Thoughts On The 2018 Denver Broncos Draft

The 2018 draft has come and gone, and I will get straight to the point. The Broncos did a fantastic job in this years draft. Going into the there were two main groups of people, and those were the fans who thought that Denver should take their next franchise QB, and those who thought they shouldn't. I don't think I made any doubts about the fact I didn't think that Denver should NOT draft a QB with the 5th pick, or make the mistake of trading up to draft one. I think the NFL has changed, and now it is about how you coach the QBs you have rather than which QB you have. Of course it will always be important to draft, or sign a talented QB, and there will always be the guys who are just have the gift from God to be a QB, but for the most part it is about how you coach the QB you have, and how receptive he is to that coaching. With that said I am going to dig into each pick. 

With their first pick at pick number 5 the Broncos selected arguably the best defensive player int he draft in Bradley Chubb. Chubb is 6'4 and 270lbs and has the ability to play both on the line, and at outside linebacker. This pick was an interesting one because after Denver made the pick it came out that Denver was set to trade their pick to Buffalo because it was assumed that Cleveland was going to draft Chubb with the 4th pick. When Cleveland instead chose a cornerback rather than Chubb, Denver canceled its trade with Cleveland to pick the player who most people thought was the best defensive player in the draft. Chubb will come in and make an immediate impact, and has Von Miller to help tutor him, and show him how to be a successful player in the NFL. 

With their second pick, at pick number 40 Denver shocked a lot of people and drafted Cortland Sutton, a wide receiver from SMU. This move wasn't necessarily a move Denver made out of necessity, but because Sutton was the best player still on the board at the time. Denver has a need for wide receivers, and I believe they would have taken a receiver at some point in the draft, but when Sutton was still there I think Denver made the decision to take the best player available. Sutton has the potential to be one of the top players in the NFL in a few years, and is the player who Denver has selected to replace Demaryius Thomas when he decides to retire. Sutton is a player who has the ability to be one of the top receivers in the NFL, and I believe that Denver took him with that in mind. This was a great pick for the Broncos, and he should be very exciting to watch next season. 

The third player the Broncos selected at pick number 71 is Royce Freeman who is a running back out of Oregon. At 5'11 and 234lbs he has the size, and ability to be a 3 down running back in the NFL. He was a 4 year starter for the Ducks, and was an absolute workhorse for them. Denver let CJ Anderson go, and Devontae Booker has largely been a disappointment from the hopes they had when they chose him. Freeman should immediately compete for the starting position this year, and in my opinion he should be the favorite to be the starter going into the season. 

Denver's 4th selection was at pick 99, and he is a cornerback from Boston College.He is 6'1 and 190lbs, so he has the size to cover any wide receiver in the league, but he also has the athletic ability to make plays on the ball. I think this was a great choice after last season Denver chose Brandon Langley, and when he got his opportunity to play he was exposed. Isaac Yiadom is a bigger, more physical corner from Boston College that should immediately compete for at least the 4th corner spot, and I wouldn't be surprised if he competed with Tramaine Brock for the 3rd corner spot as well. 

Denver's 5th selection came in round 4 and was the 106th pick overall. Josey Jewell is a player I suggested Denver draft on this blog. I am not going to lie, when a player I viewed as a player Denver should draft got picked it felt pretty good. Jewell is a player I think could compete with Todd Davis immediately for the starting job. He is a violent hitter, and has the speed to cover running backs out of the backfield. Covering running backs has been something that Denver has been lacking since they let Danny Trevathan go. Jewell is a guy who can come in immediately and compete for a starting spot, and will be an instant contributor on special teams. He was a team captain for the Hawkeyes, and will be a player that should have a very long, successful career for the Broncos. 

Denver had two picks in the 4th round, and with their second pick in the 4th round, at pick number 113 Denver picked wide receiver Daesean Hamilton from Penn State. Hamilton will have the inside track at being Denver's slot receiver next season. He isn't overly big at 6'1 and 198lbs, and isn't overly fast either with his fastest 40 time being 4.47. What he is, and what he is known for is being the one of, if not the best route runner in the draft, and when you are looking for a slot receiver route running ability is the main attribute you need to have. It should be exciting to see how he fits into the offense next year, and I would expect him to be the starting slot receiver going into the season. 

Denver also had one 5th round pick this year, and at pick 156 Denver picked another player who I went over in detail on this blog, and that is Wisconsin tight end Troy Fumagalli. He is a big body tight end at 6'6 and 248lbs, and is known more for his ability to catch the ball than block. At his size he should be able to develop into a blocker, and be a great compliment to Jake Butt who will be Denver's do it all tight end. Slot receiver and tight end were two of Denver's main weaknesses last year, and getting Jake Butt back from injury, and drafting Fumagalli should remedy that situation at tight end. Once again, I went over this guy in pretty good detail, and I am excited that he will be a Bronco next year. 

Denver had two 6th round picks, and with their first one, at pick 183 Denver drafted a offensive lineman who is also local product named Sam Jones who went to Arizona State. At 6'5 and 305lbs he has the size to come in and compete for a job, and everyone loves a feel good story where a local high school player gets to come home, and play for his hometown team. The second 6th round pick Denver had was pick 217, and they chose another linebacker named Keishawn Bierria from the University of Washington. Bierria will most likely be looked at to compete on special teams for his first few years, and then see what he can develop into. He is a physical player who was a solid pick for the Broncos. 

With their last pick in draft, in the 7th round Denver chose a big body running back out of the University of Arkansas named David Williams. At pick 226 I would expect him to be put at on the practice squad, and maybe turn into a player in the next few years. 

Overall I think would grade Denver's draft with a B+. They managed to pick up a player at all their positions of need, but I think they might have waited too long to draft an interior lineman. I think they only way this draft could've been better is if they traded up in the 2nd round and picked up Will Hernandez, or Ronald Jones who were all taken within 7 picks of when Denver picked in the 2nd round. Getting Hernandez, or a game breaking back line Ronald Jones would've been the only way I think this draft could've been better. That said, I think this was a great rebound drafts from the last few years.