Thread: What Grade Do You Give This Draft?

I gave it a B. I don’t like the Hamler pick. I think he’ll wind up being a bust.

Of their picks, I most question the Hammler pick. Yes, he could be a dynamic playmaker. But, if you are expecting a big impact, I think you will be disappointed.

He's a midget. He can't block anybody. I just don't think he's going to be used as much as people are speculating. I would expect a largely inconsequential year from him.

I'd like to be wrong, but we've seen this before. Super fast midget dude is supposed to light the NFL on fire and. . . . doesn't. He gets rung up a few times and gets happy feet; or he never learns how to block anybody so he's too much of a limitation out there. They can only use him on certain plays and it just might not be convenient to trot him out there for a certain route he can run.

So, for practical reasons, he never has the impact people anticipated for him. Because of his physical limitations. Some special guys can overcome that. But, very few.

I dont really have a problem with Hamler, especially after understanding what it was the Denver wants to do with the offense. But some of the later picks were a little more head scratchers for me with yet another TE and a very questionable albeit talented CB. Not the way i would have run the draft especially since it was do deep at WR but at least the Broncos did address certain positions later (except OT).

Originally Posted by Northman

I dont really have a problem with Hamler, especially after understanding what it was the Denver wants to do with the offense. But some of the later picks were a little more head scratchers for me with yet another TE and a very questionable albeit talented CB. Not the way i would have run the draft especially since it was do deep at WR but at least the Broncos did address certain positions later (except OT).

There were much better CB’s on board, imo, I hope Ojemudia isn’t another Langley or Yiadum. I need Ojemudia to start in Nickel from Day 1.

As of now, it’s an A. We took a bunch of players without really reaching at positions of need. Seriously, not a single person would be complaining had we taken Cush at 46, then got Hamler at 77, and Ojemudia at 83. Yep, we still have a need at tackle but outside of the top 4, I had little faith that any of the others were going to be an improvement over Bolles.

Of course when Jeudy shreds his ACL breaking ankles, Hamler becomes dropzilla, Ojemudia becomes Yiadom part 2, Albert O can’t learn the playbook and is the next Dick Quinn, Muti oh sweet, sweet Muti is hurt and never gets off IR, etc that grade can definitely change. I know Elway realizes that ILB and OT still need improvement he said so himself about OT and tried to trade back into the first for Queen. He did what he could without reaching and without mortgaging future drafts. Had he been able to get Trent Williams it would’ve been awesome but oh well. We’ll have to wait to see how it pans out but right now, this draft looks as good as the last couple. Elway and Fangio did very well.

Knock on wood.

I give the draft one grade: Incomplete.
They could all be busts, they could all be All Pros. Nobody knows until they get on the field.

I am, however, cautiously optimistic about this draft class. Elway went back to what made him a good GM in 2018. 2011 and 2012 were brilliant drafts, because Elway was taking character guys throughout the draft, particularly with the early picks, and taking his risks later in the draft. For whatever reasons, starting in 2013 and through 2016, Elway started taking gambles on guys early thinking "wow I love his measurables!" and disregarding character red flags. Unfortunately, the ultimate stroke of arrogance was taking a gamble on measurables with a questionable QUARTERBACK of all positions, the ultimate position where you need a high-character leader, and it hit this franchise hard. Elway got back to what made him good in the 2018 draft, taking not only high talent players in Chubb and Sutton, but taking character guys like Jewell.

Although Jewell is obviously going to become outclassed due to talent deficits, nonetheless having hard workers in the locker room is so important to team culture. I doubt Alexander Johnson busts his tail to essentially come from nowhere without the locker room culture the 2018 and 2019 draft classes began to cultivate.

2020 seems to be another draft class of character guys. Strnad was a team captain. Jeudy was highly productive for two years. KJ Hamler models his game after Steve Smith and DeSean Jackson with a serious case of little man syndrome. Watching his tape, he appears to play up to the competition and stage. Cushenberry was the starting Center on a national championship team, named team MVP in 2019, and a 2 year starter. McTelvin Agim was a team captain for Arkansas.

