Denver Broncos 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft after free agency splurge

The offensive line must be a top priority for the Denver Broncos in the 2020 NFL Draft. Penalty machine, Garrett Bolles, is on his last straw to prove worthy of a first-round selection and who knows how long Ja’Wuan James will remain healthy for after tearing his MCL and meniscus early last year. The unit allowed over 40 sacks in 2019 (17th-NFL).

With the weapons the Broncos had on offense last season, there’s no excuse they should’ve finished with the 28th ranked offense. Other than lousy quarterback play from Joe Flacco, the protection and blocking up front was mostly to blame.

Lucas Niang’s power at the point of attack is comparable to that of Jedrick Wills, who can be argued as the best offensive line prospect in this class. His ability to routinely get square and push defenders north with tenacity is the first attribute that caught my eye on film. He hardly misses any assignment and he persistently looks for work. Niang’s athleticism and length make second-level blocks a breeze for him. His frame is as solid as he is a prospect.

As we all know, Chris Harris Jr.’s tenure with the Denver Broncos came to a dramatic conclusion after A.J. Bouye came in via trade to be his eventual replacement. The star slot cornerback remained in the AFC West, signing with the Los Angeles Chargers as a free agent.

Bouye keeps one side of the field secure, but what about the other? Isaac Yiadom has had more than enough chances to produce and has been unable to do so. He finished with an atrocious 50.9 overall grade from PFF in 2019. The depth behind him also remains inadequate and this amazing secondary will noticeably crumble if Bouye was to go down.

With the first of their three third-round picks, the Denver Broncos address this void by selecting Troy Pride Jr. from Notre Dame. Pride can come in and start day one for the blue and orange. He illustrates tremendous 4.4 speed that can be taken advantage of on corner blitzes and halting Tyreek Hill.

He demonstrates proper awareness for the position as he’s highly reactive with his breaks. Love the way he takes on blocks and contains the sidelines with finesse. Pride’s plethora of traits would conform smoothly with Denver’s defense that has developed into a more zone intensive approach since the arrival of head coach Vic Fangio.

The Denver Broncos defensive line is secured for 2020 after acquiring Jurrell Casey and resigning Shelby Harris. However, the contracts for both Harris and starting nose tackle Mike Purcell are set to expire after this upcoming season. Depending on their performances, the Broncos will possibly only keep one them heading into 2021.

The Denver Broncos should look ahead of just this year and draft for the future on day two of the 2020 NFL Draft with Rashard Lawrence from LSU. Lawrence is a prospect I’ve written about a few times. Probably because I really enjoy his play. I continue to pound the table for him. It’s not difficult identifying what makes his play satisfying to watch.

The 310-pound defensive tackle proved to be versatile for LSU as he could be found aligned at the five-technique. He utilizes his aggressive 11-inch hands to shed and maneuver around blockers. Shows impressive power on initial contact, strives in using his strength and size to gain leverage and pursue his assignment. Lawrence would be an ideal choice to play on running downs for the Denver Broncos, while also developing behind Casey.

Both off-ball linebackers, Todd Davis and Alexander Johnson, continue to be undervalued for their respective positions. Johnson excels in coverage and Davis can get to the ball in a blink as he racked up 134 combined tackles in 2019 (T-8th in NFL). These two are the guys next year. This pick here is for pure depth… for now.

Let’s take a quick peek into how the Denver Broncos 2019 defensive rankings compare to the rest of the NFL:

Tackles: 13th
Sacks: T-17th
Interceptions: T-25th
Yards/Game: 12th

As you can see, the defense’s numbers were about average. Fortunately, they were the reason why the Denver Broncos were able to hold onto playoff hopes for so long. They kept them competing when all hell was breaking loose on the other side of the ball for Denver’s 28th ranked offense. According to overthecap.com, the Broncos currently spend 64 percent of their cash on defense.

Logan Wilson shined on the Wyoming defense. He attacks the ball with urgency, finishing all four of his college seasons with at least 90 combined tackles. The linebacker often takes proper pursuit angles to the ball carrier.

Wilson also made an impact through the air, earning nine interceptions during his collegiate career. He’s a jack of all trades, a true two-dimensional player. The biggest flaw for him is getting to the quarterback but he makes up for it on how often he disrupts plays on the ground.