Who Are Experts Predicting to Denver Broncos in 1st Round of NFL Draft?

The Denver Broncos are currently putting the final touches on their 2015 NFL draft board. The team is looking for the best talent possible, and they could certainly use a rookie that can make an immediate impact. That caliber of player is often found in the opening round.

The team has watched film religiously to break down these prospects. They’ve traveled to college All-Star games, the scouting combine and various pro days in order to build the strongest draft board possible.

With the draft about three weeks away, the first round is starting to take shape for the Broncos.

So who are the experts predicting to the Broncos in the first round of the draft? Let’s take a look.

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report

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One of the best draft experts in the country, our very own Matt Miller from Bleacher Report has the Broncos taking a talented offensive tackle in Round 1. Miller says the following about the potential pick of La’el Collins from LSU:

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The Denver Broncos have built an imposing defense and still have a future Hall of Famer throwing darts to an impressive roster at wide receiver. What they lack is the offensive line to execute Gary Kubiak's offense. Adding an athlete like La'el Collins to play right tackle in this scheme is a smart play for general manager John Elway in the late first round.

Collins played left and right tackle at LSU and could step into the Broncos' offense from the first day of camp, becoming the team's bulldozer in the run game and the power protector for Manning at right tackle. His athleticism and upside make him a no-brainer pick if he's on the board here.

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Collins would be a fantastic addition for the Broncos. At this time, Michael Schofield and Chris Clark are the potential starters at right tackle. If Collins was added, he could step in and start from day one.

Dane Brugler, CBS Sports

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Checking out NFLDraftScout.com is a daily occurrence during this time of year. Dane Brugler has the Broncos looking to a former defensive lineman—and current offensive tackle—in the opening round. His breakdown of right tackle T.J. Clemmings from Pitt explains his pick:

"The Broncos' offensive line is going through changes this off-season and with right tackle Chris Clark better suited as a back-up, Clemmings would be a logical addition in Denver to help keep Peyton Manning healthy."

The upside with Clemmings is out of this world. He’s huge, strong, has a large wingspan and the athleticism to work well in a zone-blocking system. Clemmings needs to work on his technique, but with proper coaching he could develop into an All-Pro on the right side.

The Broncos need the best protection possible for Manning, and Clemmings would give the team an impact player now with the potential to develop into one of the best in the game.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

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One of the best voices you can listen to before the NFL draft is NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. He understands offensive line play better than most media analysts, and Zierlein has a ton of contacts across the league. His first-round pick for the Broncos is a bit outside of the box.

In his latest mock draft at NFL.com, Zierlein has the Broncos selected Texas A&M right tackle Cedric Ogbuehi.

Zierlein explains via Twitter why he has Ogbuehi in the first round:

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After speaking with multiple teams I have no doubt that Ced Ogbuehi's ACL tear will NOT keep him out of the first round. He's going in 1st.

— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) April 7, 2015

 

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There’s a huge question mark around Ogbuehi’s availability for 2015 after he suffered a torn ACL in the Aggies’ bowl game at the end of last year.

Before the injury, Ogbuehi had a disappointing season after making the move to left tackle. He’s inconsistent with his hands, and he doesn’t play with natural violence. The disappointing play of recent Texas A&M left tackles (Luke Joeckel, Jake Matthews) may not help his draft stock in the eyes of some as well.

There are positives with Ogbuehi—mainly surrounding his natural athleticism. He’s a dancing bear at 6’5” 306 pounds, and Ogbuehi has the quick feet to mirror pass-rushers on the outside. He played all across the offensive line for the Aggies, and that versatility should help his draft stock.

Rob Rang, CBS Sports

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A leading draft expert at NFLDraftScout.com is longtime analyst Rob Rang. Like Brugler, he also has the team selecting right tackle T.J. Clemmings (Pitt) in the first round. He also highlights an aging Manning as the primary reason why the Broncos need to address the right side of the offensive line with a premium pick:

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Coach Gary Kubiak's beloved West Coast Offense calls for athletic offensive linemen. They don't come much more athletic than Clemmings, a former defensive end who has steadily grown into a star the past two years at right tackle. Clemmings' broad shoulders, trim middle and light feet give him the traits teams look for in a traditional blind-side tackle but he remains, understandably, a bit raw. With Pro Bowler Ryan Clady already on the left side and relatively immobile Peyton Manning under center, the Broncos can bring along Clemmings slowly.

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One of the best attributes Clemmings has is functional strength. Clemmings has strong hands, and he can toss smaller opponents out of the way. He understands leverage, and Clemmings does a good job of using his natural aggression to get the best of his man.

Clemmings has nimble feet that allow him to shadow edge-rushers as they try to get to the quarterback. His kickslide does need some work, and Clemmings will bend at the waist to reach sometimes when he’s late off the snap.

Todd McShay, ESPN

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Turning to ESPN.com for draft information turns up the latest mock draft from Todd McShay. In the first round of the draft, McShay has the Broncos taking a potential starter at right tackle. Florida’s D.J. Humphries has the potential to play anywhere on the offensive line:

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Humphries eventually projects as a left tackle, but while it's unclear what role he'd play for Denver in 2015 (possibly right tackle, guard or as a sixth lineman), he's a great fit in new head coach Gary Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme because of his athleticism and movement skills. Moreover, the Broncos have to replace Orlando Franklin along their offensive line (he went to San Diego in free agency) and they really struggled in pass protection, which is Humphries' strength. They could also look at Carl Davis here to replace Terrance Knighton (now with the Redskins) at nose tackle.

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Humphries is an interesting fit for right tackle at the pro level. He certainly has the athleticism to play left tackle in the pros, but at right tackle he might lack the aggression needed. In order to play tackle (either right or left), Humphries needs to work on his technique—and he needs to prove he can stay healthy after an injury-marred college career with the Gators.

You could make the argument that Humphries is the most athletic tackle in this draft class when healthy. When asked to block at the second level of the defense, Humphries does a good job of being a “sticky blocker” on his man.

Humphries might not be an instant starter for the Broncos. However, his developmental upside, athleticism and versatility will likely place him on the team’s radar.

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted.

Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions. Draft grades provided by NFLDraftScout.com.