Inside linebacker was a position I had pegged as a bit of a need for the Denver Broncos heading into Day 2, so when they went running back and offensive line with their first two picks that day I began to wonder if we were going to see it happen. There were runs on cornerbacks and offensive linemen, but a slew of linebackers I liked slid into the late third round.
The Broncos pounced with the final pick knowing they wouldn’t have another draft pick until the fifth round. They grabbed Ohio State linebacker Baron Browning. A coverage linebacker is exactly what the Broncos need, especially one as good in zone coverage as Browning has been in college.
There isn’t much not to like about Browning’s potential under the Vic Fangio defensive scheme. Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell will likely hold down the base defense in 2021, but there could be situations where it will just make sense to put Browning in with Johnson. It’ll be interesting to see how Browning is used in his rookie season.
How did you feel about the Broncos drafting Baron Browning last night?