Denver Broncos Draft Countdown: Making the Case for TE Hunter Henry

The NFL draft is coming up on Thursday, and the Denver Broncos have a big decision to make regarding their first-round pick. Things have changed in the draft in recent weeks, as the top two picks have been traded. There seems to be more trades on the horizon in the opening round.

The Broncos' biggest need is at the quarterback position, but general manager John Elway has a history of going with the best player available on the board—regardless of position. This strategy has served him well, as Elway built a Super Bowl champion in just five years as an executive. Now, his task will be continuing the winning tradition the team (and the fanbase) has become all too familiar with.

The Hall of Fame quarterback feels good about where he’s positioned the team to be following their Super Bowl championship.

“We feel great, Elway said. "We have [10] picks. We’re in good shape there. We’ll continue with the philosophy of trying to build through the draft and add free agents that we think can help us.”

Elway has never selected an offensive player with the team’s first pick in the draft, but this could be the year that changes. The Broncos' world-class defense is mostly intact and should continue to be a dominant force in the league. However, the offense could use a little more punch after struggling for most of 2015.

Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry might be the best at his position among the incoming crop of talent. He’s got a bit of a throwback skill set, and his fit with the Broncos offense could be exact—and exciting.

In this article, we’ll make the case for Henry to be the Broncos’ top choice in the 2016 NFL draft.

College Career

Playing for the Razorbacks is a family tradition. Henry’s father, Mark, played offensive tackle for Arkansas back in the early '90s and was voted team captain during his senior season. Henry showed up as a highly touted high school recruit and did not disappoint.

Henry was a big part of what the Razorbacks did on offense during his time with the team. A matchup nightmare, he combined a wide receiver’s athleticism with the size-strength combination of a tight end. Arkansas moved him around the formation, as Henry can be an in-line tight end, split out wide or even man the slot to take on nickel cornerbacks.

Year	Rec	Yds	Avg	TDs
2013	28	409	14.6	4
2014	37	513	13.9	2
2015	51	739	14.5	3

At this year's NFL Scouting Combine, Henry commented on playing in an offense that features plenty of play-action passes and how that helps him as he prepares for the pros.

“We did a lot of play-action that really tried to sell the defense," he said. "We did a lot of run plays to try to bring the safeties up and draw people in. I was usually in a lot on play-action and things like that, trying to bring the safeties up.”

In the SEC, Henry regularly faced multiple defenders bound for the NFL. That’s a fact not lost on him, and it is one that can be highlighted as a big positive for his game.

“I believe I went against the best every single week in the SEC, played against some elite guys this year and the past three years," he said. "There are a lot of guys playing on Sunday that I’ve competed against and I’ve won many reps against. I believe I’m ready for the next jump.”

Skill Set

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

There’s not much on the field Henry can’t do. As a blocker, Henry has a ferocious attitude coupled with sound technique. He was a big part of what Arkansas did with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation.

As a receiver, Henry shows an ability to get open with ease on underneath routes. While not a burner, Henry has the speed to beat linebackers to the point of the catch. He has the size and willingness to box out safeties and can win contested catches regularly.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein noted the talented tight end did not drop a pass in 2015. His sure-handed ability was on display in every Arkansas game, so that stat will not come as any surprise to those who watched him shine on Saturdays for the Razorbacks.

A strong pro comparison—and the one frequently used, including in Zierlein's profile—for Henry is Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. Henry agrees with that comparison. In fact, he’s been modeling his game after Witten for some time.

“I’ve watched a lot of Jason Witten," he said. "I really try to model my game after him. He’s a great one. It’s kind of hard to do that, especially a Hall of Fame tight end like him, but I’ve watched a lot of film on him in the offseason, to try and put bits and pieces of his game and put those in my game.”

If there were a tight end custom made for head coach Gary Kubiak's system, it would look a lot like Henry.

The Competition

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

In Kubiak's offense, the tight end position is much more important than it can be in other offenses. In fact, the offense regularly requires two tight ends to function at full efficiency. With Owen Daniels' release earlier this year, the Broncos are thin at the position.

Virgil Green is at the top of the depth chart for the time being. A seventh-round pick in the 2011 draft, Green has gone from being a receiving tight end to one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. He’s underused as a receiver, but that could change in 2016.

Jeff Heuerman missed his entire rookie season in 2015 after suffering a knee injury only a few days into rookie minicamp. The Ohio State product played more like a super-sized wide receiver in college. His ability as a blocker is a question mark—as is his ability to stay healthy.

Elway is not shy about voicing his expectations for Heuerman in 2016: “We expect him to step in and be a force at the tight end position—him and Virgil right now. We have high expectations as we did last year. Now he is healthy. I know he is excited about getting going and being healthy. He’s biting at the bit to get back out there.”

Richard Gordon is a big-bodied blocker who has bounced around the league to several teams after the Oakland Raiders selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. The Broncos signed Manasseh Garner to a futures contract earlier this year. During his college career at Wisconsin and Pitt, Garner showed off a versatile skill set as a wide receiver and tight end. He’s been on more than a few teams, and most designate him as a fullback or H-back.

Both Gordon and Garner will be hard-pressed to make the final roster.

Henry could step in and start for the Broncos from Day 1. Green’s primary role is as a blocker, and that may not change in 2016. While Heuerman is an intriguing prospect, there’s no guarantee of how he’ll perform only a year removed from a major injury. Starting with Henry and Green would give the Broncos a nice one-two punch at the position and allow them to continue to develop Heuerman’s pro game.

Summary

The Broncos will have a new-look offense this year. Last season, with Peyton Manning at quarterback, the team didn’t run the true Kubiak system. Instead, the team used a hybrid of what Manning did best along with a mixture of what Kubiak likes to do on offense.

This year, we should see the traditional Kubiak offense we saw during his time with the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens. That means the tight end is going to be more important than it was last year for the Broncos. Henry has the all-purpose game to shine in this offense, and the Broncos would be wise to add him if they can.

Elway goes with the best player available in the first round. However, when team need (tight end) clearly matches up with the best talent at the position (Henry), it's a combination that will be tough to pass on.

Henry believes he’s worthy of a first-round pick.

“I believe the tight end is a big part of the NFL," he said. "I believe I bring something that’s different than a lot of guys would bring. This versatility, I’m going to be able to play every down. I’m going to be able to stay on the field consistently.”

Henry continued: "I’m not just a first-down guy. I’m not just a third-down guy. I can play all three downs. That’s why I believe I’m worthy [of a first-round pick]."

The Broncos might agree with the young playmaker. At the end of the first round, adding Henry would be a move worthy of a ton of praise.

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided by 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.