FanPost

Mocking the Broncos 2015 Draft

Well, folks, draft season is upon us. The NFL Combine is just wrapping up and the inevitable onslaught of Big Boards and seven-round mocks is nigh. I thought it prudent to run a couple of drafts over at Fanspeak.com and see what kind of good fortune I could bring to the team as an armchair GM, given Denver's current needs before the feeding frenzy of free agency begins. I took into account players that the team is interested in and went from there. So, without further ado, let's draft!

(Keep in mind that Denver is projected to have four compensatory picks in this year's draft: 4th, 6th, 6th, and 7th round picks, actually. I know not where in these rounds the picks will fall, but they'll be there. Fanspeak doesn't account for compensatory picks, and as such they are not included here.)

First Round, Pick 28: Maxx Williams, TE (Minnesota)

Lots of people here are hesitant to draft anything other than an offensive lineman in the first round, given the team's struggles in that department over the last half of the season, but Maxx Williams will almost certainly be on the board when Denver picks at 28. Williams can block, which is a must in a Kubiak offense, and caught 8 touchdowns last year for the Gophers. Williams would be a welcome addition to the Denver offense, and would work well out of 2 TE sets with Virgil Green. Denver would probably bring in a veteran TE (James Casey is a recent speculation) for depth, but Williams could handily earn the starting reps with Green.

Second Round, Pick 27: Nate Orchard, DE (Utah)

I was hesitant to take Orchard here, but took the plunge as his stats and ranking were both too good to ignore. Orchard "projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker" and has displayed the ability to play such a position. In 2014, Orchard had 17.5 sacks, 84 tackles (21 of them for a loss), and two forced fumbles. Should he be available when Denver picks in the second round, Orchard would be a great pass rusher that could rotate with an aging Demarcus Ware without losing production.


Third Round, Pick 28: Ty Sambrailo, OT (Colorado State)

I'll accept the flak for waiting so long to draft anyone along the O line, but I had a feeling that Sambrailo would fall to me in the third round in this draft. Lo and behold, that is exactly what happened. If, indeed, Sambrailo fell that far, he would be an outstanding value pick at that position. Ranked consistently in the top 10 at his position, Sambrailo was exceptional in protecting QB Garrett Grayson over the last three years. Sambrailo is athletic enough to be brought in to either learn under Ryan Clady or compete with Michael Schofield at RT.

(Fourth Round pick traded last season to select Cody Latimer)

Fifth Round, Pick 7 (from Chicago): Garrett Grayson, QB (Colorado State)

Like his bodyguard, Ty Sambrailo, I drafted Garrett Grayson. Elway seems to take a quarterback in every draft or as a UDFA for depth and competition, whichever one is more prudent. With Manning yet to announce his return (which, should he come back, would most likely be for his final season,) it makes more sense to spend a draft pick on a more talented QB than to wait and find one post-draft. While his accuracy needs work, Grayson has a strong arm that can make all throws required in the NFL. Grayson completed 65% of his passes in 2014 for 4,006 yards to go along with a 32:7 TD/INT ratio. The only quarterback to post a higher efficiency rating than Grayson this past season was touted prospect Marcus Mariota. Grayson would be a solid backup for Osweiler in the years to come, while providing some decent competition all the while.

Fifth Round, Pick 28: Jordan Richards, S (Stanford)

Richards had three interceptions in each of his last three seasons for the Cardinals. His coverage skills as a deep safety are below average, but his run support isn't all bad. A developmental prospect that the Broncos reportedly have interest in, he is a safe pick in these later rounds.

Sixth Round, Pick 27: Adam Shead, G (Oklahoma)

Shead is a powerful guard that can both open holes in the running game and keep rushers at bay. A four-year starter, Shead is quick off the snap and has strong hands. His injury history is somewhat of a concern, and will probably lead to his falling in the draft. Shead's technique at the second level needs work, as does his technique on the move. Like Richards, Shead is nothing more than a developmental pick at this point in the draft.

So, there you have it. Like I said, this is all pre-free agency, so our draft needs are liable to change. The compensatory picks, were they accounted for in this simulation, could have easily been used on players such as Utah tackle Jeremiah Poutasi (4th round comp pick, if he's available) or South Dakota State fullback Zach Zenner (6th-7th round comp pick). Feel free to sound off below. I know there's people here with far more knowledge of prospects/comp picks/et al than I.

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