I have made a lot of posts talking about the problems that Denver has had on the offensive line, and pointing out that whoever the Broncos have at QB won't matter with the offensive line as it is currently constructed. As such I think my pick might surprise people, but I can say I have literally watched hours of tape on the tackle prospects coming out this year. This draft is deep in tackles, and Denver should be able to find the guy they can plug in immediately and have a starter at the left tackle position for years to come.
My pick for the future left tackle of the Denver Broncos is not a player I would take with the 5th pick in the draft. My pick for the Denver Broncos left tackle is Desmond Harrison, a left tackle out of the University of West Georgia. Harrison has a troubled past, and was recruited to the University of Texas, but ended up playing at West Georgia University, and is kind of a "diamond in the rough".
Why do I feel he is the player to pick? Well I think that question can be answered in what you look for in a left tackle. Obviously he needs to be a big guy, and while he is no doubt a big guy, he needs to get bigger. Getting bigger isn't something that cannot be achieved through a solid offseason of hard work, and isn't something that is going to take away from his natural God given abilities. Denver has taken risks on players before like Bradley Roby and Shane Ray, so taking a player other teams would consider a gamble isn't something totally foreign to the Broncos. If you watch the film I think it is pretty clear to see that this kid is a special football player. As someone who has played offensive line he was really the only player coming out this year that really impressed me. Harrison is more mobile than any other left tackle I watched film on, and I watched film on just about every offensive linemen coming out. He has long arms, has fantastic footwork, and absolutely plays with a mean streak. As I mentioned I have watched film on every offensive linemen coming out, and the way this kid finishes his blocks is second to none. A player who transfers from a big school to a small one should show he absolutely dominates his competition, and it was clear to me that is exactly what he did. No other offensive tackle in this draft has his ability to get to the second level on run plays, and has the length and strength to pass block in the manner he does. Will he have to gain some weight? Absolutely. I have seen him listed at anywhere between 288lbs to 315lbs depending on the site you look at. Ideally I would like to see him playing around 320-325lbs. Every scouting website makes it clear he has the frame to gain that weight, and with the right offseason conditioning program it is 100% achievable. Depending on how he does at the combine I think he can be drafted in the 2nd or even 3rd round. He would end up being the steal of the draft if the Broncos got him in the 3rd round, but the Broncos front office needs to be ready to make a move with the draft capital they have in the way of picks to pull the trigger on a trade should a run on tackles start in the second round.
So who do the Broncos take with the 5th pick? With the 5th pick in the 2018 NFL draft the Denver Broncos select, Quentin Nelson, guard, from Notre Dame. Nelson has been labeled the best guard that has come out of college in years. The Broncos draft Nelson at 5, and he immediately starts at right guard. This allows Denver to move Ronald Leary back to left guard, a position that he made his name at. Having Leary at left guard will help Harrison adjust to the NFL, and give him the help he needs to shorten his learning curve. Drafting Harrison also lets Denver move Garrett Bolles to right tackle where you typically want a nastier, more of a run blocker type of offensive lineman. Bolles being in the league for a year will also help Nelson adjust, but I have absolutely zero worries about Quentin Nelson adjusting to the NFL. Nelson is without a doubt a special player, and potentially a generational player that could be one of the anchors of the Broncos offensive line for 10 years or more. I also do not believe it is a stretch to say that with Ronald Leary at left guard, and Quentin Nelson at right guard the Broncos might have the best guard tandem in the NFL. It also wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that with Harrison at left tackle, and Bolles at right tackle Denver could have their offensive tackles set for years as well. An offensive line consisting of Desmond Harrison at LT, Ronald Leary at LG, Matt Paradis at C, Quentin Nelson at RG, and Garrett Bolles at RT could give Denver the best young offensive line in the NFL. With Denver needing a new QB, and at least one new running back having their offensive line set for years to come would be something Denver could build around. When you watch this film on Desmond Harrison pay attention to how he moves, how he gets to the second level, and how he finishes blocks. He has the potential to be a special left tackle in the NFL, and I would draft him in the 3rd round, or even potentially the 2nd round.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zZaO_TpMYo
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