Broncos Banter » 2009 NFL Draft

Broncos Work Out Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee

sayre bedinger — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:58:29 +0000

Scout.com is reporting that former Texas A&M University quarterback Stephen McGee has a private workout scheduled with the Denver Broncos.

Now that Jay Cutler is out of the picture in Denver, new head coach Josh McDaniels will undoubtedly be in the market for a quarterback in the up-coming draft, most likely in the later rounds.

McGee fits that bill.

The 6′3″ 225 pound McGee only played three games last season for the Aggies as he was derailed with a torn labrum injury to his shoulder. He is extremely athletic, and he showed that at the NFL Scouting Combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds.

McGee will turn 24 in September, and figures to go in the 3rd to 7th round of the up-coming draft.

Stafford to be Number One Pick

sayre bedinger — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:11:03 +0000

According to ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio, Matthew Stafford is telling former Georgia Bulldog teammates that he is going to be the Lions’ pick when the draft rolls around on April 25th.

Per PFT, Stafford is characterizing it as a “done deal”, which will include over $40 million in guaranteed money.

Seven Round Mock Draft: Knowshon Moreno a Bronco?

sayre bedinger — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:12:53 +0000

It may seem as though I’m going a bit overboard with the Broncos mock draft’s, but I just cannot help it. Denver has so many different options come draft day, and with each day come new opportunities and scenarios. Here is a bit of a new twist that I think Denver fans will find quite interesting.

First Round, 12th overall: Rey Maualuga; Middle Linebacker, USC

I’m going with a switch here at the 12th pick, taking Rey Maualuga, the stud MLB out of Southern Cal. Following an impressive 2005 season in which Denver made it to the AFC Championship game, the team found itself looking for a new identity at quarterback.

Late in the 2006 season, Jay Cutler made his first start against the Seattle Seahawks. While Cutler’s first start as a Bronco was an exciting photo finish that ended in defeat, quite possibly the most important aspect of that game came on the defensive side of the ball.

Former Broncos middle linebacker Al Wilson suffered a serious neck injury, ending his career essentially. Ever since then, Denver has lacked a dominant presence, and a stout defense in general.

Maualuga is a stout middle linebacker who can defend the run with the best of them, and is excellent in pass coverage. He would be the perfect building block for the new 3-4 defense, and would compliment D.J. Williams nicely on the inside.

First round, 18th overall: Knowshon Moreno; Running Back, Georgia

You are going to have to hear me out on this one, as I’m sure some of you who think the Broncos should draft defense, defense, defense are going to freak out. Denver’s rush offense ranked 12th in the NFL in 2008, and they were tied for second in the league with 4.8 yards per carry–with 98 different running backs.

Okay, so I’m being a bit sarcastic there, but undoubtedly, Denver has to be in the market for a premiere running back. This year’s draft features two top end backs (Knowshon Moreno, Chris Wells) who will be considered the cream of the crop.

Moreno has bulked up, and has the game-changing speed to instantly add a second dimension to Denver’s offense. Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordan, J.J. Arrington, and Ryan Torain are fine options, but with this pick, Denver can add even more picks by trading Selvin Young and Tony Scheffler (move Peyton Hillis to h-back).

Second Round, 48th overall: Jarron Gilbert; Defensive Lineman, San Jose State

Aside from Tyson Jackson, Jarron Gilbert is hands down the best 3-4 defensive end available in this year’s draft. He stands at 6′5″ 290 pounds, and has the room on his frame to grow even more. He would be an excellent addition up front to Denver’s defensive line, and is extremely athletic for his size.

Third Round, 79th overall: Sammie Lee Hill; Defensive Lineman, Stillman

Simply put: Sammie Lee Hill is an absolute freak of nature. This kid played defensive end at 329 pounds, and was very productive. Hill has excellent agility, long arms, and quickness. Some scouts project him as a 3-4 defensive end, but with the Broncos, he will get a shot at the nose tackle position. The only concern here is his lack of competition, but Hill dominated those he faced. He could be one of the steals of the draft.

Third Round, 84th overall: Mitch King; Defensive End, Iowa

As an Iowa fan, it does my heart good to see one of Iowa’s best defensive players, if not the best defensive player going to the Denver Broncos in the third round. What King lacks in height or weight at the defensive tackle position, he more than makes up for with his production.

King has excellent quickness, and can get tremendous push in the backfield. He will be a great player for whatever team takes him, and I hope that the Broncos decide he is their guy with the second of three picks acquired from the Chicago Bears.

Fourth Round, 114th overall: Chip Vaughn; Safety, Wake Forest

Vaughn has really impressed scouts with his size, agility, and flat out speed. He is not as highly regarded as college teammates Aaron Curry or Alphonso Smith, but he has the potential to develop into a good safety and special teams player at the next level.

