FanPost

My 2011 Mock Draft of Needs

For too long the Broncos have ignored the side of the ball that makes good teams championship teams. For too long we have witnessed a lack of pressure and, consequently, a lack of turnovers. The Broncos haven't had talent on the defensive side of the ball since, who knows....... 1998.

I think we all can agree that the Broncos desperately need young defensive talent if we ever plan on making it back to the top, so this draft is heavy on the defensive side. My aim here is to fill our most glaring needs with the best talent and playmakers based on value of the position in each round. I feel that a good defense must have at least one playmaker at each level and a great defense has at least 5 playmakers overall. If any one level is weak, the other levels will suffer. The defense has so many needs that it will be hard to go wrong. So here is my 2011 Mock of Defense, Defense, Defense.

Round 1: #2

Da'Quan Bowers, DE, 280 lbs, Clemson

Obviously this pick depends entirely on which direction the Panthers go a 1. I think that if Bowers is gone the Broncos will either snatch Nick Fairley or Von Miller. Either way we are getting elite talent. Bowers has all the tools to be a successful pass rusher and the size to move inside on 3rd down. From what I have seen from the little tape I can find Bowers has fantastic instincts and is very athletic. He can stop the run as well as rush the passer, both things the Broncos have been missing for far too long. Also, the talent pool for DT is deep this year and I believe the Broncos can and should wait to look for our future stud DT to a later round..

Round 2: #36

Corey Liuget, DT, 300 lbs, Illinois

From the tape I have seen on this guy he is an absolute BEAST. He consistently gets inside pressure and can disrupt the backfield. He is quick of the ball for such a big guy and has phenomenal lower body strength. If he falls to us here, which is possible, I would wet my pants. The addition of Bowers and Liuget to Ayers, Doom, Bannan, Vickerson and Williams makes that front 4 look extremely promising, something I have wanted to see for years.

I think if Liuget is gone I think Paea would be a great backup plan. The second round is full of great DT talent this year.

Round 2: #47

Greg Jones, ILB, Michigan State

The Broncos have serious depth issues at LB, especially now that we are moving to a 4-3. I think that DJ is the only legit starter at this point. Jones may be the safest pick in this Mock and grabbing a LB that can start in 2011 is a must. He is a tackle machine with great instincts and athleticism. It is essential to have a stellar Middle LB in 4-3 and Jones is just that.

Round 3: #66

Ras I Dowling, CB, Virginia

Dowling was considered a round 1 or 2 prospect at the beginning of the year but injuries hampered his senior year and he has dropped to a 2nd or 3rd rounder. Personally, I think that CB is the least of our needs moving forward, even if Cox may be facing jail or suspension. We have a ton of young promising talent with Syd and Cassius but adding another great prospect to the mix cant hurt, and just in case Cox is in more trouble than it looks at this point.

If Dowling is gone here I think Matthews would be a great addition.

Round 6:

Eric Hagg, S, NE

At this point I feel taking the best prospect on D is most important. even though I like McBath, his numerous injuries bother me so adding some depth at Safety is a must. I watched Hagg more than most the last couple of years and he is very underrated. He has decent speed and great instincts. Snagging him here would be great.

Round 7:

Justin Boren, G, 315 lbs, Ohio State

Adding some much needed depth at G wouldn't hurt the Broncos. Harris may be gone meaning Beadles may move to RT leaving a big hole at LG. Boren was a 2009 First Team all Big Ten Guard and has great size and ability to be a solid Guard in the Pros. Obviously getting a starter out of the 7th round is a long shot but Boren adds depth to the line at the least.

The draft is my favorite time of the year. I have faith in Elway and Xanders and am more than excited to see what the future of our defense will look like. Thanks for taking the time with me on my first post.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR.