Broncos vs. Falcons: Rookies to watch in Hall of Fame Game

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Drew Lock

Drew Lock is the obvious rookie to watch for the Broncos tonight. He was considered by most to be a first-round talent at the quarterback position, but he ended up slipping to the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Lock is an extremely raw player, but his arm talent is legit. This guy has all of the physical skills needed to be a star NFL quarterback.

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That being said, he is simply not ready for NFL regular-season action. As of now, Lock struggles to read defenses, has spotty accuracy and does not know when to put touch on his passes. He simply needs to become more consistent before the Broncos can count on him as their starter.

Starting quarterback Joe Flacco will not suit up for the Broncos on Thursday night, leaving Kevin Hogan to get the starting nod against the Falcons. However, Lock will see plenty of playing time in the Hall of Fame game and it will be fun to see if he has improved through early training camp practices.

Noah Fant

The Broncos snagged tight end Noah Fant in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and he has a chance to come in and make an immediate impact for the team. Fant is an extremely talented tight end who has impressive athleticism and is a natural receiver. He is a true matchup nightmare in the middle of the field and has massive upside at the next level.

Fant has impressed early in Broncos’ camp and is even in the conversation to be their starting tight end this season. If Fant can come in and dominate on the field on Thursday night, he may force the Broncos to give him an even larger role. Definitely keep an eye on Fant against the Falcons.

Malik Reed

In Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, the Broncos have arguably the best edge-rushing duo in the entire NFL. However, they do lack ideal depth behind their two stars on the edge. Edge rusher Malik Reed went undrafted, but he is an interesting player who could play his way into a depth role for the Broncos with a strong preseason.

Reed is an extremely explosive and twitchy athlete who has impressive burst and bend around the edge. He gets off of the ball quickly, uses his hands well and can win with pure speed around the edge or counter moves. Reed is impressive at times, but he is also extremely raw and inconsistent.

If Denver can get it all to click for Reed, he could end up being a real playmaker for the team. When the Broncos are on defense, Reed is the guy who I am going to be looking for.

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