2021 Broncos Forum College Prospects Thread

[AKRNA]

So, @broncosfan_101, what I'd like to see is a steady stream of mid rd picks annually on the OL. Basically, a developmental factory like Alex Gibbs used. A year learning the game and a few years of productive play. The UDFA's on the OL rarely pan out but the mid rounders usually do.

I just hate seeing a kid like Cushenberry gettin thrown in the mix as a rookie. Thats a huge transition for any guy on the OL. 

[broncos67]

I'm expecting us to win max 2 more games the rest of this year. I could easily see us losing out. Being in the Top 6/7 would be ideal from a pure value standpoint. I personally don't see much value in the middle of this draft class, at least at the positions we need. Being T6/T7 could land us a QB (Trey Lance/Zach Wilson) if we decided to go that route, a CB (Surtain/Farley) or LB (Rousseau/Parsons). I would imagine we probably lean towards a CB if we're picking that high, but who knows.

[jsthomp2007]

14 hours ago, AKRNA said:

He's got pretty good feet and knows the game. He's on his assignments. Got some leverage issues though and plays pretty high. That's easily coachable though.

Didn't see enough to be sure but "change of direction" looks like a problem on the outside. A year of good coaching, better technique, lower hips and a weight room could correct those issues. 

Mid round pick maybe? A year on the PS would do wonders.

If he got a pedicure he'd have excellent feet. 

[broncosfan_101]

18 hours ago, AKRNA said:

He's got pretty good feet and knows the game. He's on his assignments. Got some leverage issues though and plays pretty high. That's easily coachable though.

Didn't see enough to be sure but "change of direction" looks like a problem on the outside. A year of good coaching, better technique, lower hips and a weight room could correct those issues. 

Mid round pick maybe? A year on the PS would do wonders.

Consensus has him in the 2nd round, but he’s an opt-out this year. I’m wondering if he’ll slide a bit because of it. I just don’t remember anyone neutralizing Chase Young like that last year. Maybe he’s an RT at the next level? He just seems so natural on an island in pass pro. 
 

That said, I’m not sure how many 6’3” starting tackles are out there, especially (potentially) short-armed ones. 

[broncosfan_101]

12 hours ago, broncos67 said:

I'm expecting us to win max 2 more games the rest of this year. I could easily see us losing out. Being in the Top 6/7 would be ideal from a pure value standpoint. I personally don't see much value in the middle of this draft class, at least at the positions we need. Being T6/T7 could land us a QB (Trey Lance/Zach Wilson) if we decided to go that route, a CB (Surtain/Farley) or LB (Rousseau/Parsons). I would imagine we probably lean towards a CB if we're picking that high, but who knows.

I don’t think he’s an Elway guy, but the more I watch Zach Wilson....sheesh. Average NFL arm strength, plus skills everywhere else. Incredibly accurate, moves his eyes like a 10-year vet, and a great feel for the pocket. I’ve moved him up into my Justin Fields tier, a legit top 5 pick. 

[AKRNA]

2 hours ago, broncosfan_101 said:

Consensus has him in the 2nd round, but he’s an opt-out this year. I’m wondering if he’ll slide a bit because of it. I just don’t remember anyone neutralizing Chase Young like that last year. Maybe he’s an RT at the next level? He just seems so natural on an island in pass pro. 
 

That said, I’m not sure how many 6’3” starting tackles are out there, especially (potentially) short-armed ones. 

Well, like I mentioned, his flaws can be easily corrected. He just needs to drop his butt a bit, not play so high. He'd get steamrolled in the NFL right now. 

He's got the feet for it though and a good sense of the game. Some good coaching and an NFL weight room could work wonders. Like almost all college O Linemen, I think he needs a year before you can project him in a lineup.

[AKRNA]

2 hours ago, broncosfan_101 said:

I don’t think he’s an Elway guy, but the more I watch Zach Wilson....sheesh. Average NFL arm strength, plus skills everywhere else. Incredibly accurate, moves his eyes like a 10-year vet, and a great feel for the pocket. I’ve moved him up into my Justin Fields tier, a legit top 5 pick. 

I like that! You don't need a cannon to excel at QB. If he's a smart guy also then IMO he's got the tools.

Sign up Fitz on a one year deal, let this kid learn the game, then spring him on the NFL his second season.

[rcpbawler]

12 hours ago, broncosfan_101 said:

I don’t think he’s an Elway guy, but the more I watch Zach Wilson....sheesh. Average NFL arm strength, plus skills everywhere else. Incredibly accurate, moves his eyes like a 10-year vet, and a great feel for the pocket. I’ve moved him up into my Justin Fields tier, a legit top 5 pick. 

Are you watching film for this year or last season? I think his arm strength is well above average. He's made some wow throws rolling out left, right, off balance that you just can't get away with having an average arm. It's definitely improved from last year where he was banged up. 

