Second Broncos Mock Draft, with a Projected Trade

Comparing him to Julius Peppers is a HUGE stretch, IMO. I watched him play against my Hawkeyes this year, and though he made some big plays, he’s not a freak athletically. He is capable of playing multiple positions, yes, but does he get a first round grade? Probably not.

And as to the trade projection, we held the 56th pick already with our own pick. The 54th is one the Pats have acquired from Jacksonville, and the 60th is their own. They still would have a high-mid second round pick courtesy of the Tennessee Titans.

One question remaining is whether he’s suitable for our 3-4 scheme. He’ll have to add to add more weight (or course) but he’d definitely be worth grooming until he did. Currently he’s a DE43 somatotype because of his lack of bulk
Interesting point – is it possible that he would be able to move into an Ayers-like role? While we have some very good OLBs, the idea of his strengths matching against Ayers, Doom, Haggan and Reid is interesting.

I’ve seen Ayers, young as he is, lined up as and OLB (R+L), DE and even DT/NT on different plays. Could Wooton provide a similar ability? If so, the next question, inevitably, becomes, is that our greatest need? That one may confound a lot of options, but Wooton’s versatility could trump some other choices.

He has, and he’s won doing so. Not to quibble, but I think that you’ve ignored the basis of the Broncos offense. It’s a ball-control, short passing offense that uses both the short pass and the run to control the clock. It’s not a Coryell-based vertical approach, but is far more similar to the Walsh-based attack while still stretching the field vertically (something that we’re increasingly doing. The first of Marshall’s circus catches was a go route).

If a QB is efficient, why can’t he be efficient on 35 passes? We’re not wasting talent, Sayre, we’re just running a different offense than the one you seem to feel that we should be. Is that, perhaps, at the basis of this debate?

That’s good to know. There will be endless debate on who is ‘better’ – I tend to shy away from character problems and I worry there with Spikes. That doesn’t mean that I value his play less, just that if another player matches up in skillset, I’ll take the one who grades out with the best leadership qualities.

The reason some people (may) favor Spikes is familiarity. McClain wasn’t discussed last year because he wasn’t eligible for the draft yet. It’s not that McClain wasn’t well-known in SEC circles, though.

Spikes’ stock went so high last year that it’s hard to believe there’s someone as good, but McClain has surpassed Spikes slightly at every stage of his career . The experience edge that would normally favor Spikes could be turned on its head — McClain has greater potential in the long run, besides being as good as Spikes is right now.

Let me reiterate and expand on some points I’ve made previously — MLBs aren’t in demand (partly) because of their limitations as 2-down players. OLBs are still in demand, but this is (partly) because they provide an impact contribution as pass rushers.

McClain is versatile enough to play outside, thus filling the pass rusher role, but he’s also apparently not limited in pass coverage, thus qualifying as a 3-down player.

It’s not so much a question of his native position, though. Many teams are overloading the interior lately in an attempt to collapse the pocket, so McClain could still hold great value if he shows an ability to blitz from the ILB position. This is a significant question.

McClain’s versatility and projected draft slot make him a strong possibility for us. Moreover, our future at ILB is unsettled even though I like our present group of Williams, Davis, Woodyard and Larsen. McClain could add a more complete player to that group while concomitantly contributing a pass rusher to the mix at OLB. The team can’t afford, nor justify, keeping Moss next year unless he shows dramatic improvement so there should be room for (at least) one more LB. And providing some pass rush is going to be identified as a priority ( IMO ) in the year-end review.

The situation looks a lot like last year. Our needs were clear but there weren’t many candidates who fit scheme-wise in addition to being low risk, impact players (besides the aforementioned criteria). McClain looks like a Knowshon Moreno type of pick. It would be nice if some of the DE34s were worthy of a pick at this point but most of them look like a reach this early (~ #10). And, much like last year, finding a quality defensive player who’s worth paying that much and can fill a need for us is looking difficult.

Strangely, Chicago’s poor record has created a dilemma for us because of the unexpected earliness of their pick. And once again, like last year, we’d once again be well-served if we could convert that high pick into an equivalent value of slightly lower picks.

NOTE: juniors will declare on Jan. 15, so it’s possible that McClain will stay in school.

I happen to really like Orton now and I think it spoke a lot when Woody Paige pointed out that one of the loudest ovations he had ever heard at Invesco Field was when Orton entered the SD game last week. He is a warrior. I like warriors. I loved it when he got in Umenyoura’s (human-urine) face.

I hope we develop a deep passing game so everyone will at least grade him fairly.

Because it would NEVER happen, and you know that, correct?

The offense is a bit of a mystery t me. But again we shoot our selves in the foot too often especially in the Red Zone. But I do not think its Orton that has been our problem.

Our line play has left a bit to be deserved learning the power blocking scheme.

The Steelers and Ravens shoved our line backwards which surprised me.

I thought Dennison did a better job with them against the Giants. But living here in NJ, all the talk out here is that the defensive line play of the Giants has been poor all year. So I need to see how we do the rest of the way. Especially against Freeney and Mathis. Beating the Colts would be sweet.

Maybe it’s the play calling then.

Yes, it probably is. I’ve noticed several times that you’ve blamed Orton – and yes, I do understand that you like the man – for things that are simply a matter of the system that Josh McD has chosen for the team. This was clear in regard to your feelings on the Wildcat and the introduction of Tebow as well – that’s completely outside the realm of the offensive system we currently have, and it’s our first year in that system. It’s interesting as heck and certainly it’s possible that McD might change over, but with the system as it stands, you’d like to see more long passes being added. Nothing wrong with that.

Many fans have missed the fact that we are throwing long about the average number of times that NFL team overall are doing so. Fans love the long pass, but whether you use it or not, or in what degree, tends to be tied into two things – offensive philosophy and defensive alignment. Orton had a nice completion to Marshall on that go route against NY, for example. We’re seeing the longer passes more as the team becomes adjusted to each other and the play book is extended in degree.

If we did chose a rookie QB, he’s going to sit for a year (or two, or more). When he does come in, he’s going to go through the same learning curve that Orton has – in fact, probably a larger one, since Orton is experienced. That has to come into the choices as well. Finally, he’s going to be throwing in the same system that Orton is and right now, that seems to be where you have the most complaint. The choice of passes won’t change with a different qB, though. McD has gone to great pains to establish this as ‘his’ system and I doubt that he would move to a different one in the near future.