Best Possible Outcomes for Denver Broncos' Top 3 Draft Picks
The NFL draft is a little over one month away, and teams are busy filling out their draft boards.
The Denver Broncos need help in several areas after watching multiple players leave via free agency. That makes this an important draft for the team, as it tries to keep the window of winning a championship open.
What does the team plan to do with its first three picks? How should the Broncos attack those first three rounds? That is what we will examine here.
The Broncos must address the offensive line—in possibly two of the first three rounds. Adding another big, athletic defensive tackle would also be a good idea.
How the other teams around the league choose to select players will also have an impact on what Denver does, so it will need to prepare several strategies.
Here is a look at five scenarios in which the Broncos could address positions of need while also maximizing value with their first three draft choices.
Ereck Flowers, Ali Marpet and Gabe Wright
1 of 5
The Broncos would love to get a right tackle in the first round, and Ereck Flowers would be a solid choice if he falls to No. 28.
Flowers is a strong run-blocker who gets plenty of movement on defensive linemen. He is also strong in pass protection; he's almost too big and powerful to push around.
Though he does get beaten by smaller speed-rushers on occasion, Flowers could still be a starter from Day 1.
In the second round, Ali Marpet would be an ideal choice to bolster the offensive line even further.
Marpet is a cerebral player who combines his strength and athleticism to be an effective blocker. He is also a durable player whom the team could develop into a major force on the offensive line.
Drafting Flowers and Marpet in the first two rounds would immediately improve the offensive line. The team could then choose Gabe Wright out of Auburn in the third round.
The Broncos really need help at the defensive tackle position, especially considering the recent news that Mitch Unrein signed with the San Diego Chargers.
However, finding the right fit for a 3-4 defense can be tricky.
Wright is exceptionally quick for a 300-pound defensive lineman and may be even more effective at rushing the passer as he is at defending against the run.
He could start his career as a good rotational player on passing downs and develop into a more complete player with the right coaching.
Jordan Phillips, Ty Sambrailo and Josue Matias
2 of 5
Several teams that sit in front of the Broncos in the draft such as San Diego, the Detroit Lions and the Cincinnati Bengals could all be looking for an offensive tackle in the first round.
That means Flowers could be off the board by the time Denver comes up at No. 28, causing the team to look in a different direction.
Jordan Phillips, a 6'5" defensive tackle, has the potential to become an outstanding defensive lineman.
Due to his size, he usually gets the best of one-on-one matchups, and he is a great fit for a 3-4 scheme. He defends the run well, can pressure the quarterback and can get his long arms up to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage.
For the Broncos to get the most out of their outside pass rush, adding an effective interior lineman will be key. Phillips has all the tools to be that player.
However, the risk with a pick like that is the quality of offensive tackles begins to take a big drop after Round 1.
Ty Sambrailo is an offensive tackle from Colorado State who probably has a second-round grade, but he's likely to go early in the round. To get him, the Broncos would have to hope he fell to the bottom of the second round or trade up.
"Pass heavy offenses will love Ty Sambrailo
— Chris Nicolaou (@cnic_11) March 20, 2015"
Sambrailo is a versatile player who is good enough to eventually play left tackle due to his abilities in pass protection.
If the team took that route, it could select Josue Matias from Florida State in the third round.
Matias is a guard with quick hands and good reactionary skills. This makes him dependable in pass protection. He would need to improve his strength to be an effective run-blocker at the next level, though.
Under this scenario, the Broncos would get players to fill positions of need, but they'd also need to have to have a little luck on their side as well.
T.J. Clemmings, Laken Tomlinson and Gabe Wright
3 of 5
If Denver wants to land a tackle in the first round, T.J. Clemmings could be available at No. 28 if Flowers isn't. In fact, if both players are still on the board, Clemmings may be the better choice.
Clemmings has broad shoulders and long arms. He shows good footwork and handles edge-rushers better than Flowers.
If he is on the board at No. 28, he is the pick. That might make this the best scenario on the list.
In the second round, the team could have a choice between Marpet and Duke's Laken Tomlinson.
Born in Jamaica, Tomlinson is one of the best run-blocking guards in the draft. He has great lower-body strength and pushes defenders backward on a regular basis.
Much like the first scenario listed, going tackle and guard in the first two rounds would give the Broncos a much-needed boost to their offensive line.
"With Gabe Wright and Grady Jarrett available later, not really sure why people want a dt in rd 1. Edge rusher harder to find/more valuable
— Nicholas Wilson (@NickWilson923) March 20, 2015"
This would allow them to address the defensive tackle spot in the third round and take Wright.
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Jake Fisher, Carl Davis and Josue Matias
4 of 5
This draft is loaded with offensive tackles who have first-round talent. Unfortunately for Denver, most of them will likely be off the board by the time pick No. 28 rolls around.
Though Jake Fisher might have a second-round grade, he would be a fine choice in the first round if guys like Clemmings and Flowers have been taken.
Fisher had the responsibility of protecting Marcus Mariota at Oregon and played for one of the most successful offenses in the country. He is a team-oriented player who brings a strong work ethic. He doesn't possess great athleticism but does almost everything well.
Under this scenario, the Broncos would take a defensive tackle in the second round and wait until the third round to find a guard.
Iowa's Carl Davis would be the pick in Round 2, and if he was still available at that spot, Denver would be receiving an excellent value.
Davis fits the 3-4 defense well because is strong enough to absorb double-teams at the point of attack. He is a physical player who could challenge guys like Sylvester Williams and Marvin Austin for a significant role on defense right away.
In the third round, the Broncos could choose Matias. They may even get lucky and see Marpet still sitting there.
Because of that possibility, waiting until the third round to select a guard would make sense.
Eddie Goldman, Ali Marpet and Daryl Williams
5 of 5
Don't forget about the possibility of Denver selecting Eddie Goldman out of Florida State in the first round.
Goldman is a quick defensive tackle who also has the versatility to play the defensive end position. That might make him attractive to the Broncos.
While Phillips may be the better choice for the Broncos, Goldman may have the better mix of size, power and athletic ability.
Under this scenario, the Broncos would recognize that they probably wouldn't be able to draft Sambrailo and wouldn't want to pay the price to trade up high enough to take him.
As a result, the team would choose to select a guard in the second round and bring in Marpet. That would allow Denver to come back in the third round to address the tackle spot.
Daryl Williams was a four-year starter at Oklahoma who shows all the traits of being a big, reliable offensive tackle.
He has strong hands and pushes defenders back at will, aiding in the running game. As a pass-blocker, he displays natural lateral movement, but his footwork could use some coaching.
He is susceptible to being beaten off the edge and doesn't show the quickness to be able to recover to defenders who get a step on him.
Because Denver needs to find a reliable tackle who can be a member of the starting lineup for many years to come, this would probably be the least likely scenario for the first three rounds of the draft.
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