Quarterbacks and pass-catchers are going to define the action in Thursday’s first round of the NFL draft.
Expected to be taken among the first 12-15 picks are quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, Justin Fields and Trey Lance, receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith and tight end Kyle Pitts.
That could put Broncos general manager George Paton in position to take advantage … without selecting any of the aforementioned players.
As teams jockey to move up, the ninth overall pick looks to be a solid landing spot. New England (moving up from No. 15 to get a quarterback), Arizona (moving up from No. 16 to get a pass-catcher), Washington (moving up from No. 19 for a quarterback) and Chicago (moving up from No. 20 for a quarterback) could all be potential trade partners depending on how the draft board unfolds.
Here is one scenario for how Paton could tackle his first draft with the Broncos
First round (16th overall): Georgia edge rusher Azeez Ojulari
Broncos trade No. 9 to Arizona for Nos. 16 and 49
If Paton stays at No. 9, he could have his choice of any defensive player. In this scenario, he still ends up with arguably this year’s best pass-rusher. Ojulari was a two-year starter at Georgia and one of college football’s most disruptive players last season when he led the SEC with 8 1/2 sacks, 12 1/2 tackles for lost yardage and four forced fumbles. Two of those forced fumbles came in a Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati. Early in the fourth quarter, Ojulari was standing up and beat the left tackle with a speed move/hand chop to sack-and-strip the quarterback. On the final play of the game, he was in a three-point stance and used his long arms to keep the left tackle off balance for another sack-and-strip. At 6-foot-2, Ojulari doesn’t have elite size, but his arm length is a plus (34 1/2 inches) and he consistently uses his burst and physicality to win pass-rushing battles. Ojulari can rush from either side of the line of scrimmage and moves well when dropping into coverage. His best fit at the NFL level is as a 3-4 outside linebacker, which makes him an ideal long-term partner for Bradley Chubb.
Second round (40th overall): UCF S Richie Grant
It has to be eating at coach Vic Fangio that his defense has forced just 33 takeaways (17 in 2019, 16 in ’20) in two seasons. Enter Grant, who showed a penchant for creating turnovers with seven forced fumbles and 10 interceptions in 47 games (33 starts) at UCF. The former high school receiver has tremendous range, closing speed and ball skills and worked hard to clean up some technique issues. Additionally, he is a willing tackler (7.6 per game over the past three seasons) and excellent on special teams. Grant has consistently proven to be a quick learner and dedicated worker. He would be an overqualified third safety behind Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson as a rookie, but that chance to process the game would be valuable down the road.
Second round (49th overall): Syracuse CB Ifeatu Melifonwu
The additional pick acquired from Arizona in our mock draft trade would allow the Broncos to further fortify their secondary. At 6-foot-2, Melifonwu is built to be an outside cornerback at the NFL level. He had 10 passes defensed last season, including three against Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Most impressively, Melifonwu stayed under control on a double move and matched Tigers receiver Cornell Powell stride for stride to break up a deep pass. Melifonwu needs to clean up his tackling and get more experience in press coverage, but with continued coaching, he should be an above-average starting cornerback.
Third round (71st overall): Stanford OT Walker Little
Little to the Broncos makes a lot of sense … if his medicals check out. He has played in just one game the past two seasons after suffering a knee injury in 2019 and opting out of last season, so he is going to need some time to get his feet under him. But at 6-foot-7 and 313 pounds, Little has the ideal size and traits to be a starting right tackle under the tutelage of offensive line coach Mike Munchak. The former five-star prospect was rated alongside players such as Alex Leatherwood (likely second-round pick) and Jedrick Wills (first-round pick in 2020) exiting high school. If healthy, Little has the upside to match those quality of players.
Third round (101st overall): North Carolina RB Michael Carter
Broncos trade Nos. 114, 152, 253 to Detroit for No. 101 and 2022 sixth-round pick
The most frequent response to our tape review of Carter that published last week: Will he actually be around at No. 114? Itap certainly possible, but in this case, the Broncos act aggressively and trade back into the third round to get the North Carolina standout. Carter led the ACC in rushing yards (1,245) and rushing yards per game (113.2) last season and doesn’t have as much wear-and-tear as other college running backs because of how he was used in a rotation with Javonte Williams.
Round 6 (191st overall): BYU DT Khyiris Tonga
Acquiring interior defensive line help is never a bad idea, and at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds, Tonga looks the part of a solid rotational player. He totaled 7 1/2 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in four seasons and did a good job getting his hands in the way while adding 12 pass break-ups. If the pick works out, Tonga eventually anchors the defensive line as a two-down nose tackle with room to grow.
Round 7 (237th overall): Texas A&M LB Anthony Hines III
A former four-star recruit, Hines suffered a torn ACL in 2018 and opted out in 2020. But in his lone season as a starter, he totaled 73 tackles, including 10 1/2 for loss, in 13 games. If nothing else, Hines should be able to contribute on special teams.
Round 7 (239th overall): Virginia TE Tony Poljan
A former college quarterback, Poljan became a full-time tight end in 2019 at Central Michigan and played his final college season at Virginia. In that time, he totaled 71 catches for 907 yards and 10 touchdowns. Poljan is a bit of a project, but at 6-foot-7, his size and solid hands make him worth a look.