Fifth Round, 149th overall: Vaughn Martin; Defensive Tackle, Western Ontario

Martin is another freak of nature athletically. The 6′4″ 335 pounder has reportedly run the forty yard dash in under five seconds, and bench pressed 225 pounds 33 times. He is very raw as a prospect, but is really catching scouts’ eyes right now. If the Broncos want him, they may be foolish to try and wait until the sixth or seventh round to do it.

Sixth Round, 185th overall: A.Q. Shipley; Center, Penn State

I have been a huge supporter of Shipley in the draft process, and while he may not fall this far, I am optimistic that he will. He has the potential to be a starting center at the next level, and would be great value in this spot.

Seventh Round, 225th overall: Mike Reilly; Quarterback, Central Washington

Reilly is a really under the radar prospect who would be a great value this late for the Broncos. He was extremely productive at Central Washington, and would be a great mind to mold for quarterback guru Josh McDaniels.

Seventh Round, 235th overall: Patrick Turner; Wide Receiver, USC

Turner was relatively a “bust” at the college level, but is getting a second opportunity in the NFL. If he can produce in the NFL as he was expected to in college, he will be a steal this late for the Broncos. He has excellent height and bulk for the position as well.

Five Linebackers Intriguing for Broncos in Draft

sayre bedinger — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:39:02 +0000

: Hawaii defensive end/outside linebacker David Veikune

Now that the NFL Scouting Combine has come to a close, we have that much more indication as to what players could go where. For the Denver Broncos, this is expected by many fans and speculators to be a defensive draft.

Denver’s new head coach Josh McDaniels and new GM Brian Xanders have a tough task ahead of them. In a matter of two days, the new brass in the Mile High City let go of five defensive starters, and twelve players in all.

But it doesn’t end there.

Denver’s defense could possibly feature eight new defensive starters on opening day, as Dre’ Bly, Nate Webster, Ebenezer Ekuban, Jamie Winborn, Marquand Manuel, Marlon McCree, John Engelberger, Niko Koutouvides, and DeWayne Robertson have all either been cut or will be let go as free agents.

Per the DenverPost, the Broncos will be very active in free agency, on the defensive side of the ball in particular. While the free agent class is fairly deep and talented, the 2009 NFL Draft prospects offer some great talent as well.

On Monday, the defensive linemen and linebackers participated in drills at the Combine, and five linebackers stood out to me as solid prospects for Denver come late April.

1. Rey Maualuga; Middle Linebacker, USC

Maualuga was an absolute wrecking ball for the Trojans in his time at USC. At 6′2″ 249 pounds, he has been described as a bigger version of Pittsburgh Steeler and All-Pro Troy Polamalu. As it stands right now, Denver’s starting linebackers are projected to be Jarvis Moss, D.J. Williams, Elvis Dumervil, and Wesley Woodyard. Clearly, D.J. Williams is the best LB on that list, and the Broncos could look to this former USC star for a perennial Pro-Bowl selection up the middle. He didn’t participate in much of the combine due to a hamstring injury, but there is no denying his football talent and prospects. Denver would love to end up with him as the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft.

2. David Veikune; Outside Linebacker, Hawai’i

Veikune is a player that has really risen up my draft board in recent weeks. He is extremely active on the defensive side of the ball, and has the perfect size to make the transition from college defensive end to outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. At times in 2008, it seemed Denver lacked any true intensity on their defense. If they are able to add both Veikune and Maualuga, those problems would be instantly rectified.

3. Kaluka Maiava; Middle Linebacker, USC

Plain and simple, Maiava is a warrior. He had the unfortunate task of trying to win a starting job over three potential first round picks in Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, and Clay Matthews, but he is a very talented prospect in his own right. He is undersized at 5′11″ 229 pounds, but he could potentially be a steal in the later rounds of this year’s draft, much like Matt Cassel of New England.

4. Jasper Brinkley; Middle Linebacker, South Carolina

Few players are of as ideal size (6′2″ 252) and strength as Brinkley. He came to South Carolina as a junior college transfer, and absolutely lit it up. He ran the forty yard dash in 4.72 seconds, put up the bench press at 225 26 times, and has a vertical leap of 35.5″. He has great power and short distance quickness, making him the ideal run-stuffing 3-4 linebacker that could compliment the quick and agile D.J. Williams.

5. Worrell Williams; Middle Linebacker, California

Williams has stated publicly his desire to suit up in the blue and orange. The reason? His brother, D.J. Williams, is currently a superstar linebacker for the Broncos already. Williams is a bit short at 5′11″, but at 240 pounds he is a bruiser of a linebacker. He has similar athleticism to his brother, but he is not quite as instinctive. He often is caught overpursuing, but he hits like a freight train.

Any of these five linebackers would be excellent fits for Denver, but if the Broncos are interested remains to be seen. Josh McDaniels is running a very tight ship in Denver, and is sticking to the Patriot way of being very discrete and quiet about who he wants to take come draft day.