2012 Denver Broncos Mock Draft: January Update
First round: Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU
There have been rumors swirling that the redshirt sophomore from the best defense in the country was leaning toward leaving school early, and as a Broncos fan, I hope he flies under the radar to their first round pick come draft day. At 6’4″ 245 pounds, Montgomery has the frame to add probably 15 pounds give or take and maintain his elite speed and quickness, which is exactly what the Broncos’ defense is built upon. He has been a pretty good pass rusher this season and is only going to get better. His untapped potential could cause him to fall in the draft, and I would love to see the Broncos take advantage. Adding him to a group that already includes Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller would be deadly. How about adding Kevin Vickerson and Ty Warren as well?
Second Round: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State
Doug Martin is a short back, but he’s well-built and he works harder than most guys on the team. I think he is going to be a really, really good NFL player in the mold of a Ray Rice or Maurice Jones-Drew–a small guy that gets overlooked in the draft because of his height. He has good speed and plays low. He will hit you hard and he can also contribute in the passing game. He has potential as a featured runner in the NFL and with Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno already around, I think this would be a great addition for the Broncos at this point in the draft.
Third Round: LaMichael James, RB, Oregon
To be the best running team in the NFL, you have to have the backs to do it. The Broncos are currently too slow to run the type of offense they are right now, but LaMichael James would change that in the snap of a finger, which is about how fast he can get from 0 to 60. Who knows if it’s likely that the Broncos will go for two straight backs, but if they want to run the offense they are now, they might just have to do it. Adding Martin and James would give the Broncos a four-man rushing attack with McGahee (on the other side of 30) and Knowshon Moreno (made of glass). This pick would make it an uphill battle for Lance Ball and Jeremiah Johnson.
Fourth Round: Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma
Broyles is coming off of a serious injury, so if he falls in the draft, I really hope the Broncos take advantage. He is smaller, but he is sure-handed and right now the Broncos don’t have anyone who can say that, even Eric Decker who was a guy that only dropped three passes his entire college career. Broyles can work the slot, but he also has the speed to provide the Broncos with a solid deep threat, assuming he is healthy in his rookie season. He might not be an immediate contributor, but he will certainly have an impact down the road.
Fifth Round (from St. Louis): Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa
Marvin McNutt probably won’t run fast at the combine, and at times in his Iowa career he struggled to find separation. He could be in for a fall on draft day because of those two things combined with his case of the occasional drops. Broncos fans certainly don’t want a guy who is going to come in and drop more passes, but they want a guy who can come in and make big plays down the field in the passing game. McNutt is a former QB who knows how to find soft coverages against a zone, and he would be able to bail Tim Tebow out if he has to scramble and improvise. With Eddie Royal being a free agent and Matt Willis not making an impact like the Broncos expected, this could be a direction they choose to go, adding weapons on the offensive side of the ball in successive picks.
Fifth Round: Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin
This is a bit of my own wishful thinking, having Russell Wilson fall this far, but you never know. His height will cause him to be drafted much lower than he should, but he is a great athlete and a guy that I think has starter potential in the NFL. He has a rocket for an arm, showed immensely improved accuracy in 2011, and he is a smart competitor who always gets the job done. I really like this guy and I hope he finds a home in Denver.