The 2019 NFL draft landed the Broncos a big, athletic tight end target (Noah Fant) for quarterback Joe Flacco, the return of a hometown star (Dalton Risner) and possibly the quarterback of the future (Drew Lock). And that was just in the first two rounds.
Denver earned positive grades for its selections. Denver Post’s Ryan O’Halloran gave the team a B, as did . ESPN’s for their class: “All in all, getting two really good players before the player who could be the future quarterback feels like a win for Elway.”
So who are the new Denver players? Here’s a glimpse of the Broncos’ 2019 draft class:
Round 1, No. 20 pick: TE Noah Fant, Iowa
Fant (6-foot-4, 249 pounds) had 78 catches in three years for the Hawkeyes and joins Jeff Heuerman, Jake Butt and Troy Fumagalli, all former Big Ten tight ends, on the depth chart. Fant should get a chance to contribute immediately.
Round 2, No. 41 pick: G/C Dalton Risner, Kansas State
Risner went into the weekend rated as the No. 3 tackle prospect by NFL.com, and was tagged by CBS Sports as the No. 8 offensive line prospect and No. 33 draft prospect overall. He grew up a Broncos fan while playing for Wiggins High School on the eastern plains of Colorado, near Fort Morgan.
Round 2, No. 42 pick: QB Drew Lock, Missouri
Lock started 46 games at Missouri, throwing 99 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. “Smart, accurate, competitive,” an AFC offensive assistant told The Denver Post. “If we needed a quarterback, he would have been my second choice behind (Kyler) Murray.”
Round 3, No. 71 pick: DT Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State
Jones, a 2018 first-team All-Big Ten selection, compiled 114 tackles and 9.5 sacks over three college seasons. He will add depth to the Broncos’ interior rush after the team parted ways with defensive tackle Domata Peko.
Round 5, No. 156 pick: LB Justin Hollins, Oregon
Hollins, a fifth-year senior, was the only player in the nation last season with at least five sacks, five forced fumbles and one interception. He was primarily an edge rusher at Oregon, but Broncos general manager John Elway posted Saturday on Twitter that Hollins “can play inside and outside” linebacker.
Round 6, No. 187 pick: WR Juwann Winfree, Colorado
The Broncos added some more hometown flavor to their 2019 NFL draft class. Winfree is an athletic 6-foot-3 and 210-pound pass catcher who played two seasons for the Buffs after transferring from Maryland.
— , The Denver Post
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What’s on Tap?
- Rockies: At Milwaukee Brewers, 5:40 p.m. Monday, ATTRM |
- Nuggets: Portland Trail Blazers, 8:30 p.m. Monday, TNT |
- Avalanche: San Jose Sharks, 8 p.m. Tuesday, NBCSN |
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
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Scoreboard
NHL playoffs: Avalanche 4, Sharks 3
Full story |
MLB: Braves 8, Rockies 7
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Must-Read
Analysis: John Elway “excited” about offseason additions. Has it been enough?
Should a Broncos fan base that dissects every Elway move be overjoyed or, to use new tight end Noah Fantap favorite phrase, “super-stoked,” about the upcoming season? With the major player acquisition period of the offseason complete, should the Broncos be expected to climb back into AFC West contention? Read more…
How the Denver Nuggets match up with the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA playoffs
Though they won’t go head-to-head, Lillard vs. Jokic represents the faces of two up-and-coming franchises colliding. Read more…
Kiszla: After winning Game 7 for Nuggets, Nikola Jokic was too pooped to dance. So a reborn basketball city got up and danced for him.
When it was finally over, and the Nuggets had won a playoff series for the first time in a decade by beating San Antonio 90-86 Saturday night, center Nikola Jokic was so weary he could not take another step. Too pooped to raise a fist much less pump it, Joker placed hands on his knees near center court, bent over at the waist and let the happy noise wash over him. Read more…
More from Kiz:
+ Drew Lock is John Elway’s new favorite quarterback. This isn’t going to end well for Joe Flacco.
Quick Hits
+ Why Noah Fant will be more to Denver Broncos than Joe Flacco’s favorite toy
+ Analysis: Drew Lock is the Broncos’ quarterback in waiting. Itap a “Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers-type situation.”
+ Broncos Noah Fant is proven pass catcher. Will he measure up as NFL blocker?
+ Broncos undrafted free agents: Here’s the list of players Denver has added
+ Broncos podcast: Biggest takeaways from Denver’s 2019 NFL draft class
+ Chambers: Mr. Mannequin, Jared Bednar, is calm and cool behind the Avalanche’s bench
+ Goalie Philipp Grubauer provides an edge for the Avalanche against San Jose Sharks
+ Why the Nuggets can’t wait to wave hello to Damian Lillard
+ Nuggets stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have arrived after thrilling Game 7 victory
+ Tyler Anderson continues to struggle at back of Rockies’ rotation
Post Mailbag forms
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
By The Numbers
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How many wins the Rapids have in 2019 after losing 1-0 to Atlanta United on Saturday. Colorado 0-7-2 on the year. Read more…
Parting Shot
Cherry Creek Sneak a rite of April for Denver area runners
The Sneak began as a 5-miler in 1982 at a time when most races were either 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) or 5K. Since then, a 5K and 10-miler were added to the Sneak’s program, but many in the running community still see the 5-miler as its signature event because of tradition and because races of that distance are uncommon. Read more…
Get in Touch
If you see something thatap cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me .
