12. Denver Broncos: B.J Raji, DT, Boston College. While Raji definitely deserves to be drafted higher, there is really nobody that would be in extreme need of his services up until this point in the draft. The Broncos with two draft picks now would have a hard time passing up the star Defensive Tackle when they know that they can solve another major need later in the 1st round. Raji has shown signs of becoming one of the best Defensive Tackles in the draft and could be a dominant force inside the NFL. It is a no-brainer if he drops this low that we would draft him, but that is the problem: he might not drop this low. But if he does the Broncos WILL jump.

18. Denver Broncos (f/Chicago): Brian Cushing, OLB, USC. I previously had Aaron Maybin going here, but after a chain of events I decided that we need to go for the safer pick if we really want to improve and I really like Brian Cushing. Cushing is not a boom or bust prospect like Maybin but still has some risk and is somewhat raw. That said, he can start in his first year at either Strong or Weak side and give the Broncos a bit more defensive fire power. He might be even better off playing Inside Linebacker in our new 3-4 defense. Cushing has the ability to stop the run and get the sack as well as good coverage. While Cushing has durability issues, it doesn’t mean that he can’t be effective when healthy and if he stays healthy could be one of the best players on this defense over time. 

48. Denver Broncos: Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State. Jarron Gilbert is a true athlete. Whether you think that he might be a risk and a potential bust, I don’t think that he will be or he is. Gilbert shined brightly in a small school like San Jose State and if we pass up a Defensive End in the first round, we would be crazy to not draft a player of his level in the second round. An impact player in every definition of the word, he has found his stock raising and has certainly impressed scouts and yours truly. 

79. Denver Broncos: Rashad Johnson, S, Alabama. Can you believe he has dropped this low? After conflicting reports on the Broncos being interested in him, if he were to drop into the 3rd round there would not be a single doubt that the Broncos would go after him. He is truly a defensive playmaker and he has terrific hands and ball skills not to mention amazing instincts around the ball and just when tackling. If we really want to improve this team on all levels, we will draft Rashad Johnson if he were available and we are favorites to draft him if he is in the 3rd round. Heck, if he falls anywhere in the 3rd I might be tempted to trade up. 

84. Denver Broncos (f/Chicago): Darry Beckwith, ILB, LSU. Darry Beckwith would be in my opinion a steal at this point but a very possible one. While he could end up in the early 3rd round, chances are he will end up later in there due to the fact that his stock has dropped a lot lower and while underrated is not attractive to too many teams. Beckwith would be a good Inside Linebacker in a 3-4 system especially ours, were he could play along side Andra Davis. Another good thing about him is versatility,early in his college career he would be versatile much like D.J Williams as he would play all sorts of Linebacker positions including WILL, SAM, and MAC so there are a lot of things we could do especially if we decide to instead of playing Brian Cushing on the outside playing him in the middle and moving Beckwith. That said, we would probably keep him here at Inside Linebacker. 

114. Denver Broncos: Stephen McGee, QB, Texas A&M. Stephen McGee is actually a bit like Jay Cutler. The difference is this time he fits in the system and is a lot more raw. Josh McDaniels is supposed to be very interested in him and he is the developmental Quarterback that McDaniels loves to have. Tough, and a team leader, Stephen McGee is a mid-round prospect who would fit well into our system and play as a solid backup to Kyle Orton. Hopefully someone who in a couple of years could come in and start for our offense, Stephen McGee is a very likely choice for the Broncos in almost any round. 

149. Denver Broncos: Patrick Turner, WR, USC. Wide Receiver is not as big a need as it was about a week ago where it looked like Brandon Marshall would face serious suspension time. Now, he might not face any at all. Patrick Turner, a great route runner and a good athlete, Turner is tall and was quite an impact on the Trojans last year. One of the most underrated receivers in the draft, Turner’s only major knock may be that he severely lacks timed speed. He only runs, get this: a 4.77 at WIDE RECEIVER. That is slow for that position at an epic proportion. But he still has great hands and can jump high for the ball which makes up well for his lack of separation. While he still needs a lot of work, he might prosper under Josh McDaniels. 

185. Denver Broncos: Mortty Ivy, OLB, West Virginia. The Broncos are looking for a bit of defensive leadership and talent. Mortty Ivy could bring both. While by no means is Ivy a physical beast he has a nose for the mental aspect of the game and also is a great leader. The Broncos are in serious need of a good Strong Side Linebackers and while Ivy is not a very famous or flashy player he could still battle for a starting job in the NFL. Ivy has a good ball skills and could have potential as an NFL pass rusher. Ivy has a bit of an injury concern but I would not be that scared of it. His injuries have never been way too serious and he Ivy even had enough drive to with a torn acl to play all 11 games of the 2007 season. 

225. Denver Broncos: Brandon Walker, OG, Oklahoma. When you have as much depth at Offensive Guard as you have this year, it would be a crying shame if they did not use at least one late round pick on an underrated Linemen especially one like Walker who is a perfect fit for a Zone Blocking scheme. With Ben Hamilton aging and Chris Kuper injury prone, it would be a good idea to draft a player like Brandon Walker who would be able to play as a good interior linemen when one of them is injured. Playing on one of the best College Football offensive lines including Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson, Walker had a great Combine where he had a lot of scouts begin to talk about him and might be an effective backup. 

235. Denver Broncos (f/Atlanta): Kendell Davis-Clark, CB, Michigan St. It is going to be somewhat tough for our new coach Josh McDaniels to draft Defensive Players on his first shot in the later rounds, but he might be intrigued by Davis-Clark even though he is not the most talented Cornerback you could get at this point. Josh McDaniels started his career in Michigan St. and would really like to get some Michigan St. alumni onto the team. Davis-Clark has injury concerns but is still a good tackler and can contribute into Special Teams and possibly succeed in a Nickel package. He can contribute into the run game and would be a very attractive pick to the coaching staff and scouts.