The Broncos started their Day 3 NFL draft activity by selecting Missouri tight end Albert Okwuegbunam with their fourth-round pick (No. 118 overall).
A college teammate of quarterback Drew Lock, Okwuegbunam declared for the draft after his fourth-year junior season.
“We talked a little bit before the draft, saying it would be cool if we landed together,” Okwuegbunam said on a media conference call. “(We) didn’t know it was going to happen. Right after I got the call, he was blowing up my phone super fired up.”
Listed at 6-foot-5 1/ 2 and 258 pounds, Okwuegbunam ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds at the combine (fastest among the participating tight ends).
“I knew I was going to run that,” he said. “During training, I knew I could hit 4.5 and when they started actually timing me, I was hitting the lows 4.5s consistently. I knew at my best I was going to hit high 4.4s and at my worst, mid 4.5s. I worked my butt off training and attacked every day and that was the outcome.”
In 33 games (24 starts), Okwuegbunam had 98 catches for 1,187 yards, but a whopping 23 touchdowns.
In a text message, a veteran NFL offensive assistant said: “Better than some of the tight ends taken before him. Obviously has speed to be match-up issue. … Good vertical speed and body control. Above average route runner and after-catch ability. We had him as an eventual starter.”
In two years playing with Lock, Okwuegbunam had 17 touchdowns among his 72 catches.
“Off the field, we’re brothers and get along great and that translated to the field,” Okwuegbunam said. “I just felt, a lot of the time, in tough situations, I was the guy he felt comfortable with. If we needed a big play, his eyes were coming to me.”
The Broncos’ tight end room is crowded. The top three are Noah Fant, Nick Vannett and Jeff Heuerman. Okwuegbunam fits in with Troy Fumagalli and Jake Butt. Austin Fort and Bug Howard are also under contract.
“Fant is a good player. A really good tight end,” Okwuegbunam said. “He came out last year and I thought about coming out last year. Ultimately, I had a shoulder injury and decided to come back. I’m excited. Iron sharpens iron and I’ve heard a lot of great things from Drew about him.”
Albert Okwuegbunam
Round/pick: Fourth/118th overall
Age: 22
Position: Tight end
Height/weight: 6-5/258
College: Missouri
Hometown: Springfield, Ill.
Notable: Was a 225-pound receiver in high school, but recruited as a tight end. … Redshirted at Missouri in 2016 and then had 98 catches for 1,187 yards and 23 touchdowns in 33 games (24 starts). … Second-team All-SEC as a freshman (11 touchdowns). … In two years with current Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, caught 17 touchdowns among 72 catches. … Had the longest arms (34 1/8 inches) of any combine tight end and ran the fastest 40 (4.49 seconds, fifth-fastest by a tight end since 2003). … Turned 22 on Saturday.