I agree, not sure he's an elway guy but maybe dudes learned from his mistakes? I think he's just below Fields. My worry is we're fourth or fifth in line when it comes to quarterbacks. That leaves us with the choice of either Lance (who I'm a fan of but will probably need more time and probably more volatile as well) or Trask/Mac, who I'd rather not spend a top 10 pick on.

 

[broncos_fan _from _uk]

Just say no to Lance. I’ve never even seen him play. But I strongly believe that you don’t draft a QB with less than 20 college starts. I brought it up a couple years ago when everyone was fawning over Haskins, but here is the list of QBs with less of than 20 college starts (at any level) who has started an NFL game in the last decade:

Kyler Murray (perhaps the exception that proves the rule)

Haskins

Trubisky

Siemian

Oswieler

Sanchez

Cassell

im not saying that more starts makes you a better QB, but there seems to be a threshold of around 20 games that a QB needs to have to be able to succeed in the NFL

[BullsandBroncos]

59 minutes ago, broncos_fan _from _uk said:

Just say no to Lance. I’ve never even seen him play. But I strongly believe that you don’t draft a QB with less than 20 college starts. I brought it up a couple years ago when everyone was fawning over Haskins, but here is the list of QBs with less of than 20 college starts (at any level) who has started an NFL game in the last decade:

Kyler Murray (perhaps the exception that proves the rule)

Haskins

Trubisky

Siemian

Oswieler

Sanchez

Cassell

im not saying that more starts makes you a better QB, but there seems to be a threshold of around 20 games that a QB needs to have to be able to succeed in the NFL

Personally, I wouldn't spend a first rounder on a QB that didn't start for at least 2 full seasons.

[BroncoBruin]

It’s insane to me that Lance didn’t transfer to a competitive D1 program. 

[BroncosFan2010]

Quote

I don’t think he’s an Elway guy, but the more I watch Zach Wilson....sheesh. Average NFL arm strength, plus skills everywhere else. Incredibly accurate, moves his eyes like a 10-year vet, and a great feel for the pocket. I’ve moved him up into my Justin Fields tier, a legit top 5 pick. 

 

I really like this kid. The league at this moment is one where mobility is much more important than the prototypical NFL QB body. Zach is a player, he has all the intangibles you want in a QB, he has an advanced feel for the game and can make all the throws. I think he may actually be better than Fields. 

Zach isnt a 1-year-wonder either. He missed time as a FR and SO but his accuracy has been there since he first took a snap in 2018. 49 TD to 14 INT w/ a 67% completion rate. Knows when to check down, moves through progressions, elite character, great pocket presence. Seems that all he is lacking really is about 10-15lbs. 

One day Elway has to move away from his obsession with 6'4+ strong armed passers. Its arguable that at this point his obsession with those two metrics, height and arm strength, have clouded his field of vision when evaluating QB's to the point of being fire worthy. 

R1 - Zach Wilson QB

R2 - Dylan Moses ILB

R3 - Zaven Collins EDGE

R4 - Caden Mays OT

Thats my little dream right now. 

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by BroncosFan2010

[germ-x]

3 hours ago, BroncoBruin said:

It’s insane to me that Lance didn’t transfer to a competitive D1 program. 

Yeah.  I don’t get it. 

[broncosfan_101]

4 hours ago, broncos_fan _from _uk said:

Just say no to Lance. I’ve never even seen him play. But I strongly believe that you don’t draft a QB with less than 20 college starts. I brought it up a couple years ago when everyone was fawning over Haskins, but here is the list of QBs with less of than 20 college starts (at any level) who has started an NFL game in the last decade:

Kyler Murray (perhaps the exception that proves the rule)

Haskins

Trubisky

Siemian

Oswieler

Sanchez

Cassell

im not saying that more starts makes you a better QB, but there seems to be a threshold of around 20 games that a QB needs to have to be able to succeed in the NFL

A team like Minny, Detroit, or Atlanta has to take him. He’ll need AT LEAST a year on the bench to have any chance. And then he’ll need an OC to build an offence specifically suited to him, a la Kyler Murray. 

[broncosfan_101]

5 hours ago, rcpbawler said:

Are you watching film for this year or last season? I think his arm strength is well above average. He's made some wow throws rolling out left, right, off balance that you just can't get away with having an average arm. It's definitely improved from last year where he was banged up. 

I agree, not sure he's an elway guy but maybe dudes learned from his mistakes? I think he's just below Fields. My worry is we're fourth or fifth in line when it comes to quarterbacks. That leaves us with the choice of either Lance (who I'm a fan of but will probably need more time and probably more volatile as well) or Trask/Mac, who I'd rather not spend a top 10 pick on.

 

This year. Average NFL arm strength isn’t a knock, it’s just that his calling card will never be an ability to shoot lasers all over the field. There’s enough juice to make pretty much every throw, though.