Thoughts on the draft, combine, etc.

1.  Instead of coming right out and saying I support drafting Tim Tebow with our first round pick, let me say this: I will trust coach McDaniels if he decides to draft Tim Tebow.  I will trust Coach McDaniels if he doesn't decide to draft Tim Tebow also.  In other words, as of now, I have complete faith in McD's ability to evaluate and develop QBs.  Don't worry, I won't let this post devolve into an evaluation of Tim Tebow, as that horse has already been beaten to death.   I can think of few, if any, coaches that would be better at this task.  For the sake of objectivity, can you guys think of another coach you would prefer handling and developing a young QB?  I am not one of these fans who blindly worships coach McD, in fact, he frustrated me a lot last season.  However, his work with the QBs is something that I have not questioned.  Would you become like a lot of bandwagon Bronco fans and start calling him "McDummy" etc?  Please don't tell me whether or not you like Tebow, tell me if you would trust our coach with this decision, I'm curious.  

Let me briefly split hairs:  Is Coach McDaniels a better evaluator or developer of QBs?  I think he is equally good at both but I need more time to fully make that call.  

2.  It is nice to see that Dan Williams is getting a little bit more consideration here.  I have been on his bandwagon since day 1.  His value is starting to rise in line with our position in the draft and I am excited.  I think Terrance Cody and Cam Thomas are decent prospects, don't get me wrong, but there is a significant difference between them and Dan Williams.  Out of the three, Dan Williams seems most likely to command a double team and even offer some inside penetration of the QB.  Williams will force teams to run around him and by most accounts, is the premier run-stopper in this talent-laden draft.  

3. A friend of mine slapped me and brought me back down to earth the other day regarding the draft.  He was singing the praises of Brandon Graham, who I think is a stud as well.  I shot him down by saying something along the lines of "We are already set at that position."  He reminded me that if you are drafting for best player available (the best long-term approach for building a team), you don't worry as much about what you already have.  For example, the Vikings already had Chester Taylor before they drafted Adrian Peterson.  I have to agree with him.  While drafting Graham at #11 might be a reach, trading down a little to get him could be feasible.  If I remember right, this guy led the nation in tackles for loss.  He seems to be similar to Doom but would give us a much bigger presence against the run.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think he could supplant Doom, but maybe he and Ayers would compete for the other rushing LB spot.   Who knows?  The point is, don't shoot the idea down just because we already have players at that position.  

4. Here is a prediction for you:  I don't think we are going to address our interior O-line through the draft that much.  This, for me, is assuming Ryan Harris comes back.  I wouldn't be surprised if our first interior O-linemen is taken in the fourth round, or so.  I love Iupati as a guard prospect but I will leave his evaluation to the coaches.  If he projects as the "best guard prospect in the last ten years" then I believe we would be foolish not to take him at #11.  As it stands now, I think he might be a reach at #11.  In the second round, I really love John Jerry but I acknowledge that would be a reach possibly not worth taking.  I would be all over him in the third round though.  Many people have us taking multiple interior O-linemen and expecting them to be "day one starters."  This just doesn't happen.  Not only would we be sacrificing value for the sake of the long-term but we would be crazy to think every draftee could come in and start right away.

My final prediction is this:  Coach McDaniels will piece our broken interior O-line together in the same way he pieced our broken secondary together last year.   McDaniels turned our secondary from something that was broken into a top ten category.  He will attempt to do the same to our interior o-line.  Don't get me wrong, I think we will draft at this position, but if I had to guess, it won't be as high a priority as we think.  McDaniels brought in Hill, Goodman, and Dawkins last year knowing they would be immediate starters.  He drafted several DB's specifically for the nickel, for depth, for special teams, and for hoping that they could be everyday starters one day.  

Here are a few quick opinions:

5. Rolando McClain did not look great at the bench press (plus or minus 25 reps?) though I don't put tons of stock into it.  I like him as a prospect but I wonder about him fitting in with the Broncos.  All 3-4 defenses are not created equal.  We run a 5-2 defense and that puts pressure on your ILB's to be fast and be able to track down RB's that run to the edge.  I wouldn't be disappointed if we drafted him but I wonder if he is as high on McD's list as we think.  

6. John Jerry looks like the type of O-lineman we would want.  He is gigantic but is athletic and quick.  He appears to have the athleticism to play right tackle if needed, but would be a starter quality LG or RG.  Other than Iupati and Pouncey, I think Jerry is the best interior o-line prospect in the draft.  

7.  I watched several Dez Bryant interviews this weekend and was not impressed at all.   I think his competitiveness is off the charts but he seems to lack intelligence and has all the makings of another prima donna WR, which I want nothing to do with.  

8. For the record, I am for drafting a RB in the second or third round.  There will be tons of value there.  Specifically, I like Ben Tate, Toby Gerhart, and Montario Hardesty.  Buckhalter's injury history makes him a player that you can't count on.  I love him but we should not plan on his production, we should just consider it icing on the cake.  

9.  I would not be surprised if the best player available with our first round pick might be someone like Berry, Haden, or Earl Thomas.  I would not be excited about drafting a DB but would support the choice if our coaches went that route.