State. He led OSU with eight sacks and was a first-team All-Big 10 selection as a sophomore in 2013. He decided to go to Eastern Kentucky instead of entering the draft early after being kicked off the team. In his lone season at EKU, Spence had 11.5 sacks and was a FCS All-American. Spence admitted his drug problem and has tried to distance himself from his mistakes while at Ohio State.
A couple of scouts have labeled Spence as the best pure pass rusher in the draft.
After the Broncos’ Super Bowl performance, everyone is looking for the next Von Miller. At 6-foot-2, 254 pounds, Spence holds a similar size as Miller and would likely be competing with Ohio State’s Joey Bosa for first outside linebacker selected if it weren’t for his off the field issues. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. went as far as to compare Spence to Miller.
Nkemdiche missed the Sugar Bowl due to an incident in which he fell 15 feet from a hotel window in Atlanta. He was ultimately charged with drug possession and later apologized. There are also questions about his effort level on the field.
Talent, however, is not an issue. At 6-4, 296 pounds, Nkemdiche is an imposing man who would fit best as a 3-4 defensive end or 4-3 defensive tackle. Mayock said Nkemdiche would be in the conversation for the No. 1-overall pick if not for his off-the-field issues.
His pass-rush numbers — seven sacks over three seasons — leave much to be desired. Nkemdiche spent most of his time in college playing defensive tackle, which limited his stats. He’s known for his athleticism (caught a 31-yard touchdown pass on offense, blocked field goal in 2015). Scouts have considered Nkemdiche as a pro-ready defensive linemen since he first hit the Ole Miss campus.
Interviews at the NFL combine and individual team meeting will be key for both talented players to prove that they can better off-the-field than they showed in college. Elway, along with other teams, will do their due diligence.
Dallas Cowboys offensive linemen La’el Collins went from a first-round prospect to undrafted after his name was linked to a double homicide before the 2015 NFL Draft. He was never considered a suspect, but the connection alone was enough to scare all 32 teams away.
As always, there’s a level of risk/reward in taking certain prospects. The Broncos tend to be willing take a bit more of a risk if they believe a player has grown from his mistakes. Neither should be there when the Broncos pick at No. 31.
But if they are, there is one thing the Super Bowl proved — there’s no such thing as too many pass rushers.
