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With the 183rd Pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos Select Eric Olsen, Center, Notre Dame

 

The Broncos picked another center with their final pick on day two of the draft, taking Notre Dame center Eric Olsen. 

 Olsen is the third interior lineman the Broncos have slected, and the third potential center prospect they have picked so far in the draft.  With guys like USC's Anthony McCoy still on the board to potentially replace Tony Scheffler, or a potential steal at running back in Jonathan Dwyer this late in the draft, I think the Broncos could have used their assets elsewhere, someone who could at least contribute on special teams.  However, I like the pick, and think that the Broncos have continued to add character and toughness to their offensive line.

Either way, Josh McDaniels wasn't kidding when he said the Broncos wanted to get bigger along the interior of the offensive line.  Olsen joins Zane Beadles and J.D. Walton as bigs the Broncos have pursued thus far in the draft.

Here is a scouting report from CBS Sports:

Pass blocking: Strong anchor and good knee bend. Can mirror after initial contact against tackles. Likes to punch defenders when helping guards, knocking them to the ground at times. Keeps his man on the ground once he falls. Struggles with quickness and recovery, reaching and bending at the waist to pick up late blitzers and twists. Accurate shotgun snap with his head up facing the line. Sells run block fake on bootlegs.

Run blocking: Good drive blocker who pushes his man downfield. Keeps feet moving after first contact but will overextend and lacks flexibility to sustain against slippery quicker defenders. Also strong enough to turn his man out of the hole. Stays on first block too long at times, allowing linebackers to penetrate before he can get to them.

Pulling/trapping: Foot speed and change of direction abilities are not elite and has a bit of extra weight in the middle, but gives good effort to get around the line when pulling or trapping in front of run plays. Best when hitting stationery targets; will miss adjusting to oncoming defenders.

Initial Quickness: Gets hands up quickly into his man's jersey after the snap, even when man-up against nose tackles. Good initial punch, but it's not enough to knock his man back.

Downfield: A bit heavy-footed moving to the linebackers, but almost always finds a target to hit. Will go after two, three or four players downfield, playing through the whistle. Effective cut blocker downfield.

Intangibles: Charlie Weis called Olsen the line's "heart and soul." Durable lineman who fights through pain. Smart enough to make line calls. Plays with a nasty streak - knows his toughest opponent and goes after him all game long.