Denver Broncos 2015 NFL Offseason Draft Scouting Guide

It’s over. The 2014 season came to an abrupt end for the Denver Broncos as they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Indianapolis Colts.

With the season over, the focus of the team (outside of finding a new head coach) shifts to the draft season. The NFL draft is one of the biggest events in all of sports, and there is not a single game that is played on the field. Instead, it’s front office versus front office as the scouting departments try to find the next great college players.

This is my favorite time of the year. For the last nine years, I journey on what I call “The Ultimate Road Trip.” I travel to the East-West Shrine Game, Reese’s Senior Bowl, pro days, the NFL Scouting Combine and the NFL draft over the course of the next few months.

Here is my Broncos guide to the NFL draft. Listed within are the next group of players at each position of need the Broncos have. I will examine top studs available at each position, mid-round value picks and late-round sleepers for the Broncos.

The Picks

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We don’t know the exact draft order for all seven rounds yet, but we know about where the Broncos will be in each round. They have the 28th pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft, and all of their picks in each round will be in that range.

Later this year, the Broncos could be awarded compensatory picks. That decision will be made by the league depending on teams who lose a greater number of free agents than they sign. Compensatory picks are handed out for Rounds 4-7, and they cannot be part of a trade.

• First Round: Pick No. 28 
• Second Round: Pick No. 59
• Third Round: Pick No. 92
• Fourth Round: Currently no pick, traded to San Francisco 49ers
• Fifth Round: Two picks here, their pick plus the Chicago Bears' pick
• Sixth Round: TBD
• Seventh Round: Currently no pick, traded to New York Giants

Offensive Tackle

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The Broncos must improve the offensive line in 2015. They tried multiple combinations up front in 2014, but none of those formulas provided fantastic protection for Peyton Manning.

General manager John Elway knows he must build a stronger line in front of his aging quarterback.

“Having been a quarterback, [Manning] knows that I’m going to take care of him and that offensive line. We always want to protect the quarterback. I think that changing things for those guys might help them also and we’ll do what we can do this offseason and try to help them also.”

Day 1 Stud: Ereck Flowers, Miami

The Broncos are sitting in their usual spot—near the end of the first round. They’ll have to be a bit lucky to see a guy like Flowers available at that time. This is a strong class of offensive tackles, and there may be six or seven tackles selected as first-round picks in the 2015 NFL draft.

Flowers has a wide base to take up a lot of space in pass protection. His wingspan helps him get ahold of rushers on the edge. With good lateral quickness, Flowers can latch onto his man quickly as a run-blocker. Plus, he’s got the athleticism to be a “sticky blocker” at the second level of the defense.

Day 2 Project: Ty Sambrailo, Colorado State

The Broncos should have their eye on local product Ty Sambrailo in the first or second round. Sambrailo was a standout player for the Colorado State Rams just down the road in Fort Collins.

He’s a versatile player who can line up at multiple spots up front. This ability to play inside at guard or outside at tackle makes him a more enticing prospect for the Broncos to choose. Sambrailo has the quick feet and aggressive mindset to be a menacing run-blocker.

Day 3 Sleeper: Robby Havenstein, Wisconsin

NFL teams can do a lot worse than selecting a third-day tackle from the Big Ten. With 28 starts at right tackle during his college career with the Badgers, Robby Havenstein is a fine developmental prospect to consider on day three of the draft.

Havenstein is huge (6’8”, 325 pounds) and takes up a ton of space on the outside. While not an elite athlete, Havenstein is known more as a mauler who struggles against smaller pass-rushers.

Inside Linebacker

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The Broncos have been looking for a quality “set it and forget it” middle linebacker for a long time. In today’s NFL, middle linebackers are part-time players who often come off the field in obvious passing situations. However, there are a few prospects who break the mold and are full-time players.

Denver is looking for one of those players, and they may turn to the draft in order to find him. At the very least, Denver could add valuable depth at the position with a developmental prospect late in the draft.

Day 1 Stud: Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State

There may be only one inside linebacker worth selecting in the first round this year. That player is Benardrick McKinney.

A converted high school quarterback, McKinney is known as an outstanding athlete who can line up all over the field. He can star at middle linebacker where his long arms and violent hands can control the point of attack. McKinney also has plenty of experience rushing the passer from either end.

Day 2 Project: Denzel Perryman, Miami

The Broncos could choose to wait at the position until the second round of the draft. If they do wait, then Denzel Perryman is a fantastic prospect to select.

Built in the mold of London Fletcher, Perryman is a smaller inside linebacker (5’11”, 240 pounds) with incredible instincts. He does an outstanding job of diagnosing the play as it breaks down in front of him, and Perryman can securely wrap up a ball-carrier before a big gain is made. Perryman also has the hip swivel and athleticism to cover move tight ends in space.

