During the 2019 Senior Bowl, Dalton Risner went out of his way to make sure Denver Broncos GM John Elway knew his name. Risner sprinted 40 yards across the practice field to meet the “Duke of Denver”. Risner introduced himself and stated he was trying to make his home state of Colorado proud.
"I'd love to play for any of the 32 teams ... But if I got to come home to play for the Denver Broncos, man, I'd need at least a day to cry in my room. It would just be a blessing, man."
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 26, 2019
At @SeniorBowl, Dalton Risner carries Colorado pride » https://t.co/71KRnx71mk pic.twitter.com/s0zNHB6y7y
Dalton Risner showed the Senior Bowl why he was the nastiest Offensive Lineman in his draft class. In multiple one on one drills including ,“The Pit,” many NFL Analysts compared Risner to Indianapolis Colt Quenton Nelson. Risner has a tamed aggression, that allows his powerful frame (6’5”, 312lbs) to use leverage and dominate defenders. He is a highly intelligent player that is instinctual and efficient.
But his best trait is that of coachability. While at Kansas State, Risner played Center, and Right Tackle while starting 50/51 games (past four seasons). Because of his versatility, he is also being projected to play Offensive Guard in the NFL.
With newly appointed Offensive Line Coach Mike Munchak, the Broncos have started to rebuild their front five. After making Ja’Wuan James the highest paid Right Tackle, and losing Anchor Center Matt Paradis the Broncos Offensive Line remains in a state of flux.
While Connor McGovern was serviceable at Center last year there are still major holes in the offensive line. Left Tackle Garett Bolles is hoping to salvage a career under his new coach, while injury prone Guard Ron Leary continues to heal. That leaves multiple positions up for grabs including Guard and Center.
Initially rated as a 2nd round draft pick, Dalton Risner’s stock continues to soar. For this reason, the Broncos announced they will host Risner for a pre-draft visit. If selected, Risner has the potential to be a starter by the end of training camp. Under the tutelage of Mike Munchak and Chris Kuper, Risner can bring fundamental technique, versatility and nastiness to a group that desperately needs it.
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Editor’s Note: We are welcoming Luke Patterson to the masthead this week. He is a passionate Broncos fan and I hope everyone will give him a warm welcome in the comments section today with his first official post as part of our group. Go Broncos! - Tim Lynch