Report: Broncos will have a top-30 visit with Northern Michigan offensive tackle Jake Witt

According to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, the Denver Broncos had a top-30 visit with Northern Michigan offensive lineman Jake Witt. The small school offensive tackle who is a former tight end had an impressive pro day and has intrigued many teams, including the Broncos, who are looking to bolster their offensive line depth.

First, a reminder or refresher on what exactly a top 30 visit is. Basically, each NFL team in the days and weeks before the start of the NFL draft is allowed to invite up to 30 different prospects to come in for what amounts to a job interview. From there, they will work them out, show them the facility, meet with coaches, and basically have a job interview. It is just another step in the long scouting process leading up to the NFL Draft.

Jake Witt is a 6’7”, 302-pound offensive lineman who ran a 4.89 40-time at his pro day, a 10’3” broad jump, and a 37” vertical jump. Those are impressive numbers for any offensive lineman and a big reason why NFL teams are buzzing about the kid and want a closer look at him as we approach the 2023 NFL Draft.

According to The Athletic’s lead draft analyst, at least 25 teams have been in contact with Witt with several of them setting up top-30 visits with him.

Having played just 14 career games on the offensive line, Witt is going to be a work in progress as he adjusts to his new body and new position. Unsurprisingly, his college tape is inconsistent. But teams care more about what prospects can be, not what they have been. The Eagles, for example, drafted Jordan Mailata — a rugby player with zero prior football experience — late in the 2018 draft, based on his workouts. That minimal investment is now paying off in a big way. Witt could be a similar low-risk, high-reward option this year.

Whether he is drafted on Day 3 or finds a home as a priority free agent, Witt will be in an NFL camp this year, and he’ll have a chance to continue his hard-to-believe football journey.

As we know, the Broncos lack depth behind their two starting offensive tackle Garett Bolles and recently signed Mike McGlinchey, so adding to this position via the draft seems like a priority. With that said, that has been the narrative heading into the draft for the past few years, so we shall see what they do. With Sean Payton now in the building and their emphasis on the offensive line so far this offseason, I think this will be the year we see them draft a developmental tackle.

Witt would be an intriguing late-round developmental draft pick for the Broncos. He is highly inexperienced and the talent jump would be significant, but the upside is there. He has the size and athletic traits you cannot teach and enters the league very raw so a team can mold and develop him how they see fit. That is an intriguing possibility for teams and a big reason why he is an intriguing prospect right now.

General Manager George Paton has already rolled the dice once on a small school lineman with high upside who entered the draft with similar questions and intrigue when he drafted Quinn Meinerz in the third round. Now, will he do the same again on day three of the 2023 NFL Draft with Jake Witt?