Day 3 Sleeper: Trey DePriest, Alabama

Selecting a late-round inside linebacker, a team must be looking for one outstanding trait. That may be speed, or a nose for the football or the ability to be a consistent tackler. With late-round prospect Trey DePriest, his game is built on arriving at the ball with natural violence.

He might be a bit of an odd fit in a 4-3 scheme, but DePriest plays like a bull inside. He can wreck fullbacks who come through the hole, and DePriest does a good job of making plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

Tight End

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We could see the Broncos lose both Julius Thomas and Jacob Tamme in free agency this year. Virgil Green is also set to be an unrestricted free agent, but I expect Denver to retain him this offseason.

Gary Kubiak is the new head coach of the Broncos, per ESPN.com, and he’ll be looking for good all-purpose tight ends who can work in his West Coast offense. Denver will have a watchful eye on this position in the draft, although it’s not an overall strong class at tight end.

Day 1 Stud: Maxx Williams, Minnesota

Arguably the best tight end in this class, Maxx Williams could be an option for the Broncos in the first round. His blend of athleticism, strength and speed could be too enticing to pass up.

Williams has a skill set reminiscent of Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. Like Witten, Williams does a good job of setting up defenders before the catch. Also like Witten, Williams has smooth acceleration after the catch and can get separation in the open field. He is an aggressive player who can dominate at the point of attack.

Day 2 Project: Clive Walford, Miami

A player the Broncos could consider on day two of the draft is Clive Walford from Miami. One of the Hurricanes' best weapons on offense, Walford is a fantastic athlete who creates mismatches every time he’s on the field.

Walford can line up wide like a receiver, and he has the agility to make double moves on a route. He’s also capable of lining up in-line, and Walford can beat linebackers down the seam regularly. Walford has struggled with drops at times during his college career, but that may come from thinking about running after the catch before securing the ball.

Day 3 Sleeper: Blake Bell, Oklahoma

The Broncos have done an outstanding job of finding tight ends with limited experience who have transitioned from other positions (or other sports). This is why converted quarterback Blake Bell could be on their radar.

Bell made the transition from quarterback to tight end in 2014. In 12 games, he had 16 catches for 214 yards and four touchdowns.

He’s got incredible strength and athleticism, and Bell measures in at a whopping 6’6”, 260 pounds. I monitored him during the week of practice for the East-West Shrine Game last week and came away impressed. Bell moves well for a man his size, and he has a great attitude about continuing to learn his new position.

Defensive Tackle

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The Broncos need to consider adding more beef to the middle of their defensive line. Terrance Knighton, aka “Pot Roast”, is set to be a free agent and his future with the team is up in the air. Their first-round pick in 2013, Sylvester Williams, has yet to make much of an impact as a pro. In addition to Knighton, veteran backup Mitch Unrein is also an unrestricted free agent in 2015.

Day 1 Stud: Malcom Brown, Texas

The Broncos have shied away from selecting a defensive tackle in the first round in years past, but they broke that tendency with Williams in 2013. If a potential star like Malcom Brown falls to them, the Broncos could go back to the well with their top pick.

Brown is quite agile for a man who measures in at 6’4”, 320 pounds. He can quickly get off the line of scrimmage at the snap, and Brown does a good job of using his intensity and motor to make plays in the backfield. Brown has six batted passes over his career, and he can generate middle pressure on multiple snaps.

Day 2 Project: Michael Bennett, Ohio State

A star for the Buckeyes defense, Michael Bennett is incredibly active in the middle of the defense. He has the agility and quickness to streak past one-on-one blocks regularly. Bennett has the athleticism to keep his feet moving toward the quarterback as opponents try to shove him out of the way.

Bennett can be moved out of the way by double-teams, but he attacks the point of the play relentlessly. He has the vision to diagnose and attack quickly, and Bennett can play inside or outside on the defensive line.

Day 3 Sleeper: Darius Kilgo, Maryland

There are always players overlooked in the draft process that outproduce players taken in front of them. Darius Kilgo could be anywhere from a fourth- to a seventh-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft. The Broncos do a great job of recognizing upside, and Kilgo has that.

More of a nose tackle for a 3-4 defense, Kilgo can hold his own at the point of attack. At 6’2”, 310 pounds, Kilgo is difficult for opponents to move off the line of scrimmage. He plays with incredible strength, but Kilgo needs to use better leverage if he’s going to stand out as a pro.

All draft grades provided by NFLDraftScout.com. All quotes/practice observations obtained firsthand. Draft pick order/trade information provided by ProSportsTransactions.com.