Broncos nation will wait with bated breath on April 22 as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell steps to the podium to announce the Broncos’ first-round pick, especially after last season’s surprises.
Well we here at beepwire.com had our own Mock Draft with each team represented on a conference call and I had the pleasure of making the Broncos’ selection.
We did not have the option to move up or down in the draft so I took Dez Bryant, the extremely talented, but troubled wide receiver out of Oklahoma State.
Whether or not the Broncos will actually take Bryant remains a mystery on a team filled with needs.
One reason to take Bryant is that they will need a go-to receiver in the likelihood that Brandon Marshall is traded on or around draft day and Bryant is considered to be the best receiver in the draft.
But do the Broncos want to trade one headache for another?
One season’s worth of history says that head coach Josh McDaniels will pass on guys with character issues in favor of team-oriented players, even if they’re less talented. But whether or not they take Bryant will depend on the team’s assessment of him as a person more likely than as a player.
I took Bryant with the 11th pick because I couldn’t justify to myself taking center, which the Broncos desperately need, at No. 11.
The Cleveland Browns took center Alex Mack last season in the first round with the No. 21 pick and Buffalo picked Eric Wood at No. 28, but even that was considered somewhat high for a center. If Denver wants a center it will likely be Maurkice Pouncey from Florida, but look for them to trade down to later in the first round, if not out of the round all together.
The Dallas Cowboys’ Examiner took Pouncey with the No. 27 pick in the first round of the mock draft.
Linebacker Rolando McClain out of Alabama has also been rumored to be it the Broncos’ sights and they do need depth on the defensive side of the ball.
He’s a possibility, but the Broncos already have Mario Haggan slated to start at inside linebacker. If Robert Ayers doesn’t pan out, Haggan could move back to his outside slot and McClain could be a good pickup here.
In the mock draft, McClain fell to No. 25 in the first round for the Baltimore Ravens.
If the Broncos stay at No. 11, Bryant may make the most sense, but don’t be surprised if they move down or take someone else all together. After all, who had them taking Knowshon Moreno last year.