Personally, I like the Hamler pick WAY more than the Jeudy pick and it wouldn't shock me if Hamler ends up the better pro. I'm so excited to watch this guy play with Lock's arm. Hopefully, Bolles's arms don't get in the way.

Originally Posted by Northman

I dont really have a problem with Hamler, especially after understanding what it was the Denver wants to do with the offense. But some of the later picks were a little more head scratchers for me with yet another TE and a very questionable albeit talented CB. Not the way i would have run the draft especially since it was do deep at WR but at least the Broncos did address certain positions later (except OT).

I don't think there were any tackles better than our problems. The guard they got late is a complete beast, if he stays healthy.

The TE is fast and was very productive with Lock.

Plus, as was pointed out, Lock was only sacked 5 times in the last 5 games, so by fixing the interior of the line, and Lock's mobility and quick release, the tackles might not be as exposed as we've seen in the past.

Originally Posted by Jaded

There were much better CB’s on board, imo, I hope Ojemudia isn’t another Langley or Yiadum. I need Ojemudia to start in Nickel from Day 1.

Yep, but Broncos coaches and staff didn't share that opinion. I'm sure we all hope they are right, and the mock drafters were wrong.

Originally Posted by Tned

Yep, but Broncos coaches and staff didn't share that opinion. I'm sure we all hope they are right, and the mock drafters were wrong.

I’d rather be right, **** the Broncos.

https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/202...ft-in-the-nfl/

This ones for Tned, I know it’s not PFF but it is stat geek.

Originally Posted by Tned

I don't think there were any tackles better than our problems. The guard they got late is a complete beast, if he stays healthy.

The TE is fast and was very productive with Lock.

Plus, as was pointed out, Lock was only sacked 5 times in the last 5 games, so by fixing the interior of the line, and Lock's mobility and quick release, the tackles might not be as exposed as we've seen in the past.

Whistling past the graveyard.

"Surely it can't be as craptastic as the last 6 years!"

We have heard all this before:

"The Broncos OL did suck in the past, but we've fixed the problems at LT this season!

We've got Michael Schofield. Er, Russell Okung! Um, Garrett Bolles! Ah, we're getting the best OL coach in football in Mike Munchak to come in and fix Bolles. Um, well that didn't work great last year, but Drew Lock is a lot more mobile than Flacco, so he won't get sacked as much when Bolles gets run over or around, and hopefully he'll learn how to tackle guys without getting called all the time."

None of the Broncos speed guys are going to be worth spit if the OL can't block anybody. You can't take a five step drop and throw downfield to Jeudy if Lock has to get rid of the ball in 1.8 seconds because Bolles lets his man blow past him all the time, if he's not actively holding.

So, it all comes down to this: Do you think that Garrett Bolles is going to be better in his 4th season than he has been his last three? Cause in the last three he sucked serious monkey-butt.

Originally Posted by Cugel

Whistling past the graveyard.

"Surely it can't be as craptastic as the last 6 years!"

We have heard all this before:

"The Broncos OL did suck in the past, but we've fixed the problems at LT this season!

We've got Michael Schofield. Er, Russell Okung! Um, Garrett Bolles! Ah, we're getting the best OL coach in football in Mike Munchak to come in and fix Bolles. Um, well that didn't work great last year, but Drew Lock is a lot more mobile than Flacco, so he won't get sacked as much when Bolles gets run over or around, and hopefully he'll learn how to tackle guys without getting called all the time."

None of the Broncos speed guys are going to be worth spit if the OL can't block anybody. You can't take a five step drop and throw downfield to Jeudy if Lock has to get rid of the ball in 1.8 seconds because Bolles lets his man blow past him all the time, if he's not actively holding.

So, it all comes down to this: Do you think that Garrett Bolles is going to be better in his 4th season than he has been his last three? Cause in the last three he sucked serious monkey-butt.

No, it comes down to this. Which tackle did the Broncos pass on that you thought would be the answer?

Originally Posted by Tned

No, it comes down to this. Which tackle did the Broncos pass on that you thought would be the answer?

Josh Jones, Cards got a steal.

C

Sorry, but this seems like an old school Elway draft. A ton of boom or bust players, with fingers crossed hoping the athletic ability is somehow realized.

A complete departure from the last two drafts, IMO.