2011 Denver Broncos Draft Needs
Written by Steve Janus
The Denver Broncos are once again in rebuilding mode, as their experiment with Josh McDaniels at coach went down in flames in 2010. McDaniels didn’t last past 12 games, and the Broncos ended up finishing the year dead last in the AFC West at 4-12. John Fox is the new man in charge, and the first chance he will have in improving this team will come in the draft. The Broncos have the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, and two picks in the second round. They should be able to find some players who can help this team right away. Here is a look at the direction we feel the Broncos need to go in the 2011 NFL Draft. Find out who we have the Broncos taking in the first round in our 2011 NFL Mock draft.
Defensive Tackle: With the switch from the 3-4 back to the 4-3, Denver needs a big time presence in the middle of their defensive line. You could argue that they also need help at defensive end, but with Elvis Dumervil back they should have one of the top pass rushers in the game. A tackle to take some of the pressure off of Dumervil would really help the whole unit out. The Broncos could easily take care of this problem with the No. 2 pick by taking either Nick Fairley of Auburn or Marcell Dareus of Alabama.
Cornerback: I think the Broncos have to select a solid corner with one of their first three picks. With Champ Bailey resigning, that leaves the Broncos with two 32-year-old corners in Bailey and Andre Goodman. Don’t rule out the Broncos going after LSU’s Patrick Peterson with the No. 2 pick. If they choose to wait, I think they need to land either Jimmy Smith (Colorado), Brandon Harris (Miami), or Ras-I Dowling with one of their second round selections.
Tight End: The Broncos need to an upgrade over Daniel Graham at tight end. In 2010 Graham had just 18 catches for 148 yards and no touchdowns. The only problem is the 2011 draft class really doesn’t have a whole lot to choose from, especially compared to the talent that was in last year’s class. Notre Dame’s Kyle Rudolph is the best in the class, but likely won’t fall to the Broncos in the second round. One option could be Tennessee’s Luke Stocker with their second pick in the second round.
Linebacker: The Broncos defense wasn’t very good at all last year, and a lot of that had to do with the lack of production they got out of their linebackers. They could use help at either inside or outside. So look for them to take the best available at either spot. I think the best spot for Denver to go after a linebacker will be in the third round, and they could end up with either Mark Herzlich of Boston College or Kelvin Sheppard of LSU.
Safety: Veteran Brian Dawkins played just 11 games in his second season with the Broncos, and is entering into his 17th season. Renaldo Hill is also getting up their in age at the other starting spot, and there isn’t really much behind them. There isn’t a safety even worth considering with the No. 2 pick, but there is an outside chance Rahim Moore of UCLA slips to the Broncos in the second. If Moore is gone, look for them to consider Deunta Williams of North Carolina or DeAndre McDaniel of Clemson.
Individual NFL Team Mock Drafts
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